Goham v. Wolff, 72-1365
Decision Date | 20 December 1972 |
Docket Number | 72-1366.,No. 72-1365,72-1365 |
Citation | 471 F.2d 52 |
Parties | Wayne GOHAM, Appellee, v. Charles L. WOLFF, Jr., Warden, Nebraska Penal & Correctional Complex, Appellant. Dennis TYNDALL, Appellee, v. Charles L. WOLFF, Jr., Warden, Nebraska Penal & Correctional Complex, Appellant. |
Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit |
Ralph H. Gillan, Asst. Atty. Gen., Lincoln, Neb., for appellant.
William G. Line, Fremont, Neb., for appellees.
Before VAN OOSTERHOUT, Senior Circuit Judge, LAY, Circuit Judge, and DURFEE, United States Court of Claims Judge.
Rehearings and Rehearings En Banc Denied January 12, 1973.
This is an appeal from an order of the federal district court granting writs of habeas corpus to two state prisoners. Wayne Goham and Dennis Tyndall, both members of the Omaha Indian Tribe, were convicted of kidnapping and rape in a Nebraska state court. Their convictions were affirmed by the Nebraska Supreme Court. State v. Tyndall, 187 Neb. 48, 187 N.W.2d 298 (1971); State v. Goham, 187 Neb. 35, 187 N.W.2d 305 (1971), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 1004, 92 S. Ct. 561, 30 L.Ed.2d 558. The crimes were committed on the Omaha Indian Reservation and the State of Nebraska exercised jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1162(a) (1970).1 On October 24, 1970, while the direct appeals from the convictions were pending in the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Secretary of the Interior accepted retrocession of jurisdiction over the Omaha Indian Reservation pursuant to an offer of retrocession previously made by the Nebraska Legislature in accordance with 25 U.S.C. § 1323(a) (1970). The offer of retrocession (Nebraska Legislative Resolution 37) contained no express provision for saving pending prosecutions. The petitioners contend that they were denied due process of law since the Nebraska courts, in absence of an express provision saving pending cases, were without jurisdiction as of 12:01 A.M. EST on October 25, 1970. On this basis, the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska ordered the prisoners released.
The same jurisdictional issue was presented to the Nebraska Supreme Court at the time of direct appeal. However, the Nebraska Supreme Court held that the purported retrocession was invalid since the partial acceptance of jurisdiction by the Secretary of Interior was not in accordance with the terms of the offer. In so holding, the court found it unnecessary to pass on what effect a valid retrocession would have on pending state prosecutions. State v. Goham, supra at 312. Subsequent to that decision, this court affirmed federal district court rulings that the validity of the retrocession was a question of federal law and that in fact the retrocession was valid and effective. See Omaha Tribe of Nebraska v. Village of Walthill, 460 F.2d 1327 (8 Cir. 1972), aff'g 334 F.Supp. 823 (D.Neb.1971), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 1107, 93 S.Ct. 898, 34 L.Ed.2d 687 (1973); United States v. Brown, 334 F.Supp. 536 (D.Neb.1971); see also Robinson v. Wolff, 349 F.Supp. 514 (D. Neb.1972), aff'd 468 F.2d 438 (8 Cir. 1972).
The petitioners thereafter sought habeas relief in the federal district court. Initially the federal district court dismissed the petitions for failure to exhaust available state remedies. The district court ruled that the Nebraska Supreme Court should have the opportunity to determine what effect a valid retrocession would have on the state-imposed convictions in view of the Nebraska Legislature's failure to include a savings clause regarding pending cases. See Goham v. Wolff, CV71-L-365 (D.Neb., Feb. 7, 1972).
Thereupon the petitioners sought leave to docket original petitions for writs of habeas corpus in the Supreme Court of Nebraska. On April 10, 1972, leave was denied by that court without opinion. On reapplication to the federal district court, the Nebraska Supreme Court's action was construed as either a waiver of the exhaustion requirement or as having accomplished exhaustion and the court proceeded to a resolution on the merits. We hold this to be error.2
In Picard v. Connor, 404 U.S. 270, 275, 92 S.Ct. 509, 512, 30 L.Ed.2d 438 (1971), the Supreme Court noted:
We hold the mere denial, without opinion, of a motion to docket a writ of habeas corpus in the Supreme Court of Nebraska is not a sufficient basis upon which to conclude that a final waiver or exhaustion of remedy has been effectuated. This was earlier recognized by the United States Supreme Court in another case originating from Nebraska. In Ex parte Hawk, 321 U.S. 114, 116, 64 S.Ct. 448, 449, 450, 88 L.Ed. 572 (1944), the Supreme Court of the United States observed:
See also Hawk v. Olson, 66 F.Supp. 195, 197 (D.Neb.1946), aff'd 160 F.2d 807 (8 Cir. 1947), cert. denied, 332 U.S. 779, 68 S.Ct. 44, 92 L.Ed. 363. Although it may seem burdensome and time consuming to require proper exhaustion of state remedy, nevertheless, respect for the policy of federal-state comity must be maintained. These are state prisoners and the basic problems presented, even though they may deal directly or only peripherally with federal law, should be first passed upon by the state courts of Nebraska.3 We are aware that the district court is committed to the importance of the exhaustion doctrine. The same trial judge when he first denied the petitions for failure to exhaust state remedy cogently observed:
...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
Rice v. Wolff
...which was raised before the state supreme court but which the court declined to consider or inquire into. Our holding in Goham v. Wolff, 471 F.2d 52 (8th Cir. 1972), cert. denied sub nom., Tyndall v. Wolff, 414 U.S. 834, 94 S.Ct. 174, 38 L.Ed.2d 69 (1973), is not to the contrary. In Goham, ......
-
Tyndall v. Gunter
...and presented the same legal issue. Initially, Judge Urbom dismissed the petitions for failure to exhaust available state court remedies. Goham v. Wolff, CV71-L-365 (D.Neb. unpublished memorandum of decision dated February 7, 1972). Thereafter, Goham and Tyndall sought and were denied leave......
- U.S. v. McKenzie
-
Cage v. Auger, 74-1885
...1138 (8th Cir. 1974); Tyler v. Swenson, 440 F.2d 621 (8th Cir. 1971); Reynolds v. Lockhart, 497 F.2d 314 (8th Cir. 1974); Gohom v. Wolff, 471 F.2d 52 (8th Cir. 1972). Where it was clear that the state court had had its opportunity to correct constitutional error, we have found that the cons......