Case Summary
In late January 1916, Charles John was arrested and charged with possessing morphine and heroin in violation of the 1914 Harrison Act. John either could not or would not pay the $2,000 bail and was therefore placed in the Douglas County jail to await a grand jury hearing. He petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus, arguing among other things that the Harrison Act did not criminalize individual possession of narcotics. John withdrew his petition before the judge could make a determination; his fate is unknown.
Case Information
Petition type(s)
Petition subtype(s)
- Violation of the harrison act
- Possession of opium derivatives
Sites of significance
Outcome
Petition withdrawn
Fate of bound party
Unknown
Case Citation
Record Group 21: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, U.S. District Court for the Omaha Division of the District of Nebraska, Series: Law Dockets, 1912-1938, Vol. 2: Mar 5, 1914 - Sep 7, 1916, p. 438; Record Group 21: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, U.S. District Court for the Omaha Division of the District of Nebraska. (2/27/1907- ), Series: Law Case Files, 1912-1938, No. 438
Source material(s)
Docket |
Case File
Length of case file
Between 21 and 30 pages
Repository(s)
State
Point(s) of law cited
Act of Congress of December 17, 1914, or Harrison Act (C. L. 38 Stat. 785)|Todd v. United States, 158 U.S. 278|United States v. Cook, 17 Wall 168|United States v. Reese, 92 U.S. 214|United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542|United States v. Mann, 95 U.S. 580|United States v. Carll, 105 U.S. 611|United States v. Hess, 124 U.S. 483|Pettibone v. United States, 148 U.S. 197|United States v. Lester Carner (N. D. Iowa)|United States v. Woods, 224 Fed. 278|United States v. Friedman, 224 Fed. 276|United States v. Wilson, 225 Fed. 82|United States v. Jin Fuey Moy, 225 Fed. 1003
