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Ex Parte Darr

Ex Parte Pete Darr.

Ex Parte Darr, 1947 OK CR 69, 182 P.2d 523
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Subsequent history: aff'd sub nom. Darr v. Burford, 339 U.S. 200 (1950). (read from the later opinion; check before relying)

Court
Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma · State Appellate Courts
Decided
June 18, 1947
Docket
No. A-10869.
Judges
Brett, Barefoot, Jones
Citations
182 P.2d 5231947 OK CR 6984 Okla. Crim. 3521947 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 231

Opinion of the Court — Brett

BRETT, J.

Tbe petitioner, with tbe aid of counsel, filed herein on April 3, 1947, bis petition for writ of habeas corpus, alleging be is unlawfully confined in tbe State Penitentiary, at McAlester, Okla. He complains of two separate judgments rendered against him in tbe district court of Lincoln county, numbered 2197 and 2199, *353 wherein in each case he was sentenced to serve 40 years in the penitentiary for robbery with firearms of banks at Prague and Chandler, Okla.

The petition for writ of habeas corpus alleges first that the petitioner did not have the means to employ counsel, and second, that he did not have the aid of counsel, and third, that he did not have the aid of counsel of his own choosing. The record, as revealed by certified copies of the criminal appearance dockets in both cases, does not support the contention of the petitioner. These dockets disclose that after being charged by information, and on December 1, 1930, the petitioner was present in person and represented in the district court by Jimmie Mathis and waived the reading of the information and entered a plea of not guilty. That on December 27, 1930, the cases were set for trial January 13, 1931.

That, on January 13, 1931, it appeared an application for continuance was filed, .stating that defendant was without counsel. Thereupon, the court appointed M. A. Cox, a reputable and able lawyer of Chandler, Okla., to represent the defendant. The record discloses that M. A. Cox ably represented the petitioner throughout the trial, attacking the sufficiency of the information, the sufficiency of the state’s evidence, requesting a directed verdict, and after verdict of the jury seasonably filed a motion for new trial and presented same, which was overruled, and giving notice of intention to appeal and procuring 60-10-5 days time in which to make and serve, sign and settle case-made as a proper predicate for appeal. The record discloses that from this proceeding, no appeal was perfected by the petitioner.

*354 In cause No. 2197, the record is the same until both the state and the defense rested in the trial, whereupon, the defendant, by aid of counsel, asked leave to withdraw his plea of not guilty and enter a plea of guilty, all of ivhich was granted and done.

In both cases, January 16, 1931, was set for sentence day and in both cases the defendant was sentenced to forty (40) years in the penitentiary. The court under the law, § 801, Title 21 O. S. A., might have imposed the death sentence in either case.

It is therefore apparent from the record itself that the defendant was ably represented by counsel and his rights preserved in every stage of the proceedings.

In cause No. 2199, he complains that he filed his motion for continuance because of insufficient time to prepare and procure witnesses. In this, he was represented by counsel M. A. Cox preliminary to the trial. The court found the defendant had not exercised due diligence in this regard.

It is apparent from the record that the petitioner was ably represented by counsel at every stage of the proceedings and that his contentions are without merit as a basis for relief by habeas corpus. The court had jurisdiction of the person of the petitioner and jurisdiction of the crime charged. The judgments and sentences not being in excess of the statutory limits of the court’s power to pronounce, the same are not void. This court has repeatedly held that on habeas corpus it Avill not look beyond the judgment and sentence of any court of competent jurisdiction as to mere irregularities of procedure or errors of law on questions over Avhich the court has jurisdiction. The writ of habeas corpus cannot be used to perform the office of a writ of error on appeal, but *355 will be limited to cases in which the judgment and sentence of the court attacked is clearly void. In re habeas corpus Henry E. Walker, 84 Okla. Cr. 190 , 180 P. 2d 670 ; Ex parte Tollison, 73 Okla. Cr. 38 , 117 P. 2d 549 ; Ex parte West, 62 Okla. Cr. 260 , 71 P. 2d 129 ; Ex parte Keel, 62 Okla. Cr. 277 , 71 P. 2d 313 ; Ex parte Dunn, 33 Okla. Cr. 190 , 242 P. 574 ; Ex parte Grant, 32 Okla. Cr. 217 , 240 P. 759 ; Ex parte Hollingshead, 24 Okla. Cr. 131 , 216 P. 486 .

The petitioner’s record was preserved. If any of his rights were denied in the proceedings, or if the evidence was insufficient in his opinion to support the convictions, he should have raised these objections in this court in the proper manner by appeal.

For the reasons hereinbefore stated, the writ of ha-beas corpus is denied.

BAREFOOT, P. J., and JONES, J., concur.

How later courts describe this case

No later court has written an explanatory parenthetical about this case yet.

Cited by 14 cases

View all citing references →
1948: 81949: 41950: 219482026peak 1948 · 8

Relies on it most ⓘ

  1. Darr v. Burford339 U.S. 200 (1950)
  2. Ex Parte Critser1948 OK CR 90, 198 P.2d 228
  3. Ex Parte Franks1948 OK CR 123, 200 P.2d 778
  4. Ex Parte Drake1948 OK CR 77, 197 P.2d 308
  5. Darr v. Burford172 F.2d 668 (10th Cir. 1949)
  6. Ex Parte Hampton1948 OK CR 100, 198 P.2d 751

Most recent

  1. Nelson v. Burford1950 OK CR 108, 222 P.2d 382
  2. Darr v. Burford339 U.S. 200 (1950)
  3. Ex Parte O'Hara1949 OK CR 58, 206 P.2d 592
  4. Ex Parte Noble1949 OK CR 54, 206 P.2d 226
  5. Darr v. Burford172 F.2d 668 (10th Cir. 1949)
  6. Ex Parte Cartwright1949 OK CR 2, 201 P.2d 935

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 7

DepthCaseCited by
Ex Parte Grant, 1925 OK CR 528, 240 P. 759 42
Ex Parte Tollison, 1941 OK CR 129, 117 P.2d 549 31
Ex Parte Hollingshead, 1923 OK CR 193, 216 P. 486 29
Ex Parte Dunn, 1926 OK CR 13, 242 P. 574 27
Ex Parte Walker, 1947 OK CR 54, 180 P.2d 670 22
Ex Parte Keel, 1937 OK CR 126, 71 P.2d 313 22
Ex Parte West, 1937 OK CR 124, 71 P.2d 129 15

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