192 F.2d 338 United States Court of
Appeals Ninth Circuit. IVA IKUKO TOGURI
DAQUINO v. UNITED STATES. No. 12383. Oct. 10, 1951. SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Rehearing Denied by: Iva Ikuko
Toguri DAquino v. U. S., 203 F.2d 390 (9th Cir.(Cal.) Dec. 17, 1951)
(No. 12383) Certiorari denied: 343 U.S. 935 (Apr. 28, 1952) (No. 299,
MISC.) Rehearing denied: 343 U.S. 958 (U.S.Cal. May 26, 1952)
(No. 299, MISC.) And rehearing denied: 345 U.S. 931 (Apr. 6, 1953) (No. 299,
MISC., October Term, 1951.) Declined to follow by: Pharm v. Hatcher, 984 F.2d 783 (7th
Cir.(Wis.) Jan 19, 1993) (No. 90-3539), rehearing denied (Mar. 5, 1993) RELATED REFERENCES: DAquino v. U.S., 1950 WL
42245 (U.S. Feb 06, 1950) See also: 180 F.2d 271 (9th Cir., Feb. 6, 1950). HEADNOTE: Iva Ikuko Toguri DAquino was convicted
in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, Southern
Division, Michael J. Roche, J., of treason, and she appealed. The Court of
Appeals, Pope, C.J., held that question whether defendant was guilty of treason
was for jury. Affirmed. [*347] COUNSEL: Wayne M. Collins, Theodore Tamba,
George Olshausen and Marvel Shore, all of San Francisco, Cal., for appellant. Frank J. Hennessy, U.S. Atty., San Francisco, Cal., James M.
McInerney, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tom DeWolfe, James W. Knapp, Sp. Assts. to the
Atty. Gen., for appellee. JUDGES: Before HEALY, BONE and POPE, Circuit Judges. OPINION BY: POPE, Circuit Judge. Appellant was convicted of treason against the United States. The
indictment charged that she adhered to the enemies [*348] of the United
States giving them aid and comfort by working as a radio speaker, announcer,
script writer and broadcaster for the Imperial Japanese Government and the
Broadcasting Corporation of Japan, between November 1, 1943, and August 13,
1945; that such activities were in connection with the broadcasting of programs
specially beamed and directed to the American Armed Forces in the Pacific Ocean
area; and, that appellants activities were intended to destroy the
confidence of the members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their
allies in the war effort, to undermine and lower American and Allied military
morale, to create nostalgia in their minds, to create war weariness among the
members of such armed forces, to discourage them, and to impair the capacity of
the United States to wage war against its enemies. The indictment alleged the
commission of eight overt acts. Appellant was found guilty of the commission of
overt act No. 6 only, which in the language of the indictment, was:
That on a day during October, 1944, the exact date being to the Grand
Jurors unknown, said defendant, at Tokyo, Japan, in a broadcasting studio of
the Broadcasting Corporation of Japan, did speak into a microphone concerning
the loss of ships. Upon this appeal counsel for appellant have filed briefs asserting
the commission of numerous errors on the part of the trial court. Their briefs,
however, have overlooked this Courts Rule 20d relating to the
requirement of a specification of errors and the manner in which the same shall
be stated. The failure to comply with this rule has added materially to the
task of the court in attempting to evolve from very lengthy briefs the precise
contentions made by the appellant, and we take this occasion to call the
attention of the members of the Bar of this Court to the fact that the rule is
designed to clarify counsels presentation of an appeal as well as to
lighten the labors of the court. Appellants contentions fall into two categories: the
first, it is asserted, call for a judgment that the defendant-appellant must be
discharged; the second relate to alleged errors which would require a new
trial. 1. Whether the applicable clause of the Act relating to treason
was unconstitutional as applied to appellant. At the outset appellant contends that those provisions of the
treason statute, 18 U.S.C.A. § 1, 1946 Ed. [FN1] under which
she was convicted were void and wanting in due process under the Fifth Amendment
by reason of the co-existence of those provisions of the Nationality Act of
1940, 8 U.S.C.A. § 501 et seq., which repealed the former
expressed prohibition against expatriation in time of war. In consequence of
this, says appellant, the law provided that a person in like position as
appellant, might lawfully have been naturalized to an enemy belligerent, and
that under the Governments naturalization policy the appellant could,
as many other persons of Japanese ancestry did, have transferred allegiance to
Japan. Appellant says that a person desiring to adhere to the enemy and give it
aid and comfort, and wishing to do a thorough-going job of it, could shed his
allegiance to the United States under existing law and thus engage in adherence,
aid and comfort to the enemy with impunity. On the other hand, says appellant,
she is charged with treason for having done no differently than the person who
transferred allegiance. It is said that this constitutes an unreasonable and
arbitrary discrimination; that it operates as a denial of equal protection of
the law to such a degree as to be a denial of due process under the Fifth
Amendment. Putting the argument in a slightly different form, appellant says
that in permitting wartime naturalization to an enemy belligerent, the United
States authorized adherence, aid and comfort to the enemy under certain
circumstances. It is said that by permitting adherence to Japan after
naturalization, the Japanese naturalization order is treated as the equivalent
of a license. In other words, it is said one person adheres to the enemy giving
it aid and comfort without any consequences under the [*349] treason act
because he has a Japanese naturalization order which is in effect a license to
adhere to the enemy. Another person, without such an order, is therefore
engaged in no more than an unlicensed adherence to the enemy. It is said that
punishment of treason cannot be limited merely to unlicensed adherence, aid and
comfort because Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, defining treason
provides that it shall consist only in levying War against them, or
in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. This
clause, it is said, means that treason shall consist only of adherence, aid and
comfort, as such. Limiting punishment for treason to unlicensed adherence, aid
and comfort, means adding limitations and qualifications not contemplated by
the Constitutional definition of treason. We are unable to perceive any sound basis for such an argument.
The reference to licensed and unlicensed adherence to the enemy is, we think,
but a play on words. The classification here, of which appellant complains, is
none other than the ancient distinction drawn between those who do and those
who do not owe allegiance. [FN2] Whether the provisions of the Nationality Act which appellant
thinks work unfairly represent a wise or sound legislative policy is a problem
for Congress, not for us. We are unable to observe anything unreasonable or
arbitrary about preserving the ancient distinction between those who do and
those who do not owe allegiance regardless of whether the transfer of
allegiance could be made in wartime or not. Reasons both historical and logical
exist for the distinction and we find no want of due process here. 2. The question of a speedy trial. Appellant asserts that she was denied the speedy trial required by
the Sixth Amendment and that such denial requires her discharge. Her argument
in this respect is predicated upon the circumstance that after the defeat of
Japan the occupying military force caused appellants arrest and
internment for the period of approximately one year from October 17, 1945,
until October 25, 1946. This arrest was pursuant to an order of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Pacific authorizing the
Commanding Generals of the occupying forces to apprehend and detain citizens
and nationals of the United States who were suspected of treason and persons
who might constitute a threat to the security of the military forces occupying
Japan. On May 7, 1946, a military order was made to the effect that the
appellant was not considered subject to a military trial, but that she was
being held until the results of the military investigations were transmitted to
the Department of Justice. Immediately prior to her release on October 25,
1946, the War Department advised the Army authorities in Japan that the
Department of Justice no longer desires Iva DAquino be
retained in custody and her release followed. Thereafter, on August
26, 1948, the appellant was arrested at Tokyo pursuant to a warrant of arrest
issued under the authority of the Supreme Command for the Allied Power. It was
issued upon the complaint of the Department of Justice. She was brought to the
United States under guard of military police acting under orders from General
Headquarters Far East Command who took her on board a United States Army
Transport which arrived in San Francisco on September 25, 1948, when she was
delivered to special police of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She was
arraigned on the same day in San Francisco and indicted on October 8,
following. There is nothing in the record to disclose failure on the part of
the United States to prosecute the charge against appellant with reasonable
promptness following the date of her arrest on August 26, 1948. The record is
barren of any demand for a speedy trial. Danziger v. United States, 9 Cir., 161 F.2d
299, 301, certiorari [*350] denied 332 U.S. 769, 68 S.Ct. 81, 92
L.Ed. 354. Appellant obtained an order permitting one of her attorneys to go to
Japan for the purpose of taking depositions at Government expense and she
obtained a continuance of the trial date to permit the completion of that task.
Under these circumstances there cannot be said to be a denial of a speedy
trial. Daniels v. United States, 9 Cir., 17 F.2d 339, 344, certiorari denied Appell
v. United States, 274 U.S. 744, 47 S.Ct. 591, 71 L.Ed. 1325. Appellant however says that her military detention in Japan in the
year following October, 1945, demonstrates that she was denied a speedy trial.
We shall have occasion to refer to the character of the detention later in this
opinion, but wholly apart from whether that detention was or was not in
accordance with law, it has no bearing whatever upon the question of her right
to a speedy trial, which is one that arises after a formal complaint is lodged
against the defendant in a criminal case. [5] Link to KeyCite Notes In this connection appellant makes an
alternative contention based upon this prior imprisonment,- that such prior
imprisonment constitutes former jeopardy. This contention obviously is without
any basis whatever. McCarthy v. Zerbst, 10 Cir., 85 F.2d 640, certiorari
denied 299 U.S. 610, 57 S.Ct. 313, 81 L.Ed. 450; Wainer v. United States, 7 Cir., 82 F.2d 305,
affirmed 299 U.S. 292,
57 S.Ct. 79, 81 L.Ed. 58; Dixon v. United States, 8 Cir., 7 F.2d 818;
United States v. Rossi, 9 Cir., 39 F.2d 432. 3. Loss of scripts and records. Appellant asserts that this years imprisonment in Japan
must be considered in conjunction with the fact that certain scripts, records,
and copies of appellants broadcasts were destroyed or lost before the
date of the trial, and that under all these circumstances it is a denial of due
process for the United States to prosecute her when such scripts and records
were unavailable. Appellant contends that under the doctrine of Mooney v.
