Jencks v. United States

rdf:langString Jencks v. United States

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rdf:langString Jencks v. United States, Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 23

rdf:langString Clark

rdf:langString Warren, Black, Frankfurter, Douglas, Burton, Harlan

rdf:langString Motion for Certiorari from the Fifth Circuit

rdf:langString Jencks v. United States,

rdf:langString Jencks v. United States, Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 23

rdf:langString The government must produce documents relied upon by government witnesses in federal criminal procedures. Jencks' conviction was overturned.

rdf:langString Jencks v. United States

rdf:langString Brennan

rdf:langString Jencks v. United States, 353 U.S. 657 (1957), is a U.S. Supreme Court case. The court held that the government must produce documents relied upon by government witnesses in federal criminal procedures. The petitioner, Clinton Jencks appealed, by certiorari, his conviction in a Federal District Court of violating 18 U.S.C. 1001 by filing, under 9 (h) of the National Labor Relations Act, as president of a labor union, an affidavit stating falsely that he was not a member of the Communist Party or affiliated with such Party. Crucial testimony against him was given by two paid undercover agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who stated on cross-examination that they made regular oral or written reports to the FBI on the matters about which they had testified. Jencks moved for production of these reports in court for inspection by the judge with a view to their possible use by the petitioner in impeaching such testimony. His motions were denied.Jencks appealed this issue by petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari. The Court held that the denial of the motions for production of the documents was erroneous, and the conviction was reversed.

rdf:langString Whittaker