Ney v. Oberhauser

Decision Date22 December 1969
Docket NumberNo. 23141.,23141.
Citation419 F.2d 828
PartiesIrving Eugene NEY, Petitioner and Appellant, v. E. J. OBERHAUSER, Appellee.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit

Kenneth A. Cocks (argued), Thomas G. DeJonghe (argued), San Francisco, Cal., Irving Eugene Ney, pro se, for appellant.

Jack K. Weber (argued), Asst. Atty. Gen., Thomas C. Lynch, Atty. Gen., State of Cal., Los Angeles, Cal., for appellee.

Before CHAMBERS and ELY, Circuit Judges, and LEVIN,* District Judge.

CHAMBERS, Circuit Judge:

In a California state court, Ney was convicted of a rather aggravated mayhem.

There was a confession which was not introduced in evidence. And, the confession was not needed to make the state's case. It seems clear that the trial court did not intend to admit the confession. But earlier the district attorney in an opening statement to the jury alluded to the confession. This, it is asserted, was just as bad as admitting an illegally obtained confession. The state says the error was harmless.

Notwithstanding the fact that Ney has been to the state courts of California many times, it is now conceded that he has never squarely asked the California courts to examine the record in the light of Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705.

The district court's order denying a writ of habeas corpus is affirmed for the reason that we hold this is a case where California should first weigh the applicability of Chapman.

Obviously the affirmance is without prejudice.

*

The Honorable Gerald S. Levin, United States District Judge for the Northern District of California, sitting by designation.

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5 cases
  • Wright v. Maryland Penitentiary, State of Maryland
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit
    • 23 Junio 1970
    ...decision rendered after the state courts have last considered the case. James v. Copinger, 428 F.2d 235 (4th Cir. 1970); Ney v. Oberhauser, 419 F.2d 828 (9th Cir. 1969); Subilosky v. Massachusetts, 412 F.2d 691 (1st Cir. 1969); Boyer v. City of Orlando, 402 F.2d 966 (5th Cir. 1968); Pate v.......
  • James v. Copinger, 12474
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit
    • 16 Junio 1970
    ...courts should have an opportunity to apply the law as changed before the petitioner's remedies are considered exhausted. Ney v. Oberhauser, 419 F.2d 828 (9th Cir. 1969); Subilosky v. Massachusetts, 412 F.2d 691 (1st Cir. 1969); Boyer v. City of Orlando, 402 F.2d 966 (5th Cir. 1968); Pate v.......
  • Ney v. State of California, 26516.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit
    • 20 Abril 1971
    ...1969, 411 F.2d 408. We have heretofore affirmed, without prejudice, denial of a writ of habeas corpus sought by Ney. Ney v. Oberhauser, 9 Cir., 1969, 419 F.2d 828. As to District Attorney Sorenson, the judgment is also correct. Assuming, without deciding, that he would be liable for the act......
  • Parker v. Sigler
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit
    • 30 Diciembre 1969
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