Holohan,
294 U.S. 103, 55 S.Ct.
340, 79 L.Ed. 791, a deliberate suppression of the evidence on the part of the
prosecution is a denial of due process. She contends that such is the situation
here where the Government knowingly prosecuted a case upon incomplete evidence.
She asserts that there is good reason to believe that the missing evidence
would be favorable to her and that the evidence became unavailable because of
the Governments own acts since the Government originally had a
complete set of the records and copies of the broadcasts compiled in its
various monitoring stations. We think there is no basis for this contention on the part of
appellant. There is no showing that the missing scripts and records would have been
favorable to the defense or that the Government suppressed any of such
evidence. [FN3] We find nothing in [*351] the record to warrant an assumption
that the prosecutor did not produce all such scripts and records as were
available. Further, there is nothing to negative the Governments
contention that the monitoring station records previously kept had been
destroyed or lost in the process of the routine closing of such stations. 4. The posse comitatus Act. The jurisdiction of the court below was based upon 18 U.S.C.A.
§ 3238 which provides: The trial of all offenses
begun or committed upon the high seas, or elsewhere out of the jurisdiction of
any particular State or district, shall be in the district where the offender
is found, or into which he is first brought. Appellant asserts that
the court below was without such jurisdiction in that she was brought from
Japan to San Francisco in an illegal and unlawful manner by the military
authorities in violation of the so-called posse comitatus
Act, 20 Stat. 152, 10 U.S.C.A. § 15. This is the same
argument that was made unsuccessfully in Chandler v. United States, 1 Cir., 171 F.2d
921, 936, and in Gillars v. United States 87 U.S.App.D.C. 16, 182 F.2d 962, 972,
973. For the reasons stated in those cases, we hold this argument without
merit. 5. Question of the sufficiency of the evidence. Appellant argues that we should direct a judgment of acquittal on
the ground that the evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction. With
respect to this, the record discloses that at the time of the commission of
overt act No. 6, of which appellant was found guilty, she was unquestionably a
citizen of the United States. She was born [*352] and educated in the United
States and a few months prior to the outbreak of the war with Japan she had
gone to Japan for the purpose of studying medicine. Previously she had received
a college degree and had taken postgraduate work in a California university.
Shortly before the outbreak of the war she applied for a passport to return to
the United States and was advised by the State Department that the passport was
denied on the ground that her citizenship was not proven (she had traveled to
Japan upon a certificate of identification). She endeavored
to get clearance to board a ship scheduled to sail for the United States on
December 2, 1941, but was unsuccessful. Early in 1942 she applied for
evacuation through the Swiss Legation but encountering difficulties in
procuring certification of her United States citizenship she abandoned this
attempt. Thereafter, and throughout her period of residence in Japan and while
the war continued, she was frequently invited to become a Japanese citizen but
steadfastly refused. In the spring of 1945 she married DAquino, a
Portuguese citizen. The marriage was subsequent to the date of the commission
of the overt act No. 6. After having been employed in various jobs in 1942 and in the
early part of 1943, appellant sought employment at Radio Tokyo and began her
work as a typist for the Broadcasting Corporation of Japan in the fall of 1943.
Shortly thereafter she began her broadcast work for this corporation which was
under the control of the Japanese Government. There is evidence in the record
that when the appellant took her voice test and accepted employment as an
announcer and broadcaster for Radio Tokyo she knew that her work was to be
concerned with a program known as Zero Hour which was to be
beamed and directed specially to Allied soldiers in the Pacific. She was told
and understood that the program would consist of music and entertainment
designed to procure a listening audience among Allied soldiers, and that there
was to be interspersed news and commentaries containing propaganda which was to
be used as an instrument of psychological warfare. Their object was to cause
the Allied troops to become homesick, tired and disgusted with the war. Appellant participated in some 340 programs on the Zero Hour. She
announced herself as Ann or Orphan Ann.
From time to time she attended meetings of the participants in the Zero Hour
program where the Japanese Army officers in command of the enterprise advised
the persons present of the strategic importance of the program and urged
continued efforts by the participants. The overt act No. 6 was testified to by the requisite number of
witnesses who observed and listened to the broadcast in question. One of them
was a participant in the same Zero Hour program. He told the appellant of a
release from Japanese General Headquarters giving the American ship losses in
one of the Leyte Gulf battles and requested appellant to allude to those
losses. She proceeded, as this witness and another testified, to type a script
about the loss of ships. That evening, when appellant was present in the
studio, the news announcer broadcast that the Americans had lost many ships in
the battle of Leyte Gulf. Thereupon appellant was introduced on the radio and
proceeded to say in substance: Now you fellows have lost all your
ships. You really are orphans of the Pacific. Now how do you think you will
ever get home? It is true that the appellants version of her role as a
broadcaster was substantially different from that which we have here summarized
from the testimony of the Government witnesses. According to
appellants version of the matter, the programs were exclusively
entertainment and for that purpose only, she having been informed by the
officer in command that the time for propaganda would not arrive until the
Japanese were having more military and naval successes. Some of
appellants witnesses testified that they were responsible for having
her brought into the Zero Hour program. These persons were American prisoners
of war who testified that they had been coerced into participation in this
program. They testified that what they were up to was a sabotaging of the
program insofar as it was designed to be propaganda to American soldiers, that
they managed to [*353] inject in the program many reports of American prisoners of
war and messages form them, and the appellant co-operated with them in their
efforts to frustrate the purposes of the Japanese military operating through
the broadcasting corporation to destroy the morale of the American soldiers.
[FN4] Whether appellants version of her activities in
broadcasting should be accepted rather than that disclosed by the Government
witnesses was, of course, a question for the jury. Insofar as it is contended
that the program was merely one to entertain the American troops, such a
version of the evidence would, we have no doubt, tax the credulity of a jury
who would be hard put to imagine the Japanese military spending time and money
solely for that purpose. Appellants counsel do not argue that we must accept her
version of the testimony. They make the rather narrow point that other
activities of the appellant, concerning which witnesses on both sides
testified, were such as to require a conclusion that there existed reasonable
doubt of appellants intention to adhere to the enemy and reasonable
doubt of her treasonable intent. These activities were certain acts of kindness and assistance
which appellant tendered to Allied prisoners of war, some of whom were working
with her on Radio Tokyo, and some of whom were imprisoned at Camp Bunka. The
testimony was that she brought food, cigarettes, medicine, a blanket and short
wave news of Allied successes to these prisoners, and that she did this
frequently at substantial risk to herself. We are unable to perceive the force of appellants
argument in this respect. A general treasonable intent to betray the United
States through the impairing of its war effort in the Pacific, might well accompany
a particular feeling of compassion toward individual prisoners and sympathy for
the plight in which they found themselves. It is were psychologically
impossible for a person engaged in a treasonable enterprise simultaneously to
furnish cigarettes and food to individual prisoners, appellants
argument upon this point might have some weight. We think that the question of
the effect of these acts of kindness upon appellants intent was one
for the jury. Certainly, under the circumstances here, the court cannot declare
that there must be a reasonable doubt in a reasonable mind and hence direct a
verdict. The question of the existence of a reasonable doubt was for the jury.
Cf. Craig v. United States, 9 Cir., 81 F.8d 816, 827, certiorari denied 298
U.S. 690, 56 S.Ct. 959, 80 L.Ed. 1408. [*354] 6. Admissibility of so-called
confessions. During the trial, a number of statements made to various persons
by appellant were received in evidence and appellant contends that the court
erred in admitting such statements for the reason that they were confessions
and received as such contrary to the rules stated in Bram v. United States, 168 U.S. 532, 18 S.Ct.
183, 42 L.Ed. 568, and in McNabb v. United States, 318 U.S. 332, 63 S.Ct.
608, 87 L.Ed. 819, as restated in Upshaw v. United States, 335 U.S. 410, 69 S.Ct.
