United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Adams v. Maryland, 347 U.S. 179 (1954)

Adams v. Maryland

No. 271

Argued January 7, 1954

Decided March 8, 1954

347 U.S. 179

Syllabus

1. In response to a summons, petitioner appeared before a Senate Committee investigating crime. Answering without objection questions asked on behalf of the Committee, he confessed to having run a gambling business in Maryland.

Held: under 18 U.S.C. § 3486, his testimony before the Committee was inadmissible in his trial in a state court for a gambling offense, and his conviction based on such evidence is reversed. Pp. 347 U. S. 179-183.

(a) Petitioners failure to claim a constitutional privilege against self-incrimination did not deprive him of the statutory protection afforded by § 3486. Pp. 347 U. S. 180-181.

(b) Section 3486 applies to criminal proceedings in state courts, as well as federal courts. Pp. 347 U. S. 181-182.

(c) Counselman v. Hitchcock, 142 U. S. 547, in no way impairs the protection afforded congressional witnesses by § 3486. Pp. 347 U. S. 182-183.

2. As thus construed, § 3486 does not exceed the constitutional power of Congress. P. 347 U. S. 183.

202 Md. 455, 97 A.2d 281, reversed.