STATE, EX REL. JAMES HUSTON,
v.
WALTER R. CLARK, AS SHERIFF OF BROWARD COUNTY

Fla. | 1935-10-05
Whitfield, C. J., and Brown, Buford and Davis, J. J., concur.
121 Fla. 161 Florida Supreme Court (1935) Caution
Also reported at: 163 So. 471
Cited by 34 cases

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Synopsis

James Huston challenges his extradition to Ohio on the grounds that the affidavit supporting the requisition is insufficient to charge him with a crime. The Florida Supreme Court reverses the lower court's habeas corpus decision, holding that the affidavit fails to meet federal extradition requirements and ordering Huston's discharge.


Holding

The affidavit is insufficient because it fails to show proper authentication by a magistrate, lacks essential elements of the alleged crime, provides no specific details to put the petitioner on notice of the charges, and lacks any showing that the offense was committed against the state or that the petitioner was a fugitive from justice. The judgment remanding the petitioner is reversed and he must be discharged.


Key Quotes

“The scope of inquiry in a proceeding of this kind is necessarily narrow. It is limited by the Federal Constitution and Act of Congress relating to extradition.”

Establishes that habeas corpus review of extradition is constrained by federal constitutional and statutory requirements.

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Facts & Procedural History

James Huston was arrested in Florida on a requisition from Ohio. The affidavit charged him with unlawfully possessing marijuana on November 26, 1934, …

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Opinion of the Court
Terrell, J.

Terrell, J.

This writ of error is from a judgment in habeas corpus remanding the petitioner to the custody of the sheriff of Broward County. The writ of habeas corpus challenges the sufficiency of a requisition by the chief executive of the State of Ohio made on the chief executive of the State of Florida for delivery of the petitioner to the demanding State.

It is contended here that the affidavit on which plaintiff in error was charged with violating the law of Ohio and upon which the requisition was grounded is void and insufficient *163on its face and fails to charge a crime against a petitioner, that petitioner was denied his constitutional right in not being permitted to prove that he had not committed a felony, that his arrest was illegal, and that the statute (Section 12672, General Code of Ohio) under which the affidavit was is'sued is void and of no force and effect.

The scope of inquiry in a proceeding of this kind is necessarily narrow. It is limited by the Federal Constitution and Act of Congress relating to extradition. In Chase v. State, 93 Fla. 963, 113 So. 103, we held that the Court might ascertain whether the prisoner is the person charged, and if so whether he is substantially charged with a crime against the law of the demanding state, whether he is a fugitive from justice, and whether the executive warrant of rendition shows that he was bodily in the demanding state at the time the offense was committed.

The court below apparently considered that the rendition warrant issued by the chief executive of this state made out a prima facie case and would not permit the petitioner to go behind it. The rendition warrant issued by the executive of the asylum state is not necessarily conclusive of the sufficiency of the affidavit or that a crime has been charged against the petitioner. Its sufficiency may be inquired into by habeas corpus and should be permitted when challenged for the purpose of determining whether or not the jurisdictional prerequisites essential to its issue were present. Robb v. Connolly, 111 U. S. 624, 4 Sup. Ct. 544, 28 L. Ed. 542; Ex Parte Hubbard, 201 N. C. 472, 160 S. E. 569; In Re Veasey, 196 N. C. 662, 146 S. E. 599; Kuney v. State, 88 Fla. 354, 102 So. 547; Chase v. State, 93 Fla. 963, 113 So. 103; Mitchell v. Stoutamire, 113 Fla. 822, 152 So. 629; State v. Chase, 91 Fla. 413, 107 So. 541; State *164v. Taylor, 160 Tenn. 44, 22 S. W. (2nd) 223; Sec. 5278 U. S. Rev. Stat.

The affidavit on which the rendition warrant is predicated is as follows:

“The State of Ohio,

Franklin County City of Columbus,

ss

“The Municipal Court of The City of Columbus.

“Charles Mustard being first duly cautioned and sworn, deposeth and saith .that one James Russell, alias James Huston, on or about the 26th day of November A. D. 1934, at the City of Columbus, County of Franklin, and State of Ohio, did unlawfully possess about thirteen pounds'of Marajuana then and there being contrary to statute in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Ohio, and further deponent says not.

“Charles Mustard.

“Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 28th day of November, A. D. 1934.

“Harry B. Lemon,

Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Columbus,

“By S. J. Schlonsky, Deputy.

“Joseph M. Clifford,

Judge, Municipal Court.”

When the executive warrant of rendition is regular on its face and complies with the essential requirements of the congressional act it constitutes prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated and of the authority of the officer to arrest and detain the petitioner. As to the contents of the affidavit the same particularly is not required as is required in indictments.

*165The affidavit in the present case does not show on its face that it was duly authenticated by a magistrate of the State of Ohio as the law requires. It purports to charge a felony under Section 12672 General Code of Ohio, but states no essential of such a crime and is wholly insufficient under the Act of Congress. No indictment or information outlining the details of the crime is filed with it and it is insufficient in allegation to put petitioner on notice of any crime. It is in very general terms and is sworn to before “Harry B. Lemon, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Columbus by S. J. Schlonsky, Deputy,” signed by Charles Mustard under whose name is stamped Joseph M. Clifford, Judge Municipal Court.

The clerk of the municipal court is not a magistrate as contemplated by the federal law and there is no suggestion that he was clothed with magisterial power. The warrant accompanying the affidavit was addressed to the chief of police and there is no. showing of state authority or that an offense against the state was committed. On the whole record it is not shown that petitioner was a fugitive from justice.

For these reasons the affidavit was' insufficient. The judgment below is accordingly reversed with directions to discharge the petitioner.

Reversed.

Whitfield, C. J., and Brown, Buford and Davis, J. J., concur.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By (12 total)

  • Di Piero v. State, 300 So. 2d 700 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974)
    …its face and complies with the essential requirements of the congressional act, it constitutes prima fa-cie evidence of the facts therein stated and of the authority of the officer to arrest and detain the petitioner.” State ex rel. Huston v. Clark, 121 Fla. 161, 163 So. 471, 472 (1935) See also Chase v. State ex rel. Burch, 93 Fla. 963, 113 So. 103, 54 A.L.R. 271 (1927) ; State ex rel. Kimbro v. Starr, Fla.1953, 65 So. 2d 67; Pecnik v. Blackburn, Fla.App. 1961, 132 So. 2d 604; Trice v. Blackburn, Fla.App.…
  • Moore v. State, 407 So. 2d 991 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)
    …e the executive warrant was regular on its face and complied with the essential requirements, it constitutes evidence of the facts therein stated and of the authority of the officer to arrest and detain the petitioner. State ex rel. Huston v. Clark, 121 Fla. 161, 163 So. 471 (1935); State ex rel. Sklaroff v. Purdy, 219 So. 2d 723 (Fla.3d DCA 1969). Consequently, when the jurisdictional requirements were met, a prima facie case of regularity of extradition was established. State v. Gale, 312 So. 2d 824 (Fla.…
  • Young v. Stoutamire, 129 Fla. 805 (Fla. 1937)
    …though these matters may have been required by the statutes' of the demanding State.” These principles have been followed by this Court in many subsequent cases, some of which are, Mitchell v. Stoutamire, 113 Fla. 822, 152 So. 629; State v. Clark, 121 Fla. 161, 163 So. 471, and State v. McCreary, 123 Fla. 9, 165 So. 904. The principles thus stated are also in harmony with the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. See Munsey v. Clough, 196 U. S. 364, 49 L. Ed. 515. It thus appears that unde…

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