170, 93 L.Ed. 100. It is asserted that there was wanting sufficient proof that
the statements were voluntary within the meaning of the rule in the Bram case;
in some cases the statements were inadmissible because they were made at a time
when appellant was being held under arrest and prior to arraignment upon the
charge subsequently made against her; and further, that the statements made
while she was held in custody were inadmissible under the rule in the McNabb
case because the Government is attempting to make use of the fruits of its own
wrong. One of the written statements thus given during
apppellants confinement or internment in Japan was the result of an
interrogation by an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on April
29-30, 1946, in the visitors room at Sugamo Prison where appellant
was then confined. We have previously alluded to this period of imprisonment
and it will be noted that on the dates mentioned she had been confined for a
period of approximately six months. Appellant argues that under the McNabb and
Upshaw doctrine, this statement was inadmissible. [FN5] An application of the McNabb-Upshaw rule to the facts of this case
suggests some problems which we think need not be here resolved. The rule,
predicated upon a violation of the procedural requirements of 18 U.S.C.A. 595,
and its successor Rule 5(a) F.R. Crim. P., 18 U.S.C.A., is obviously a sanction
enforced, pursuant to the supervisory power of the Supreme Court against civil
officers making arrests for criminal offenses. Since Rule 5(a) could have no
application to the conduct of the military forces occupying Japan, the question
of application of this sanction in this case is not too clear. Appellant
asserts that Article 70 of the Articles of War [FN6] places a similar procedural
burden upon military forces in this case. It is our opinion, however, that the
appellant was not within any category of persons subject to the Articles of
War; that she was neither a retainer to the camp nor a person accompanying or
serving with the Armies. Articles of War, Article 2, 10 U.S.C.A. 1473; cf. In
re Yamashita, 327 U.S. 1,
20, 66 S.Ct. 340, 90 L.Ed. 499. The McNabb and Upshaw cases have no application here for the
reason that appellants detention was legal and authorized by the laws
of war. The right of one belligerent to occupy and govern the
territory of the enemy while in its military possession is one of the incidents
of war, and flows directly from the right to conquer. We therefore do not look
to the Constitution or political institutions of the conquerer for authority to
establish a government for the territory of the enemy in his possession, during
its military occupation, nor for the rules by which the powers of such
government are regulated and limited. Dooley v. United States, 182 U.S. 222, 230, 231, 21
S.Ct. 762, 765, 45 L.Ed. 1074, quoting Halleck on International Law, Vol. II,
p. 444, cited in Gillars, supra, 182 F.2d at page 972. It is apparent that at the time of appellants
interrogation by the agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation her detention
was pursuant to the exercise of military power. Appellant was a resident of a
country occupied by the United States military forces who had exacted an
unconditional surrender from the enemy. The cessation of actual hostilities had
occurred [*355] only slightly more than one month before appellant was
taken into custody. We take judicial notice that the situation then existing in
Japan was somewhat parallel to that in Austria as described in United States
v. Best,
D.C., 76 F.Supp. 857, 863. While open warfare had ceased, the security of the
occupation forces was a continuing problem confronting the military commanders.
Appellant was a suspected traitor. That she might be capable of fomenting
disorder among the Japanese population then being subjected to the yoke of
military occupation, and of inciting discontent among the troops of the occuping
powers was a sufficient basis for the military to take the precautionary
measure of interning appellant. The paramount interest of the occupation force
is its own security. We see no abuse of military discretion in the protection
of that interest. [FN7] We hold that the confinement was within the
constitutional sanction of the war power; the restraint was legal, and the
admission in question was not the fruit of an unlawful detention and was
properly received in evidence. Another writing obtained while appellant was interned in this
manner was a Japanese yen note signed Iva I. Toguri Tokyo
Rose". It is claimed that this amounted to a confession and was not
receivable for the same reasons urged with respect to the statement made to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation previously mentioned. Not only do we consider
this objection groundless for the reason stated with respect to that statement,
but it is apparent that the signed yen note was not a confession nor was it
introduced as such. It was introduced early in the trial for the purpose of
proving the appellants signature. It is contended that the document
was received for the purpose of establishing her admission that she was
Tokyo Rose. There was no attempt at the trial to identify
the appellant as Tokyo Rose, as all of the evidence
disclosed that she broadcast as Ann or Orphan
Ann. The inclusion of the reference to Tokyo Rose in the signature on
the yen note could under no circumstance be regarded as prejudicial to the
appellant. It is contended that wholly apart from the McNabb-Upshaw rule
these and other so-called confessions were inadmissible because of a failure to
establish their voluntary character. [FN8] The necessary foundation of preliminary
proof of voluntary character of these statements was laid in each case. Thus
the FBI officer previously mentioned, testified that he identified himself to
appellant, advised her of her right to counsel, and of her right to decline to
talk to him, and testified that no threats or promises of any kind were made to
her. The circumstances of the interviews, which took place over a two day
period, negative any inference of oppression or anything else inconsistent with
the voluntary character of the statement. The mere fact of a lawful
imprisonment does not render such a confession inadmissible. LaMoore v.
United States, 9 Cir., 180 F.2d 49. The other so-called confessions which appellant asserts were
erroneously admitted were obtained at times when appellant was not interned or
under arrest. She gave an oral interview to the military personnel assigned to
the Army publication Yank magazine. Appellant says that the
statement was coerced because she was interviewed by uniformed soldiers who told
her that she owed it to the publication, and that giving
one interview to a large number of newspaper correspondents at a single time
would permit her to avoid being badgered by individual
correspondents. This interview preceded by two days an interrogation by two
members of the Counter Intelligence Corps and it is asserted that the same
coercion affected both interviews. These statements were properly admitted in view of the fact that
appellant [*356] voluntarily attended in each case, was accompanied by her
husband, and made her statement without any threats or coercion whatsoever. No
factor is present which would tend to characterize these statements as
involuntary. Equally without ground is appellants objection to the evidence
of her interview with a war correspondent, Clark Lee. The interview occurred
before appellants internment. Later, on March 26, 1948, after she had
been released from military custody, she signed the notes of the interview. She
claims that she was coerced in both instances. The only circumstance suggesting
coercion is the fact that when the interview was given the door was locked to
keep other rival correspondents out of the rooms. At the time of the original
interview appellant was attended by her husband and a friend. The interview
lasted for about five hours with interruptions for tea, cigarettes
and things of that sort. Two newspaper correspondents were present;
they were in uniform and there were firearms in the room. The evidence shows no
force or threats of force, no physical coercion of any kind, and no
circumstances which would be unusual in a case where a newspaperman has
purchased an interview which he is attempting to keep exclusive. At the time the notes were signed by appellant, an army vehicle
was sent to bring her to General Headquarters for this purpose. Appellant was
informed by an official of the Department of Justice, who was then present that
she most probably would be prosecuted for treason and that she did not have to
make any statements. The appellant did testify that Brundidge, one of the newspaper
correspondents, told her on this last occasion when she signed the notes, that
her opportunity to return to the United States would be enhanced if she signed
them. Brundidge was not a person in authority. [FN9] That
there was no promise of leniency is apparent because of the statement
simultaneously made that she probably would be prosecuted for treason. 7. Instruction relating to voluntariness of so-called confessions. Related to the matters just discussed is the appellants
contention that the court should have permitted the jury itself to pass upon
the question whether the so-called confessions were voluntary or involuntary
with an instruction that if they found them to be involuntary they should
disregard them. In view of the want of any substantial evidence tending to show
that the confessions of any of them were involuntary, it would appear that
there was no need for such an instruction. Stillman v. United States, 9 Cir., 177 F.2d
607, 619; Lewis v. United States, 9 Cir., 74 F.2d 173, 178. In any event, in
order to predicate error upon the failure of the court to submit such a
question to the jury, appellant must under Rule 30, F.R. Crim. P., point out
the claimed omission from the charge to which she objects before the jury
retired. The rule requires that such an appellant state distinctly
the matter to which he objects and the grounds of his objection. At the time when counsel for appellant were given the opportunity,
called for by Rule 30, to make their objection to the courts charge,
they did not call the courts attention to the specific point now
argued, and failed to state in so many words that they requested the court to
submit the question of the voluntariness of the confessions to the jury. What
they said was simply we except to the refusal of each of the
following numbered instructions on the ground that each of the instructions
states the correct law and is applicable to the evidence and not covered by
other instructions. This statement was followed by the enumeration of
128 separate numbers identifying instructions that had been requested by
appellant. Included in this enumeration was appellants requested
[*357] instruction No.
88. [FN10] If we assume that this wholesale blanket method of noting objections
to the courts charge was a sufficient compliance with Rule 30, an
examination of the requested instruction 88 discloses that it was entirely too
broad, for it was not directed to the alleged confessions, but referred to
various alleged statements by defendant as well as records of her
voice test. On the face of it, the requested instruction would
comprehend all statements of the defendant of every kind whatever. It would
comprehend statements made by her during the broadcast. It would include
statements made by her not by way of confession or admission but which were
received in evidence for their bearing as circumstantial evidence upon her
intent. By its terms the instruction would apply to every oral or written
statement attributed to the appellant by any witness. In such form it was
properly rejected. 8. Requested instruction concerning proof of corpus delicti. Another instruction requested by appellant and which bore upon the
appellants admissions or so-called confessions, was
defendants proposed instruction No. 30a as follows: You
cannot consider the defendants admissions upon any of the issues of
(1) citizenship (2) aid and comfort or (3) intention unless you first find that
the Government has introduced other credible corroborative evidence on the same
issue. Pearlman v. U.S., 10 F.2d 460, 461, 462 (CCA 9). Goff v. U.S., 257 F. 294 (CCA
8). We think there was no occasion for giving any such instruction
here where there was substantial proof of the corpus delicti wholly apart from
the admissions or confessions. The reference to the admissions relative to
citizenship was erroneous for some of the appellants admissions
relative to her citizenship were made prior to the commission of the alleged
offense. Such admissions need not be corroborated. Warszower v. United
States,
312 U.S. 342, 347, 61 S.Ct. 603, 85 L.Ed. 876. This court has held that it is
unnecessary to make full proof of the corpus delicti independently of the
defendants confessions. Wynkoop v. United States, 9 Cir., 22 F.2d 799;
Wiggins v. United States, 9 Cir., 64 F.2d 950, certiorari denied 290 U.S. 657, 54
S.Ct. 72, 78 L.Ed. 569. The corroborative evidence need not independently
establish the corpus delicti beyond a reasonable doubt. It is sufficient if the
corroborative evidence, when considered in connection with the confession or
admission, satisfied the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the offense was in
fact committed. In Pearlman v. United States, 9 Cir., 10 F.2d 460,
this court indicated that the usual instructions on presumption of innocence
and reasonable doubt adequately covered all that the jury need be told upon
this question of sufficiency of proof of the corpus delicti. We find no error
in the courts failure to give the requested instruction mentioned. 9. Questions relating to duress. Appellant asserts that the trial court committed numerous errors
relating to the claimed defense of duress or coercion. She argues that some of
the instructions given upon this subject were erroneous; that other
instructions requested by her should have been given, and that the court erred
in excluding numerous items of evidence which were offered in support of this
defense. The court instructed the jury at length upon the defense that the
criminal act was not committed, voluntarily but was the result of coercion,
compulsion or necessity. [FN11] The instruction included the statement [*358] that
in order to excuse a criminal act on the ground of coercion,
compulsion or necessity, one must have acted under the apprehension of
immediate and impending death or of serious and immediate bodily harm. Fear of
injury to ones property or remote bodily harm do not excuse an
offense. It will be noted that the courts instruction was
almost identical to that approved in Gillars v. United States, supra, 182 F.2d at page
976, note 14. The charge was a correct statement of the law upon this subject. United
States v. Vigol, 2 Dall 346, 2
U.S. 346, 1 L.Ed. 409; Respublica v. McCarty, 2 Dall 86, 2 U.S. 86, 1 L.Ed. 300; Shannon
v. United States, 10 Cir., 76 F.2d 490; R.I. Recreation Center v. Aetna
Casualty & Surety Co., 1 Cir., 117 F.2d 603, 12 A.L.R.2d 230. Appellant seriously contends that however correct the instruction
might be in an ordinary case where a person accused of crime committed in his
own country claims to have been coerced by an individual, the instruction of
the court was in error particularly in its requirement of apprehension of
immediate and impending death, or of immediate bodily harm, in a case where the
accused person was in an enemy country, unable to get protection [*359] from the United
States and where the compulsion is on the part of the enemy government itself.
