Varble v. Whitecotton

• Decision Date: 05 November 1945
• Docket Number: No. 39648.,39648.
• Citation: 190 S.W.2d 244
• Parties: ERI E. VARBLE, Petitioner, v. THOMAS E. WHITECOTTON, Warden, MISSOURI STATE PENITENTIARY.
• Court: Missouri Supreme Court

190 S.W.2d 244 ERI E. VARBLE, Petitioner,
v.
THOMAS E. WHITECOTTON, Warden, MISSOURI STATE PENITENTIARY. No. 39648. Supreme Court of Missouri. Court en Banc, November 5, 1945.

[190 S.W.2d 245]

Habeas Corpus.

WRIT QUASHED AND PETITIONER REMANDED TO CUSTODY.

H.P. Lauf and W.C. Sanders for petitioner.

(1) The petit jury was illegally and unlawfully selected and summoned on October 29, 1930, under Article 3, Chapter 48, R.S. 1929 (now Article 4, Chapter 5, 1939) for the reason that under the fifteenth decennial census, April 1, 1930, Jackson County had a population of 470,454. State ex rel. Major v. Ryan, 232 Mo. 77; Jarabek v. St. Joseph, 159 Mo. App. 505; Laws 1931, p. 257, Emergency Clause, Sec. 2; Sec. 8745, R.S. 1929, now Sec. 696, R.S. 1939; Secs. 8794, 8809, R.S. 1929. (2) The courts of Jackson County, Missouri, could not have selected a grand jury under Section 8838, R.S. 1929, now Sec. 794, R.S. 1939. Sec. 8839, R.S. 1929, now Sec. 795, R.S. 1939; Sec. 8840, R.S. 1929, now Sec. 796, R.S. 1939; Laws 1921 (Ex. Sess.), p. 73; Senate Journal, Regular and Extra Session, 51st Gen. Assembly, Vol. II, 1921; Proclamation of Hon. Arthur M. Hyde, Governor, p. 1200; Message of Governor, Wed. June 22, 1921, p. 1221, l.c.p. 1224, Para. 12; Art. IV, Sec. 55, Mo. Constitution; State ex rel. v. St. Louis, 2 S.W. (2d) 713. (3) The petit jury was illegally selected and summoned in violation of petitioner's fundamental, constitutional and statutory rights and contrary to the Constitution and the statutes of the State of Missouri, and the court had no jurisdiction and acquired no jurisdiction. (4) The grand jury was illegally selected, summoned and empaneled without right or authority to return indictments, and the circuit court had no jurisdiction and acquired no jurisdiction to try petitioner in violation of petitioner's fundamental, constitutional and statutory rights upon an indictment that was null and void. Secs. 12, 30, Art. 2, Mo. Constitution; Thompson v. Sanders, 70 S.W. (2d) 1051; State v. McKinley, 111 S.W. (2d) 115; Secs. 1623, 3892, R.S. 1939; State v. Warner, 165 Mo. 399; Ex parte Sydnor, 10 S.W. (2d) 63. (5) Petitioner's fundamental, constitutional and statutory rights were violated in selecting both grand and petit juries; the court had and acquired no jurisdiction; the indictment, trial and conviction were null and void, his constitutional and statutory rights were ignored and invaded, and petitioner is entitled to have relief by habeas corpus. State v. Richetti, 119 S.W. (2d) 330; Norris v. Alabama, 294 U.S. 587, 55 S. Ct. 579; 39 C.J.S., secs. 16, 20, 29, p. 518; Ex parte Farley, 40 Fed. 66; Ex parte McClusky, 40 Fed. 71; Fourteenth Amendment. U.S. Constitution; State v. Logan, 111 S.W. (2d) 110; 39 C.J.S., sec. 29, p. 518, sec. 16, p. 455, sec. 29, p. 520. (6) Courts will take judicial notice of population under the national census. U.S. Code Annotated, Title 13 (pocket index); City of Twin Falls ex rel. Cannon v. Koehler, 123 Pac. (2d) 715, 63 Idaho, 562; Underwood v. Hickman, 39 S.W. (2d) 1034, 162 Tenn. 689; State ex rel. Wallace v. Summers, 9 S.W. (2d) 867; Sec. 8794, R.S. 1929, now Sec. 749, R.S. 1939; State v. Anslinger, 171 Mo. l.c. 610; Sec. 654, R.S. 1929.

