Case Summary

A. F. Ryan was arrested on June 2nd, 1919, by two detectives who took him to the Omaha Police Station for "investigation." Ryan's attorney showed, however, that no complaint was ever filed against him. In light of this argument, an application for a writ of Habeas Corpus was filed by Ryan and his attorney and granted by Judge William A. Redick. The judge ordered the bound and holding parties to reappear in court on June 5th, 1919. During the writ hearing in court, John T. Dunn, the Omaha Chief of Detectives and holding party, produced a warrant for Ryan's arrest, citing vagrancy as the charge. Despite this, Judge Redick ruled in Ryan's favor and ordered his immediate release from police custody.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Vagrancy

Sites of significance

• Douglas County Jail (Omaha, Nebraska)

Outcome

Writ allowed

Fate of bound party

Released from custody

Case Citation

Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series: Criminal Appearance Docket Books, Vol. 21: ca. 1919, p. 272; Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series 7: Criminal Case Files, 1897-1920, Reel 84: Doc. 21-177 to 21-341, May 1, 1919 - Jun. 26, 1919, No. 21-272

Source material(s)

Docket | Case File

Length of case file

Between 11 and 20 pages

Related petitions

• In the matter of Application of A. F. Ryan for a writ of Habeas Corpus

Repository(s)

• Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska)

State

• Nebraska

Tag(s)

• Punitive vagrancy

People

• Ryan, A. F. (petitioner)
• Ryan, A. F. (bound party)
• Berger, John M. (petitioner attorney)
• Redick, William A. (judge)
• Dunn, John T. (John J. Dunn) (responding party)
• Dunn, John T. (John J. Dunn) (holding party)

• Additional parties

  Foster, Charles E. (police magistrate)

  Gehrke, Freida A. (notary public)

  Smith, Robert (clerk)

  Steere, Jr., Asel (deputy)

  Clark, Michael L. (sheriff)

  McDonald, H. S. (deputy)

  Shotwell, A. V. (county attorney)