The contention is that under these circumstances the requirement of
immediacy in the courts instructions was error.
Appellant makes her point by quoting from Easts Pleas of the Crown,
(1806, pages 70 to 71), as follows: But if the joining with rebels be
from fear of present death, and while the party is under actual force, such
fear and compulsion will excuse him. It is incumbent, however, on the party
setting up this defence to give satisfactory proof that the compulsion
continued during all the time that he staid with the rebels. It may perhaps be
impossible to account for every day, week, or month; and therefore it may be
sufficient to excuse him if he can prove an original force upon him, that he in
earnest attempted to escape and was prevented, or that he was so narrowly
watched, or the passes so guarded, that an attempt to escape or to refuse his
assistance would have been attended with great difficulty and danger; and if
the circumstances will admit of it, that he quitted the service as soon as he
could: so that upon the whole he may fairly be presumed to have continued
amongst them against his will, though not constantly under an actual force or
fear of immediate death. (Italics supplied by appellant.) However appropriate such quoted language might be in the case of a
person impressed into military or naval service of the enemy, we think that
under the circumstances here there was no occasion for departing from the
ordinary rules applicable to the defense of duress and coercion. We know of no
rule that would permit one who is under the protection of an enemy to claim
immunity from prosecution for treason merely by setting up a claim of mental
fear of possible future action on the part of the enemy. We think that the
citizen owing allegiance to the United States must manifest a determination to
resist commands and orders until such time as he is faced with the alternative
of immediate injury or death. Were any other rule to be applied, traitors in
the enemy country would by that fact alone be shielded from any requirement of
resistance. The person claiming the defense of coercion and duress must be a
person whose resistance has brought him to the last ditch. In this same connection, appellant claims that the court erred in
failing to give her requested instruction that she was an enemy alien of Japan.
This instruction did not advise the jury as to what the legal consequences
would be of appellant being in that category. The requested instruction did no
more than furnish the jury a new name for persons in her position. We think
that the failure to add this terminology to the instructions cannot have been
prejudicial, for the jury was fully informed as to the precise situation of the
appellant and their deliberations could not have been aided by supplying them
with an additional name for her status. In support of this defense of coercion, appellant testified that
one Takano, her civilian superior, informed her that she was to take
army orders * * * you know what the consequences are * * * . She
undertook to give this statement significance by testimony as to atrocities
inflicted by the Japanese upon certain internees and prisoners of war who
disobeyed military orders. The testimony relating to the statement of Takano is
the only evidence in the record which would appear to support the giving of an
instruction with respect to duress or coercion. Appellant testified that she
was not forced to take her position at Radio Tokyo and said that she did not
broadcast because of any actual physical coercion or threats thereof. The only
qualification of this testimony was the statement of Takano which she testified
was made to her before she began her broadcasting activities. She testified
that she was not mistreated by the Japanese police. She performed her duties as
script writer and announcer for the Zero Hour from November, 1943, until
August, 1945. During this period she had pay raises; she was allowed the usual
American holidays, and occasionally she absented herself from the broadcasting
for considerable periods of time. These absences did not result in any
immediate or drastic measures from her employers. On those occasions she
ignored verbal and written demands to return to [*360] work and did so
with impunity and only returned to work when a Japanese official called upon
her. There is no evidence of any determined refusal on her part which might
have provoked coercion or brought about immediate and actual danger to her. In
other words, there is no evidence that the appellant ever so conducted herself
as to bring about a demonstration that death or serious and immediate bodily
harm was to be apprehended for a refusal. Appellant was permitted to introduce a vast amount of testimony
which she says was in support of her claim that she operated in fear and under
apprehension of harm to herself. Thus, she testified that during her stay in
Japan after war began, she was interrogated by the police and was kept under
constant surveillance by them. Her living quarters were searched by the policy
and she was required to obtain permission to move from place to place. She
asked to be interned but this was denied her. She also testified that her
neighbors, other civilians, were suspicious of her; that she was under fear of
mob violence from the Japanese populace. In addition there was received evidence
of atrocities practiced on the prisoners of war by the Japanese and evidence
that for refusal by prisoners of war to obey orders the penalty of death was
inflicted. Other witnesses called by appellant testified to instances in which
guards killed prisoners in cold blood and tortured and beat others. Some
prisoners of war had been compelled by threats of death or other violence to
participate in the operation of the Zero Hour broadcast. In general these
experiences relating to such prisoners and to other victims of atrocities were
communicated to the appellant. Appellant says that the court erred in giving the last three
paragraphs of the instruction quoted in note 11, supra, to the effect that the
fact that she was required to report to the Japanese police was not sufficient;
that surveillance of the police was not sufficient; that threats made to other
persons were not sufficient, etc. Appellant asserts that by this portion of the
courts instruction it emasculated all of this background testimony
which was designed to disclose that appellant was operating in an atmosphere of
terror. In order to consider the propriety of the instruction here
complained of it is necessary to understand the very wide scope which the court
permitted appellants testimony to take. Although a strict following
of the rule laid down in Gillars v. United States, supra, would have excluded
evidence of threats or duress against others who participated in the Radio
Tokyo broadcast, the trial court here allowed great latitude to
appellants counsel in placing in the record evidence of sundry
atrocities committed by the Japanese against persons other than the appellant. When appellant began her work on the Zero Hour at Radio Tokyo, she
came in contact with three prisoners of war who had broadcasted at this station
for a considerable period of time before she was employed there. These were a
Major Cousens, an Australian prisoner; Captain Ince, an American prisoner; and
Lieutenant Reyes, a Filipino prisoner. Appellant was permitted to testify as to
accounts which were given her by these prisoners of war of the manner in which
the Japanese military had compelled each of them to participate in broadcasting
activities and she was permitted to relate their stories to her of their
harrowing experiences at the hands of the Japanese from the time they were
taken prisoners. This included their accounts of torture and murder of other
prisoners of war at Singapore, at Manila, and at Camp Bunka in Japan, where the
prisoners whom the Japanese were using for broadcasting were kept. She
testified that Cousens informed her that the Japanese were brutal and
uncivilized; that they were sly and cunning and never to be trusted. Similarly,
Cousens, Ince and Reyes were permitted to testify as to atrocities practiced on
the prisoners of war and which they themselves related to appellant. Thus
Cousens in telling appellant how he came to broadcast on the Radio Tokyo gave
her an account of how the men were being starved, beaten and tortured; how an
Australian prisoner had been beaten to death with a club for stealing a can of
onions and a Chinese prisoner had been beaten and put [*361] to death with
the water torture because he went mad with hunger and tried to seize some food.
Cousens related his experience in solitary confinement, his observation of
Japanese guards murdering prisoners in cold blood for trying to seize food, and
how the Japanese officers told the prisoners that the punishment for
disobedience would be death. Ince and Reyes testified to telling the appellant about being
compelled to broadcast for Radio Tokyo because of threats against their lives.
