Ex parte Wilson
Ex parte Wilson
Opinion of the Court
{1] Ordinarily under our division of work in this district a suit growing out of a matter that happened in the Fort Worth Division would have been referred by this court to the judge of that division, Judge Wilson, who has heretofore handled this case. But the statute is such that it requires the judge to whom a writ of habeas corpus is addressed by a citizen who complains of illegal restraint to act upon it; that judge must act, and may not pass it over to another judge. That was determined in some cases arising from Alcatraz prison, and is well established in that circuit. Rutkowski v. Johnston, D. C., 52 F.Supp. 430. When Mr. Wilson forwarded his application for writ of habeas corpus it contained upon its face such serious allegations that it was necessary that he be given a hearing to determine whether or not he was being illegally restrained.
His complaint against the clerk about records which were in the clerk’s office seems to be sustained. The clerk seems to have overlooked those records; our clerks are human beings, and they sometimes make mistakes and there should have been a careful examination of the records to see whether there was a proceeding against the petitioner, Wilson, so that he could have been furnished a copy of the documents that have been presented in open court this morning, so that his mind would have been at ease. His application is granted under the statute which he cites, to-wit, the statute holding that indigent persons may come into court and the court is always open to them. The court’s eyes are always open to determine, and must be open, to determine whether or not there is a citizen being illegally deprived of his liberty. Therefore, the petitioner’s petition was granted, and the United States Attorney was notified and asked to furnish the petitioner with a copy of his, the United States Attorney’s, answer to that petition, which he did.
The Attorney General, who was made a party in the application, was not cited because it was not necessary; the United States Attorney under the statute represents the United States in this district, and nobody else could be given that authority except such special United States Attorneys or Special Attorneys General as come into this district, properly commissioned under another statute, which is junior in point of time. The older law was, and, still is, that the United States Attorney represents the United States.
Considering now the more serious aspects: We find that the original sentence was entered on an indictment in 1935 which had four counts in it; under the first and second counts the petitioner
Now the next mental worry is what right» has the Leavenworth warden, or, Mr. Bennett, to send a hold order against him with reference to the unserved portion of the paroled part of the ten-year consecutive sentence. That right arises out of the alleged fact, — and the court does not pass on that, and it is not necessary to make any finding under that at the present time,— but that arises out of the alleged fact that during the time the petitioner was on parole on the first two five-year sentences, he did not do what he should have done as a paroled prisoner, to-wit, live legally and lawfully. Whether the warden at Leavenworth will see fit to detain him longer on that, is a matter the court is not required to act upon at this time. It is his duty to place that order, and the petitioner can talk with him and try to persuade him, or write to him and see what can be done about that. Fifteen years seems like quite a while for him to be detained, but I don’t know exactly what the offense was, perhaps the forging of some checks, or something of the sort, and the trial judge had ample jurisdiction to fix a sentence that he thought appropriate.
The petitioner is a wise man, and he is in an institution that is one of the prides of the nation, and I need not say to him that he will be taken care of while he is there.
The petitioner is remanded to the custody of the Seagoville authorities.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex parte WILSON
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- 2 cases
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- Published