United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Gonzales v. United States, 364 U.S. 59 (1960)

Gonzales v. United States

No. 416

Argued May 2, 1960

Decided June 27, 1960

364 U.S. 59

Syllabus

Petitioner, who claims to be a conscientious objector, was convicted of violating § 12(a) of the Universal Military Training and Service Act by refusing to be inducted into the armed forces. He claims that he was denied due process of law in violation of the Fifth Amendment, because (1) at a hearing before a hearing officer of the Department of Justice, he was not permitted to rebut statements attributed to him by the local board, and (2) at the trial, he was denied the right to have the hearing officer's report and the original report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as to his claim.

Held: on the record in this case, the administrative procedures prescribed by the Act were fully complied with; petitioner was not denied due process; and his conviction is sustained. Pp. 364 U. S. 60-66.

(a) Petitioner was not denied due process in the administrative proceedings, because the statement in question was in his file, to which he had access, and he had opportunities to rebut it both before the hearing officer of the Department of Justice and before the appeal board. Pp. 364 U. S. 62-63.

(b) Petitioner was not entitled to have the hearing officer's notes and report, especially since he failed to show any particular need for them and he did have a copy of the Department of Justice's recommendation to the appeal board. Pp. 364 U. S. 63-64.

(c) Petitioner was not entitled, either in the administrative hearing at the Department of Justice or at his trial, to inspect the original report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, since he was furnished a resume of it, did not challenge its accuracy, and showed no particular need for the original report. Pp. 364 U. S. 64-66.

269 F.2d 613 affirmed.

Page 364 U. S. 60