Reyes gave accounts of the beating to death at Manila of two of his co-workers
in the Manila underground radio; he told of observing Japanese soldiers at
Manila bayoneting civilians for hiding food, machine gunning civilians, and of
seeing Major Ince beaten. Ince testified as to atrocities committed against the prisoners
confined at Camp Bunka. In addition, the appellant was permitted to testify as
to police surveillance of herself and of the suspicion with which she was
regarded by other Japanese in the neighborhood where she resided. At the time this evidence was received, the court clearly
indicated the theory upon which it was permitted to go in. The trial judge
considered that such testimony was relevant as bearing upon the state of mind
of the appellant. It is clear that the court considered and made it apparent to
counsel and to the jury when the evidence was received that it had to do with
the general question of whether the appellant had reasonable ground for
apprehension of danger when she participated in the broadcast. [FN12] It is our view that after the court had thus received at the
instance of appellant this large volume of testimony none of which disclosed
any direct duress or coercion against the appellant but which was relevant only
as bearing upon the question of reasonable ground for apprehension on the part
of appellant, it was proper for the court to give the instruction of which
complaint is made. As we understand appellants objection to it, it is
not seriously urged that this portion of the instruction did not correctly
state the law, but it is contended that it had the effect of leading the jury
to disregard this evidence and of preventing it from considering its cumulative
effect upon the mind of the appellant. It is suggested that the primary vice in
the instruction is that it did not tell the jury anything about the
cumulative effect of the above elements or of all the elements on
coercion. It is objected that the instruction was one-sided in
telling the jury that each of certain items of evidence would be insufficient
without mentioning the cumulative effect of a combination of all this evidence. It is true that the court might have told the jury about the
possible cumulative effect of all this atrocity evidence. It is clear that such
a comment by the court would have been a comment upon the evidence which a
federal court might properly make. Yet to hold that prejudicial error resulted
from a failure to make such a comment would, we think, require an improper
assumption of a degree of ignorance on the part of the jury with which we think
the jury cannot properly be charged. We think that the record on the whole
discloses that the jury was not misled as to the significance of the atrocity
evidence received and that it must have understood that the evidence was
received because of its bearing upon the question submitted in the instructions
as to whether the coercion or compulsion was of such a nature as to
induce a well grounded apprehension of death or serious bodily injury if the
act is not done. All the requirements of fairness to the appellant were met when
she was permitted to introduce such testimony and from it argue to the jury
that it had a bearing upon [*362] what she necessarily understood Takano
to mean when he said: You know what the consequences are. Appellant requested the giving of the following instruction: If
you find that the defendant did the acts charged in the indictment, but
entertain a reasonable doubt as to whether or not she was acting under fear of
bodily injury, beating or the like, then you must find the defendant not
guilty. This proposed instruction No. 98 was one of the 128 listed in
the manner previously mentioned. There was no error in refusing to give this
instruction not only because it omits the required element of immediacy in
connection with her fear of bodily injury, but the element of reasonable
apprehension of injury was adequately covered in the instructions as given. It is noted that the charge (see footnote 11, supra), referred to
coercion or compulsion present, immediate and pending of such a
nature as to induce a well grounded apprehension of death or serious bodily
injury if the act is not done. The jury were told that if they
believed that the defendant committed these acts under a well
grounded apprehension of immediate death or serious bodily injury, to be
inflicted by any particular person or agent of the Japanese Government * * *
[FN13] you would be warranted in finding that the defendant committed the
alleged acts under coercion and compulsion, and under those circumstances it
would be your duty under the law to return a verdict of not guilty. In view of that instruction, we cannot hold the failure to give
the requested instruction No. 98 quoted above to be prejudicial. The court may
properly refuse requested instructions which, in substance, have been covered
in the courts charge. May v. United States, 84 U.S.App.D.C. 233,
175 F.2d 994; Nye & Nissen v. United States, 9 Cir., 168 F.2d
846, affirmed 336 U.S. 613, 69 S.Ct. 766, 93 L.Ed. 919. Elsewhere in the
instruction the court charge the jury: This brings us to a
consideration of what effect, if any, duress, coercion or compulsion may have
upon the acts of a person charged with a crime. You will note that during my
charge to you I use the expression if you find that the defendant
committed these acts, and, of course, that means that they must be in
law, voluntary acts, that is, acts that were done purposefully, freely, and
that they were intended and unconstrained. In our opinion, the
instructions of the court contained on the whole an adequate statement of the
law relating to duress and coercion, and they were in our opinion as favorable
to appellant as she had the right to demand. Appellant argues that although the court received some evidence of
the character herein mentioned, it erred in refusing to admit additional
evidence (1) of duress on others, some of which was communicated and some of
which was not communicated to appellant, (2) that the entire broadcasting staff
of Radio Tokyo was in a state of fear; and (3) that appellants
neighbors made unfriendly demonstration against her. We have previously noted that the court received a substantial
amount of evidence of this same character. Appellant asserts that since the
question of her reasonable apprehension of danger could only be judged in the
light of all the relevant circumstances that the jury could not properly
consider her situation in respect to the claimed duress unless they were
permitted to weigh the cumulative effect of all such evidence. Therefore,
appellant says, it was error for the court to receive some items of evidence of
this character and exclude others. We have examined with considerable care the items of evidence thus
rejected [*363] by the court. [FN14] It was within the discretion of the
trial court in passing upon the admissibility of this atrocity evidence and
related matters to hold that in order that it be relevant as bearing upon the
state of mind of appellant, and upon the question of her reasonable grounds for
apprehension, that it must have been communicated to her. Testimony of what
happened to prisoners of war in South Burma in 1942 if not known to appellant
would be of very doubtful significance in respect to any question before the
court. Appellant argues that evidence of the treatment of prisoners of war by
the Japanese, even although not communicated to appellant, would be relevant in
showing that the Japanese actually imposed the death penalty for
trivial offenses; it tends to show fears well grounded that such a fate would
also befall one in her position. We believe that the logical
relevance of such testimony would be so doubtful that it was properly within
the discretion of the presiding judge to draw the line where he did. The trial
judge was in a much better position than any appellate court could be to
determine whether this line of testimony was likely to get out of hand and
mislead the jury unless held within reasonable bounds. Had appellant been permitted to introduce evidence of Japanese
atrocities and mistreatment of prisoners without limitations as to whether
appellant knew or did not know of the circumstances related, it might well have
led to a situation in which the jury were given the impression that appellant
was undertaking to prove that all Japanese were cruel, savage and sadistic and
hence that she had the right to fear them all. Thus appellant sought to
introduce an exhibit W which purported to be the orders
given to Wake Island prisoners, on the occasion of their being transported by
boat to another prison camp. The substance of the regulations was to the effect
that disobedience of orders and instructions by the prisoners would be punished
with death. The regulations contained numerous specific prohibitions such as
walking without permission; touching the boats materials, wires,
etc.; climbing ladders without order; running away from the boat; trying to
take more food than allowed, etc. Even if appellant had known of these
regulations, their relevance would be doubtful for her position as a civilian
broadcasting employee was so different from that of a prisoner being
transported by ship that this exhibit would be properly rejected in any event.
As a bit of evidence of Japanese ruthlessness not communicated to appellant, it
was clearly improper. The greater part of the exclusionary rulings with respect to this
type of evidence were made upon the simple ground that when offered it had not
been shown that the incident sought to be testified to had been communicated to
the appellant. When that situation appeared, the court properly held that a
proper foundation for its introduction had not been laid. [FN15] Since the court properly held that such evidence would be relevant
only if [*364] communicated to the appellant, the trial courts
discretionary power to control the order of proof warranted his requirement
that before such evidence be received it be established that the facts were
communicated to the appellant. [FN16] For this reason we think that numerous of the exclusionary rulings
of which appellant complaints were altogether proper. [FN17] Other rejected evidence which appellant asserts should have been
received was clearly irrelevant under any theory. [FN18] Some of the objections to the courts rulings excluding
offered evidence appear to be somewhat trivial. [FN19] Another group of rulings complained of amounted to no more than a
refusal of the judge to permit a repetition of testimony previously given by
the same witness. [FN20] The sustaining of such objection cannot possibly be
prejudicial. Other rulings which are related to matters involving the order of
proof were the sustaining of objections to certain questions [*365] which were
objected to as not proper cross examination. It appears to us that the objections in these cases were properly
sustained on that ground, and hence that appellant is in no position to allege
prejudice. [FN21] We conclude that there was no prejudicial error in the
courts rulings with respect to the receipt of evidence of the
character here discussed. [FN22] 10. Public trial. The Government introduced exhibits 16 to 21 which were phonograph
records made by persons recording and monitoring what was said on the Zero Hour
broadcast when appellant was broadcasting. The exhibits were used for the
purpose of identifying the sound of the appellants voice. The records
when played were inaudible without earphones and hence the Government provided
about 40 earphones for the judge, jury, clerk, court reporter, appellant,
counsel and members of the press. Appellant objected that this procedure denied
her a public trial in that the public spectators could not hear the exhibits. A similar contention was rejected in Gillars v. United States,
supra,
and we think correctly. Essentially the records were exhibits and we think that
appellant might as logically argue that she was denied a public trial because
certain exhibits such as photographs, samples of handwriting, etc., although
examined by the parties and by the jury were not passed around to the
spectators in the courtroom. We think that the contention as to lack of public
trial is wholly without merit. 11. Geneva Convention. Appellant complains of the failure of the trial court to give
instructions relating to the Geneva Convention and to the fact that under that
Convention a nation at war may require its prisoners of war to perform
work indirectly related to the war effort. The claim was
that if the jury should find that the broadcasting activities only indirectly
related to the Japanese war effort then none of the overt acts charged [*366] could be an
overt act of treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The first difficulty about the application of the Geneva
Convention to acts performed by appellant is that appellant was not one of the
persons referred to in that Convention, which refers only to prisoners of war.
Appellant was not in that category; she was an uninterned civilian. We think that the Geneva Convention did not change the law of
treason. If the overt act performed by appellant was such as to give aid and
comfort to the enemy, the fact that the enemy could have legally demanded a
similar act under the terms of the Convention is irrelevant. It is essential to
the crime of treason that the overt act be committed with the intent to betray
the United States. Appellant says that unless the act itself is criminal,
no intent can turn it into treason. Such is not the law.
The very minimum function that an overt act must perform in a treason
prosecution is that it show sufficient action by the accused, in its setting,
to sustain a finding that the accused actually gave aid and comfort to the
enemy. Cramer v. United States, 325 U.S. 1, 34, 65 S.Ct.
