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DENNY v. FOSTER, Sheriff, et al.

Supreme Court of Georgia1949-03-14No. No. 16549
204 Ga. 872

Summary

Holding. The trial court properly remanded Denny to Michigan officers because, although the affidavit supporting the requisition failed to meet statutory requirements due to being sworn before a notary public instead of a magistrate, the requisition was valid under the alternative provision permitting requisitions based on charging documents, as a criminal information is an acceptable substitute for an indictment when it is a proper charging method under the demanding state's law and is accompanied by a conviction and sentence. The judgment was affirmed.

Denny challenged his remand to Michigan authorities on the grounds that Michigan's requisition for his return as a fugitive from justice was defective. The requisition was based on an affidavit sworn before a Michigan notary public rather than before a magistrate as required by federal law. The court found that under Michigan law, a notary public does not qualify as a magistrate and therefore the affidavit was insufficient to support the requisition.

However, the court examined whether the requisition could alternatively be supported under the statutory provision allowing requisitions based on a copy of an indictment. The Michigan proceedings included a certified criminal information (rather than a formal indictment), a conviction, and a sentence. The court concluded that the federal extradition statute should not be interpreted to exclude criminal informations when they constitute a valid charging method under state law, particularly where a conviction and sentence have already been entered. Accordingly, the requisition was valid under this alternative basis.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether a notary public qualifies as a magistrate under federal extradition law
  • Whether a criminal information can substitute for an indictment to support an extradition requisition
  • Validity of a fugitive-from-justice requisition under federal statute

Procedural posture

The trial court remanded the prisoner to Michigan officers based on a requisition for return as a fugitive from justice, and Denny appealed the remand order.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Atkinson, Presiding Justice.

(After stating the foregoing facts.) It is contended that the trial judge erred in remanding the prisoner to the officers for the reason that the requisition from the State of Michigan is insufficient to form the basis of a valid fugtive-from-justice warrant. New Title 18, United States-Code Congressional Service, 80th Congress, 2d Session, § 3182., the law upon which requisitions for fugitives from justice is-predicated, provides that the requisition must be based on “an. affidavit made before a magistrate,” or “a copy of an indictment, found.” The attack in the instant case is made on the ground, that the requisition does not comply with this provision.

The affidavit in this case was signed by the acting warden and sworn to before a “notary public, Jackson County, Michigan.” Vol. 1, p. 729, § 1408, of the Compiled Laws of Michigam of 1929 defines the authority of a notary public. Yol. 3, p. 5963,, § 17118, defines a “magistrate.” Under the law of Michigan it is clear that a notary public is not a magistrate, but his duties and authority are similar to those of a commercial notary public in this State. Accordingly, under the decision of this court in Deering v. Mount, 194 Ga. 833 (2) (22 S. E. 2d, 828), the affidavit is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the law, or make valid the requisition of the demanding State, so as to give the Executive of this State jurisdiction to grant a warrant thereon.

We next look to see whether the proceedings are valid under the alternative provision of having been predicated upon “a copy of an indictment found.” The proceedings contain a certified copy of an affidavit to procure a warrant, a warrant, and an information signed by the “Prosecuting Attorney for Kent County, Michigan.” This information sets forth the date, venue, and describes and alleges the manner and form in which the crime was committed, and is sworn to by the prosecuting attorney, asserting -that he knows the contents and believes them to be true. Also, forming a part of the proceedings, is a copy of the sentence, reciting that the accused was tried and convicted by a jury, and fixing his sentence at “not to exceed ten years and not less than four years,” signed by a Judge of the Superior Court of Grand Rapids. Vol. 3, p. 5990, §§ 17215 and 17216, of the Compiled Laws of Michigan of 1929 provides for the prosecution of crimes upon informations.

While the statute provides that a requisition may be based upon “a copy of an indictment found,” there are decisions to the effect that the act can not be construed to exclude a case where a charge is brought in the form of a criminal information in a State in which it is a proper method of charging a person with the commission of a crime. In re Gundy, 30 Okla. Cr. 390 (236 Pac. 440); Morrison v. Dwyer, 143 Iowa, 502 (121 N. W. 1064); People v. Stockwell, 135 Michigan 341 (97 N. W. 765); In re Hooper, 52 Wisconsin 699 (58 N. W. 741); Ex parte Nash, 44 Fed. 2d, 403; In re Davis, 68 California App. Rep. 798 (158 Pac. 2d, 36); Ex parte Ryan, 75 Okla. Cr. 144 (129 Pac. 2d, 204); People v. Smith, 352 Ill. 496 (186 N. E. 159); Cook v. Rodger, 215 Ind. 500 (20 N. E. 2d, 933); In the Matter of Strauss, 197 U. S. 324 (49 L. ed. 774); In re Van Sciever, 42 Neb. 772, 778 (60 N. W. 1037); Commonwealth v. Cooke, 55 Pa. Superior Ct., 435.

Though there are decisions to the contrary, it seems that the foregoing is a better interpretation of the intent of the statute, and more especially so where there has been a conviction and sentence.

Accordingly, the trial judge did not err in remanding Denny to the custody of the two defendants.

Judgment affirmed.

All the Justices concur.