Watson v. United States, 14643.

CourtUnited States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (District of Columbia)
Writing for the CourtPRETTYMAN, , and BAZELON and FAHY, Circuit
Citation262 F.2d 33,104 US App. DC 321
PartiesRaymond J. WATSON, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
Docket NumberNo. 14643.,14643.
Decision Date26 November 1958

104 US App. DC 321, 262 F.2d 33 (1958)

Raymond J. WATSON, Appellant,
v.
UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.

No. 14643.

United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.

Argued November 5, 1958.

Decided November 26, 1958.


Mr. Richard T. Conway, Washington, D. C. (appointed by this court) for appellant.

Mr. Louis M. Kaplan, Asst. U. S. Atty., with whom Messrs. Oliver Gasch, U. S. Atty., and Carl W. Belcher, Asst. U. S. Atty., were on the brief, for appellee.

Before PRETTYMAN, Chief Judge, and BAZELON and FAHY, Circuit Judges.

FAHY, Circuit Judge.

Appellant is serving a prison sentence under a judgment entered after he had pled guilty to a charge of forging and uttering a United States Treasury's check in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 495 (1952). From the place of his imprisonment he transmitted to the sentencing court a motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate the judgment of conviction and set aside the sentence. In his motion appellant refers to an "invalidated" confession, which obviously he had signed before pleading guilty and at a time when the record shows he may have been under the influence of narcotics, or at least suffering from a withdrawal of such drugs. Though unskillfully drawn the motion further alleges, adequately enough, that appellant waived his right to counsel because of promises of police officers to assist him in the proceedings, as to which promises he was deceived. The motion to vacate sentence was denied by the District Court without a hearing.

We are clear that the motion alleges appellant was induced by police officers to enter a plea of guilty and to waive his right to counsel. If perchance these allegations be true appellant might well be

262 F.2d 34
entitled to relief under § 2255. For this reason the District Court was required by § 2255 to conduct a hearing and to follow the procedures therein set forth

Appellant also contends that, apart from the question of inducement, his waiver of counsel was not competently and intelligently made. He relies upon Von Moltke v. Gillies, 332 U.S. 708, 68 S.Ct. 316, 92 L.Ed. 309. We think the record shows that appellant was adequately advised in respects essential to a competent and intelligent waiver of his right to counsel. The transcript of the arraignment and sentencing proceedings discloses that while the District Court may not have complied with the letter of Von Moltke nevertheless its inquiries of and advice to the appellant complied with the substance of...

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6 practice notes
  • Harrell v. United States, 15739.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
    • 3 Febrero 1967
    ...326 F.2d 338 (10th Cir. 1964); Dillon v. United States, 307 F.2d 445 (9th Cir. 1962); Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33 (1958). Although the Federal courts are too busy "to be used as a form of occupational therapy for those in penitentiaries" (Wright, The Federal C......
  • Parham, Application of, 2
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Arizona
    • 4 Agosto 1967
    ...62 S.Ct. 964, 86 L.Ed. 1302 (1942); United States v. Salerno, 290 F.2d 105 (2d Cir. 1961); Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33 (1958); Vicory v. Taylor, 338 F.2d 954 (10th Cir. 1964); United States v. Glass, 317 F.2d 200 (4th Cir. 1963); Teller v. United States, 263 F......
  • Machibroda v. United States, 69
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • 19 Febrero 1962
    ...States, 107 U.S.App.D.C. 110, 274 F.2d 768; Teller v. United States, 6 Cir., 263 F.2d 871; Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33; Euziere v. United States, 10 Cir., 249 F.2d 293; Motley v. United States, 5 Cir., 230 F.2d 110; United States v. Paglia, 2 Cir., 190 F.2d 44......
  • Cain v. United States, 16095.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (8th Circuit)
    • 6 Noviembre 1959
    ...presenting factual issues, Teller v. United States, 6 Cir., 1959, 263 F.2d 871; Watson v. United States, 1958, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33; Kennedy v. United States, 5 Cir., 1957, 249 F.2d 257, certiorari denied 359 U.S. 994, 79 S.Ct. 1126, 3 L.Ed.2d 982, this requirement is subject t......
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6 cases
  • Harrell v. United States, 15739.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
    • 3 Febrero 1967
    ...326 F.2d 338 (10th Cir. 1964); Dillon v. United States, 307 F.2d 445 (9th Cir. 1962); Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33 (1958). Although the Federal courts are too busy "to be used as a form of occupational therapy for those in penitentiaries" (Wright, The Federal C......
  • Parham, Application of, 2
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Arizona
    • 4 Agosto 1967
    ...62 S.Ct. 964, 86 L.Ed. 1302 (1942); United States v. Salerno, 290 F.2d 105 (2d Cir. 1961); Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33 (1958); Vicory v. Taylor, 338 F.2d 954 (10th Cir. 1964); United States v. Glass, 317 F.2d 200 (4th Cir. 1963); Teller v. United States, 263 F......
  • Machibroda v. United States, 69
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • 19 Febrero 1962
    ...States, 107 U.S.App.D.C. 110, 274 F.2d 768; Teller v. United States, 6 Cir., 263 F.2d 871; Watson v. United States, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33; Euziere v. United States, 10 Cir., 249 F.2d 293; Motley v. United States, 5 Cir., 230 F.2d 110; United States v. Paglia, 2 Cir., 190 F.2d 44......
  • Cain v. United States, 16095.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (8th Circuit)
    • 6 Noviembre 1959
    ...presenting factual issues, Teller v. United States, 6 Cir., 1959, 263 F.2d 871; Watson v. United States, 1958, 104 U.S.App.D.C. 321, 262 F.2d 33; Kennedy v. United States, 5 Cir., 1957, 249 F.2d 257, certiorari denied 359 U.S. 994, 79 S.Ct. 1126, 3 L.Ed.2d 982, this requirement is subject t......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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