918, 934, 89 L.Ed. 1441. The overt acts in the Haupt case (Haupt v.
United States), 330 U.S.
631, 67 S.Ct. 874, 91 L.Ed. 1145, consisted of the accuseds
furnishing food, lodging, transportation and employment to his son. Certainly
these acts of parental solicitude are not criminal. However, the fact the son
was a German saboteur, known as such to his father who had expressed his
admiration for the Nazis and antipathy towards the United States, in addition
to these overt acts, were held to constitute sufficient basis to sustain a
conviction for treason. We think the court did not err in its ruling upon this
point. 12. Claimed misconduct of prosecutor. Appellant asserts that on numerous occasions during the trial,
Government counsel were guilty of such serious misconduct that the record in
respect to this requires a new trial. These claims of misconduct relate to
alleged misstatements of the record during the argument to the jury; alleged
misstatements of the testimony of other witnesses which were incorporated in
questions propounded to appellant and in arguments made to the jury asserted to
exceed the bounds of propriety. Thus, it is said, that Government counsel in
argument to the jury misstated overt act No. 6 as follows: That was
in October, 1944. Overt act 6. She unhesitatingly, unequivocally, denies
broadcasting those words or anything like it. Well, you can understand why she
refuses to admit the voicing of that broadcast. The government has produced not
two witnesses, but five, who contradict her testimony. Mitsushio, George
Mitsushio, Kenkichi Oki, Satoshi Nakamura, Clark Lee and Richard Henschel. Now
this testimony from five witnesses that the defendant broadcast the incident
about American ship losses after Leyte Gulf, concerning which five government
witnesses testified. * * * . It is said that this was misconduct, for
one reason, because Clark Lees testimony was merely with respect to
his later interview with appellant in which appellant had stated to Lee that
she had broadcast about the loss of ships, (which was the subject of overt act
No. 6. However, the testimony of Lee was that the appellants
statement identified this broadcast as following the Battle of Formosa. The
witnesses who gave direct testimony concerning overt act No. 6 had identified
it as a broadcast following the Battle of Leyte Gulf. It is asserted that it was misconduct for the prosecutor thus to
list Clark Lee as a fifth witness to overt act 6. When the argument was made,
it was challenged by counsel for appellant who assigned it as misconduct and
requested the court to direct the jury to disregard it. Thereupon the court
told the jury that argument is not evidence; that the matter of evidence was
entirely with the jury; that they had heard the evidence, and that it was for
them to take action on that evidence. In addition, the court in its general
charge to the jury, told them: You should distinguish carefully
between what has been testified by the witnesses and what has been stated by
the attorneys. Statements and arguments of counsel are not evidence in the
case. Again the jury were charged [*367] in great detail
that in order to establish an overt act the minimum proof necessary is the
direct evidence of the overt act given through the testimony of at least two
witnesses. In this connection the court charged the jury that persons who
testified to out of court admissions of the defendant may not be counted as
witnesses within the meaning of the constitutional requirement. The court
further named the three witnesses who the jury were told had testified
concerning the commission of overt act No. 6. It appears to us that what the prosecutor was here arguing was
merely that although appellant had denied making any such broadcast about the
loss of ships at any time whatsoever, she had been contradicted by five
witnesses including Clark Lee. Prosecutor proceeded to read verbatim the
testimony of Clark Lee on this point. The trial judge had an opportunity far superior to that afforded
us to judge whether the remarks of counsel in the setting in which they were
given constituted such misconduct as to require a more emphatic admonition or
instruction to the jury to disregard. Manifestly the argument in question was
but a momentary phase in an extended argument which concluded a three
months trial. Our system of adversary procedures in the trial of
cases is designed to arrive at the truth by encouraging vigorous prosecution
and defense. The making of arguments by counsel which are sometimes unwarranted
by the evidence is commonplace as counsel are frequently carried away by the
ardor of advocacy and the excitement of trial. If every remark of counsel outside
the record were ground for reversal few verdicts would stand. Our system of
jurisprudence properly makes it a matter primarily for the discretion of the
trial court to determine whether prejudicial misconduct has occurred. An
appellate court will not review the exercise of the trial courts
discretion in such a matter unless the misconduct and prejudice is so clear
that it can be said that the trial judge has been guilty of an abuse of
discretion. We think that such cannot be said with respect to the incident here
referred to. For the reasons we have just expressed we are satisfied that we
cannot upon this record hold that the trial judge was guilty of reversible
error in the manner in which he dealt with the other claims of misconduct of
the prosecutor in the course of his argument to the jury. Thus, it is argued that a certain exhibit 52 was offered and
received solely for the purpose of impeachment of a defense witness, and in his
argument to the jury one of counsel for the prosecution attempted to assert
that it constituted substantive evidence of the facts recited in the exhibit. This exhibit was a statement in writing which the witness Reyes
had previously given to an officer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Reyes had testified on behalf of appellant that he with Cousens and Ince had
undertaken to sabotage the propaganda programs of Radio Tokyo and that they
secured the aid of appellant in so doing. The exhibit in question contained
statements which tended to contradict that testimony. The prosecutor argued to
the jury as follows: Reyes statements that he made to
members of the FBI are quite illuminating. He made a statement on October 2nd,
1948. It is Governments Exhibit No. 52, I think, I will read the entire
statement to you ladies and gentlemen. I think it is a very important piece of
evidence in this case. Proves conclusively that there was no sabotaging of the
program. Appellant asserts that this was an improper argument that
the exhibit proved substantive facts in the case, and that such argument was
misconduct. We think that it cannot be demonstrated that the argument had that
effect. We believe it was not out of order for counsel to assert that the prior
contradictory statement was quite illuminating. We also
think that it could properly be argued that the making of the prior
contradictory statement proved that the facts were not as testified to by the
witness upon his direct examination. That is all that the argument amounted to. During the argument one of counsel for the Government made the
statement that some of the prisoners of war might later [*368] be put upon
trial. Objection to the remark was made by counsel for appellant and the court
was asked to instruct the jury to disregard it. The court granted the request
and told the jury: We are not concerned about any one that may or may
not be prosecuted. So you may disregard that for any purpose in this
case. Also during the argument Government counsel in quoting the
testimony of one Sugiyama stated that the latter had testified that he heard
the appellant broadcast: You must be lonely out there. It is very
uncomfortable out there. At the conclusion of this argument counsel
for appellant stated to the court, We assign as misconduct and ask
that the jury be instructed to disregard as being a distortion of the evidence
the statement that Harris Sugiyama quoted here as saying you must be
lonely out there * * * and stopping there; the full quotation is:
You must be lonely out there. Let me cheer you up with some
music. This correction of the quotation and request for an instruction
was made in the presence of the jury and was followed by some additional
objections as to portions of the Governments argument. The court then
immediately said to the jury: I will indicate to the jury at this
time that the argument is not evidence. The matter of evidence is entirely with
the jury. They heard the evidence in this case and it is for them to take
action on that evidence. This statement of the court, as indicated, alluded to the
objection of appellant quoted above and also to the appellants
request that the jury be instructed to disregard the argument that
this case should serve as a warning to others. This referred to the
prosecutors argument that This matter should serve as a
warning to others that they cannot, in our great hour of peril, desert their
country and with impunity adhere to the enemy- and not, if the United States
survive, be brought to book before a federal court of justice. We have previously quoted from the general charge to the jury the
instruction to distinguish between testimony and argument. The court added:
You must consider only evidence before you. That evidence consists of
sworn testimony of witnesses with the exhibits which have been received in
evidence, all facts which have been stipulated or agreed to by counsel, and all
applicable presumptions stated in these instructions. * * * Remember also that
the question before you can never be whether the Government wins or loses the
case. The Government always wins when justice is done regardless of whether the
verdict be guilty or not guilty. We think that under these circumstances it cannot be said that
there was any misconduct of Government counsel of such character as to require
a new trial. Cf. Holt v. United States, 218 U.S. 245, 250, 31
S.Ct. 2, 54 L.Ed. 1021. The remarks complained of were, all taken together, but
brief and isolated portions of a six hour argument concluding a three
months trial. We are in no position as an appellate court to find the
rulings made by the trial court inadequate to assure a fair trial. Cf. Johnston
v. United States, 9 Cir., 154 F. 445, 449; Mellor v. United States, 8 Cir., 160 F.2d
757, 765; Stephan v. United States, 6 Cir., 133 F.2d 87, 99; Dunlop v. United
States,
165 U.S. 486, 498, 17
S.Ct. 375, 41 L.Ed. 799; Crumpton v. United States, 138 U.S. 361, 364, 11
S.Ct. 355, 34 L.Ed. 958. Other claimed instances of the prosecutors misconduct
have to do with certain cross or re-cross-examination of the appellant. Thus it
appears that upon re-cross-examination, Government counsel referring to
Governments exhibit 5 and defendants exhibit B-P,
repeatedly endeavored to get the appellant to admit that she never applied for
reestablishment of her citizenship. It is argued that the exhibits themselves
disclosed a letter written by appellant to American Consular Service referring
to an application for reestablishment of her American citizenship. In alluding
to this examination, appellant says that the prosecutor
browbeat appellant through six pages of coercive, bullying
cross-examination. We think that the most that this portion of the record
discloses was that the prosecutor was proceeding up the wrong alley, for he got
nowhere by this cross-examination. The witness was [*369] not misled and
the whole effort amounted to nothing. Nor is there anything in this cold record
to indicate that the trial judge should have assumed that in this futile effort
the prosecutor was proceeding dishonestly or in bad faith. The other alleged instances of misconduct of the prosecutor in
cross-examination of the appellant appear to us to be petty and too clearly
without merit to warrant more extended discussion. [FN23] 13. Cross-examination of defendant-appellant. Appellant complains of several rulings on the testimony given
during the time that she was under cross-examination by Government counsel. On
a number of occasions during her cross-examination with respect to matters on
which her testimony had differed from that of other witnesses, she was asked if
she heard the testimony of a certain Government witness upon that point. When
she replied that she had heard such testimony and that it was in disagreement
with what she was then saying, appellant was asked if the other witness was in
error. [FN24] She now urges that it was error for the trial court to permit
such questions to be asked on the ground that it is improper to ask one witness
to pass on the truth or falsity of testimony of another witness. Undoubtedly the rule thus stated is one of general application and
supported by authorities. But we think it has no application to the facts here.