J.E. Taylor, Attorney General, and Gordon P. Weier, Assistant Attorney General, for respondent.

The alleged illegal selection of a grand jury and petit jury may not be raised for the first time in a habeas corpus proceeding. 39 C.J.S., sec. 20, p. 462; Minochian v. Patterson, 143 Atl. 825; State v. King, 119 S.W. (2d) 277, 342 Mo. 975; 39 C.J.S., sec. 21, p. 469; Tucker v. Kaiser, 176 S.W. (2d) 622; State v. Carolla, 316 Mo. 213; State v. Hart, 66 Mo. 208; State v. Reed, 162 Mo. 312; State v. Sartino, 115 S.W. 1015, 216 Mo. 408; State v. Clifton, 73 Mo. 430; State ex rel. Graves v. Southern, 344 Mo. 14, 124 S.W. (2d) 1176; Ex parte Corder, 226 Mo. App. 479, 44 S.W. (2d) 179; State v. Richetti, 342 Mo. 1015, 119 S.W. (2d) 330; State v. Smallwood, 68 Mo. 192; State v. Connell, 49 Mo. 282; State v. Shawley, 334 Mo. 352, 67 S.W. (2d) 74; Sec. 698, R.S. 1939; State v. Miller, 90 S.W. 767, 191 Mo. 587; State v. Collins, 86 Mo. 245.

Michael W. O'Hern, Prosecuting Attorney, and Kaer P. Vanice, II, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, amici curiae.

(1) Petitioner who never challenged or made a request to challenge a grand jury before it was empaneled, sworn and charged, cannot now challenge it when the record of the court clearly establishes that the grand jury panel was duly requested by the court and the grand jury was duly empaneled, sworn and charged as provided by law. State v. Connell, 49 Mo. 282; State v. Richetti, 119 S.W. (2d) 330; State ex rel. Graves v. Southern, 124 S.W. (2d) 1176; State v. King, 119 S.W. (2d) 277; State v. Freeze, 30 Mo. App. 347; State v. Reed, 162 Mo. 312; State v. Carolla, 292 S.W. 721, 316 Mo. 213; State v. Gowdy, 307 Mo. 352; State v. Crane, 202 Mo. 54, 100 S.W. 422; State v. Washington, 146 S.W. 1164, 242 Mo. 401; State v. Hoelscher, 267 S.W. 426; State v. Berry, 78 S.W. 611, 179 Mo. 377; Secs. 3514. 3515, R.S. 1929, now Secs. 3903, 3904, R.S. 1939. (2) The population of Jackson County, Missouri, on November 17, 1930, was less than 400,000. "according to the last preceding census." Harding v. Jefferson City, 147 S.W. (2d) 643; Dunn v. K.C. Cable Ry. Co., 131 Mo. 1, 32 S.W. 641; State ex rel. v. Wofford, 121 Mo. 61; State ex rel. v. County Court, 89 Mo. 237; State ex inf. Crow v. Evans, 66 S.W. 355, 166 Mo. 347; State v. May, 67 S.W. 566, 168 Mo. 122; Reals v. Courson, 164 S.W. (2d) 309. History of Sec. 8794, R.S. 1929 is as follows: Laws 1905, p. 174; Laws 1907, p. 322; Sec. 7318, R.S. 1909; Laws 1911, p. 309; Sec. 6656, R.S. 1919; Sec. 8794, R.S. 1929, Laws 1931, p. 257; Sec. 749, R.S. 1939; Sec. 654, R.S. 1939. (3) Message of Governor Arthur M. Hyde to the 51st General Assembly (Extra Session) delivered on June 22, 1921, Appendix House and Senate Journals, 51st General Assembly...