Case Summary

William Johnson was detained on suspicion of having committed a crime on February 24th, 1920. There was a complaint filed against him the next day for statutory rape. A preliminary trial was held and Nettie Vacirca, a 14-year-old girl and alleged victim, testified along with Vosburgh and Hopkins who both work in the police station and heard William Johnson allegedly voluntarily admitted to the crime. Johnson petitioned for habeas corpus on February 27th, 1920, arguing that there was insufficient evidence for a sustained trial and that the alleged confession was extrajudicial and coerced. His petition was denied so he motioned for a new trial on March 4th, 1920. On March 6th, 1920, he filed again for habeas corpus. The second petition was allowed and a return was sent, but the outcome of the second petition is unknown.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Statutory rape
• Default of bail

Sites of significance

• Douglas County Jail (Omaha, Nebraska)

Outcome

Unknown

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series: Criminal Appearance Docket Books, Vol. 22: ca. 1919 - 1920, p. 213; Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series 7: Criminal Case Files, 1897-1920, Reel 90: Doc. 22-211 to 22-358, Mar. 22, 1920 - Apr. 16, 1920, No. 22-213

Source material(s)

Docket | Case File

Length of case file

Between 31 and 40 pages

Repository(s)

• Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska)

State

• Nebraska

People

• Clark, Michael L. (respondent)
• Clark, Michael L. (responding party)
• Clark, Michael L. (holding party)
• Henely, Amos E. (petitioner attorney)
• Jamieson, William Nicholas (Jameson) (petitioner attorney)
• O’Sullivan, Eugene D. (E. D.) (petitioner attorney)
• Troupe, A. C. (Troup) (judge)
• Foster, Charles E. (authority ordering detention)
• Kubat, Charles H. (C. H.) (respondent attorney)
• Johnson, William (petitioner)
• Johnson, William (bound party)

• Additional parties

  Farrell, Cornelious (deputy)

  Smith, Robert (clerk)

  Vacirca, Nettie (witness and alleged victim)

  Vosburgh, Agustus H. (witness)

  Hopkins, Alice H. (witness)

  Young, Maria L. (doctor);