Essentially what happened here was not an attempt to procure the opinion of one
witness as to the veracity of another witness; what was sought was to point up
the contradiction in the appellants testimony for the purpose of more
effectively bringing that contradiction to the attention of appellant and of the
jury as part of the cross-examination. When the appellant herself took the
stand and undertook to testify upon direct examination concerning these sundry
subjects, she subjected herself to cross-examination on behalf of the
prosecution as fully as any other witness in the case. Powers v. United
States,
223 U.S. 303, 315, 32
S.Ct. 281, 56 L.Ed. 448; Shipley v. United States, 5 Cir., 281 F. 134,
certiorari denied 260 U.S. 726, 43 S.Ct. 89, 67 L.Ed. 483. [47] Link to KeyCite Notes The right to cross examine a witness is
fundamental in our judicial system. Vigorous and searching cross-examination is
a powerful instrument for the ascertainment of truth. Appellate courts,
particularly, are loath to lay down rules which might unduly restrict the
latitude of cross-examination. The proper limit of fair cross-examination is a
matter within the sound discretion of the trial court. Austin v. United
States,
9 Cir., 4 F.2d 774, 775; Land v. United States, 4 Cir., 177 F.2d
346, 350. We think that the method of cross-examination adopted by the
prosecutor in this case was proper. Certainly the rulings of the court below
cannot be said to evidence an abuse of discretion. Appellant is unable [*370] to demonstrate any
prejudice to her arising out of the rulings of the trial court upon these
questions. Cf. United States v. Buckner, 2 Cir., 108 F.2d 921, 929, certiorari
denied 309 U.S. 669, 60 S.Ct. 613, 84 L.Ed. 1016. Another claim of improper cross-examination of appellant relates
to the inquiries addressed to her as to overt act No. 8. Counsel for appellant
objected to the cross-examination upon this point on the ground that it was
improper as relating to matters that were not touched upon on direct
examination of the witness. We think that appellants contention is
based upon a misunderstanding of the proper scope of cross-examination.
Appellant had given testimony in her direct examination designed to show both
directly and circumstantially her good intent and her lack of intent to betray
the United States. Thus the whole question of appellants intention
was open to inquiry upon cross-examination and the cross-examiner was entitled
to bring up for examination any matter which rightly had a bearing upon intent.
The intent necessarily had to be gathered from the acts and conduct of the
appellant. Chandler v. United States, supra, certiorari denied
336 U.S. 918, 69 S.Ct. 640, 93 L.Ed. 1081. If she participated in overt act No.
8 that fact would have an important bearing upon her intent and would be
material because of the inferences properly drawn from it. Austin v. United
States, 9 Cir., supra; Diggs v. United States, 9 Cir., 220 F. 545, 563, affirmed 242 U.S. 470, 37 S.Ct.
192, 61 L.Ed. 442. Within the compass of some seven pages of her brief, appellant
lists what she calls a long procession of errors and a
torrent of improper questions, all relating to
cross-examination of appellant. Notwithstanding these same pages contain some
of the most flagrant failures to comply with the rule relating to specification
of errors, and the appellant has here wrapped up in a small bundle a very long
list of complaints which have been dumped into the lap of the court, we have
painstakingly examined each one and conclude they are without foundation and
relate to matters which in our opinion cannot possibly be prejudicial. [FN25] 14. Cross-examination of appellants witnesses. Appellant makes numerous objections to the rulings of the trial
court as to the scope of cross-examination of certain defense witnesses. One of
her witnesses, Ito, testified about many conversations she had with appellant
during the latters stay in Japan. The direct examination was designed
to disclose appellants loyal attitude toward the United States. Upon
cross-examination the witness was asked whether appellant had talked about her
work at Radio Tokyo and thereupon these portions of the conversations were
developed by questioning the witness. If parts of the conversations were given upon the issue of intent,
it seems obvious that other contemporaneous conversations bearing on the same
subject could be properly developed on cross-examination. Counsel cannot bring
out favorable parts of a conversation and then preclude his opponent from
developing on cross-examination the unfavorable parts. It is complained that in cross-examination of appellants
witness Reyes, the prosecutor insisted upon a yes or no answer and refused to
afford the witness an opportunity to explain the answer given. There is no
basis in the record for this contention. Reyes admitted during the trial that
portions of his sworn testimony were false and he was given an opportunity not
only to explain his answers but to explain why he had given false testimony.
Other faults were found with the cross-examination of Reyes but we find the
contentions without merit. Objection is made to the fact that Government counsel in
cross-examining appellants witness, Ince, referred to appellant as a
Japanese. The question was: Now the defendant was not the only
Japanese with whom you were friendly, was she? It was objected that
the question was highly improper and that there was no evidence that the
defendant was Japanese. It is asserted that this was an appeal to race
prejudice and denied appellant a fair trial. Since appellant was present in
court, and since her ancestry and racial origin were admitted and testified to
by her, we find no prejudicial error in permitting the asking of the question. 15. Limitations placed upon cross-examination on behalf of
appellant. Appellant lists a number of respects in which she says that the
court unduly restricted her cross-examination of certain Government witnesses.
After the witness Clark Lee had testified on direct examination as to what
appellant had told him during his interview of her understanding of the purpose
of the Zero Hour, and that she had said that she understood that the purpose of
that broadcast was to make them homesick and unhappy about sitting in
mud, counsel for appellant asked Lee on cross-examination if Lee had
not stated in a book written by him that appellants programs were
entertaining to the troops. We think that the objection was properly sustained.
It would have been proper to impeach Lee by proof of prior statements which
contradicted his direct testimony, but his direct testimony had nothing to do
with his own opinion of appellants broadcast. What Lee said in his
book about the entertainment value of appellants broadcast in no
manner tended to contradict his direct testimony as to what appellant told him
when he interview her. Equally groundless is the complaint as to the sustaining of an
objection to questions put to Lee as to whether a certain Colonel Munsing told
Lee in Tokyo that Tokyo Rose was a Canadian girl. Aside
from being obvious hearsay the statement was without value for want of any
testimonial foundation. Complaint is made that the court refused to allow counsel for
appellant to ask Lee if appellant could possibly have obtained counsel at the
time she, in the presence of her husband, had her interview with Lee. The
question was objectionable for the matter was irrelevant and immaterial. It was
admitted that no counsel was present at the time. To ask Lee whether it would
have been possible for her to obtain counsel was to seek the sort of
speculative conclusions which appellant was not entitled to ask the witness. Appellant complains she was not allowed to ask the Government
witness Henschel whether he had an opinion as to appellants guilt or
innocence. Appellant asserts that she had a right to ask this question for the
purpose of demonstrating the witness bias. The right to demonstrate
bias of a witness is unquestionable, but the interrogation in this instance was
not designed to demonstrate either bias or lack of bias. Moreover, the inquiry
was highly objectionable because it sought a conclusion from a witness upon the
question which was exclusively within the province of the jury. [*372] One Nii was a Government witness. On cross-examination he
said he did not remember what he said to appellants counsel in an
interview in Japan in the spring of 1949 because both parties were drinking and
he and the attorney were both intoxicated. On redirect examination the witness
testified that the liquor on the occasion in question was furnished by
appellants attorney. On re-cross-examination Nii was asked how much
liquor he customarily consumed during the spring of 1949. Objection to this
inquiry was sustained and the appellant claims such was error. To have permitted this inquiry, which at most might have developed
that Nii was a heavy drinker, would have been an attempt to impeach the witness
by proof of particular acts of misconduct. Shively v. United States, 9 Cir., 229 F. 710,
713, certiorari denied 266 U.S. 619, 45 S.Ct. 99, 69 L.Ed. 471. In any event,
Niis drinking habits would have so little relation to what transpired
upon the occasion of the interview that the courts refusal to permit
the inquiry cannot be said to be prejudicial. Notes Other complaints of limitations in cross examination relate
to refusal to permit appellant to ask Government witness, Villarin, the names
of Japanese officers who had threatened him, and to the refusal to permit cross
examination of Government witness Hall as to whether he heard broadcasting from
a Japanese station at Rabaul. As neither inquiry was proper cross examination
the ruling in each case was correct. 16. Miscellaneous rulings on evidence. Through the deposition of one Saisho, the appellant sought to
impeach three Government witnesses by reputation evidence. In respect to two of
these witnesses the inquiry fixed no locale for the reputation. None of the
questions fixed any time for the existence of the reputation inquired about,
and in each case the inquiry was with respect to the reputation of the witness
with reference to truth, honesty, and integrity. [FN26] The
common rule is that the inquiry should be limited to the traits involved,
namely, truth and veracity. Powell v. United States, 9 Cir., 35 F.2d 941,
942. For the reasons stated in the last cited case we think that the trial
courts ruling was correct. Complaint is made of the exclusion of a number of questions
propounded to the appellant which so clearly called for hearsay evidence that
extended discussion of the points made is not warranted here. [FN27] [*373] Other rulings on the admission of evidence offered by the
appellant were so clearly proper that the mere statement of the offered
evidence disclose its impropriety. [FN28] 17. Evidence that appellants broadcasts were harmless. Appellant offered certain evidence designed to show that the
effects of her broadcasts were either beneficial to the morale of American
armed forces or at any rate were harmless. That a traitorous plan does not have
the desired effect is immaterial. Chandler v. United States, supra. Cf. Gillars v.
United States, supra; Haupt v. United States, supra, 330 U.S.at page 644,
67 S.Ct.at page 880. A further reason for the rejection of this evidence is found in
the character of the rejected testimony itself. [FN29] 18. Claimed evidence of fraud in preparation of
Governments case. Appellant undertook to prove that there was fraud in the
preparation of the Governments case. This appellant says, she was
prepared to prove through showing first, that certain subpoenas to Government
witnesses were fraudulently issued, and second, that one Brundidge on behalf of
the Government had bribed or attempted to bribe Government witnesses. In our opinion the proof offered would have no tendency to
establish any claim of fraud. It was intended to prove that although the trial,
originally set for May 16 was postponed to July 5, 25 Government subpoenas
required certain witnesses to appear on June 27, 28, 29 or 30. Even if the
subpoenas had been admitted, they would have no tendency to show fraud, rather
than mistake or oversight, and in any event, the witnesses were the only
persons that could complain. Sachs v. Government of the Canal Zone, 5 Cir., 176 F.2d
292, 296. As for Brundidge, he claimed unsavory conduct was offered to be
proven only by hearsay evidence and the offered evidence that his trip as a
newspaper man accompanying a Department of Justice attorney [*374] was in part
paid for by the United States and that he had an army permit reciting that he
was on official business for the Department of Justice fell far short of
disclosing that any of his acts of misconduct were within the course of the
claimed employment. 19. Identification of appellant as Tokyo Rose. Appellant says that she was prejudiced by the admission in
evidence of exhibits 16 to 21 which were recordings of her broadcast bearing
the notation on each that they were broadcasts by Tokyo
Rose. She says that the Government was attempting to label her as
Tokyo Rose. It appears that the persons who made the recordings identified
them in the manner indicated. But there was no claim on the part of the
Government that appellant broadcast as Tokyo Rose, and the marks upon the
recordings were not relied upon to tie them to the appellants broadcast.
Their authenticity was proven by entirely different evidence. It was hardly
more significant that the records bore the notation Tokyo
Rose than would have been the case had the recordings been painted a
particular color or been scratched in a peculiar manner. It was not disputed that the appellant herself had chosen at times
to refer to Tokyo Rose. We have mentioned the yen note. She also autographed a
number of scripts of her broadcasts and gave them away to various persons
marking them herself with a reference to Tokyo Rose. We think that the
circumstances that the recordings bore this notation was in no way prejudicial
to appellant. Appellant tried to show that the name Tokyo
Rose had been in circulation long before she began to broadcast. The
witnesses by which appellant undertook to prove this had never heard broadcasts
of the Zero Hour, and all that was sought from them was hearsay evidence that
the appellation Tokyo Rose was in circulation in the early years of the war.
Under the circumstances here, this was immaterial and the evidence by which it
was sought to be injected in the case was incompetent. 20. Refusal to permit offers of proof. Appellant rather bitterly complains that on many occasions when
the court sustained objections to questions propounded by counsel for
appellant, the court did not permit appellant forthwith to make offers of
proof. [FN30] If this court were to hold that appellant was precluded from
claiming error in the sustaining of an objection to a question propounded on
her behalf for want of an offer of proof, then the courts refusal to
permit the offer to be made might well be prejudicial. It is of course
elementary that an offer of proof is required where it is necessary to enable
the appellate court to determine whether the excluded answer would have been
such as to affect the substantial rights of the parties. Wigmore, evidence, 3d
ed. Sec. 20, p. 357. But a formal offer of proof is not necessary where the
record shows, either from the form of the question asked or otherwise, what the
substance of the proposed evidence is. Cf. Meany v. United States, 2 Cir., 112 F.2d
538, 539, 130 A.L.R. 973; Clauson v. United States, 8 Cir., 60 F.2d 694,
citing [*375] Buckstaff v. Russell & Co., 151 U.S. 626, 636, 14
S.Ct. 448, 38 L.Ed. 292. The appellant has not found herself handicapped because of any
holding on our part that an essential offer of proof was missing. In each
instance called to our attention it is apparent that any conceivable answer
would have been inadmissible. [FN31] 21. Question of appellants inspection of reports by
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prior to the trial, FBI agents Dunn and Tillman had interviewed
defendants witness Reyes. In the course of that interview they had
procured the execution by Reyes of two writings subsequently introduced as
exhibits 52 and 54. They also made inquiry of Reyes about his personal history
which Reyes gave to them orally. They took notes of this conversation and
subsequently made a report of this matter in accordance with their usual
practice, and the notes were destroyed. This investigative report contained an
account of Reyes oral conversation about his personal history. No
part of the record was used or referred to in the course of the testimony by
the agents, either for refreshing memory or otherwise. While Tillman was on the
stand counsel for appellant made the demand: That the notes made by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents * * * made to them or either of them
on or about October 5, 1948 by Norman Reyes * * * be produced for inspection
and examination and for use in examining * * * the witness Frederic Tillman who
is on the stand. At the time Tillman had been called in rebuttal to
testify as to the voluntary execution of exhibits 52 and 54. We think that the correct ruling is that recited in Goldman v.
United States, 316 U.S. 129, 132, 62 S.Ct. 993, 995, 86 L.Ed. 1322, to the
effect that it is the better rule that where a witness does not use
his notes or memoranda in court, a party has no absolute right to have them
produced and to inspect them. That case also held that under the
circumstances here existing, whether the Governments files be
produced should in general be a matter for the determination of the trial
judge. It is apparent that what was sought here was but a part of the
work papers used by the prosecutor in preparing the case. There was a complete
lack of showing that the papers in question were relevant for the purpose of
impeachment. Cf. Arnstein v. United States, 54 App.D.C. 199, 296
F. 946. We think it cannot be said that in refusing to require production of
this paper the court abused its discretion. 22. Refusal to produce defendants witnesses from Japan. Appellant filed a series of motions requesting the court to issue
subpoenas to some 43 witnesses residing abroad requiring their attendance at
the trial at the expense of the Government. After six such motions, a seventh
motion requested that in the event of denial of the previous motions, the court
provide for the taking of depositions at Government expense of witnesses
residing abroad. This motion was granted and the others denied. The Government
was thereupon required to defray the expense of taking the depositions and of
appellants attorneys travel and subsistence expense for
that purpose. Subsequently stipulations were made enlarging the list of persons
whose depositions might be taken. [83] Link to KeyCite Notes[84] Link to KeyCite Notes[85] Link to
KeyCite Notes Substantially all of the persons for whom process was thus sought
were not United States citizens and their attendance could not have been
compelled. Cf. Blackmer v. United States, 284 U.S. 421, 52 S.Ct.
252, 76 L.Ed. 375; [*376] United States v. Best, D.C., 76 F.Supp. 138, 139; 28
U.S.C.A. § 1783. In any event, the question of payment by the
United States of fees and expenses of defense witnesses is one within the sound
judicial discretion of the trial court. Meeks v. United States, 9 Cir., 179 F.2d
319; Dupuis v. United States, 9 Cir., 5 F.2d 231. Cf. Goldsby v. United
States,
160 U.S. 70, 16 S.Ct.
216, 40 L.Ed. 343. We find no reversible error in the action of the trial court
here referred to. 23. Instruction respecting overt act No. 6. In the course of its charge to the jury, the trial court listed
and sorted out the various overt acts charged in the indictment and stated to
the jury: The witnesses who testified regarding the commission of
overt act No. 6 were George Mitsushio, Kenkichi Oki, and Shatoshi
Nakamura. Appellant asserts that it was error for the court to tell
the jury that Nakamura had testified to overt act No. 6 for the reason that
while the other two witnesses mentioned and placed this act in October, 1944,
Nakamura testified to a similar broadcast in the fall of 1944.
It is argued that since the fall of 1944 covers more than October, Nakamura
might have been referring to a different incident. Appellant says that the jury
should have been allowed to pass upon the question whether Nakamura did or did
not testify as to overt act No. 6. We think that the record does not sustain this argument. Nakamura
testified as to a broadcast concerning a loss of ships. He was present in the
studio and he heard the news broadcast concerning the battle of Leyte Gulf.
Immediately thereafter the witness introduced the appellant. He described the
news broadcast in the following manner: Q. What did he say, Mr.
Nakamura, everything to the best of your recollection that he said. A.
Americans have lost many ships in the battle. Q. What battle? A. The Battle of
Leyte Gulf. Immediately thereafter he took the microphone and said,
So much for the war news and here comes Orphan Ann.
Thereupon appellant made the broadcast described by this witness. We think the
circumstances thus demonstrated compel a conclusion that Nakamura was
describing the same incident as the other two witnesses. The instruction was
correct. Since we find no prejudicial error in the record the judgment is
affirmed. NOTES FN1. 1948 Revised Criminal Code, 18 U.S.C.A.
§ 2381. FN2. Title 18, Sec. 1, Criminal Code, (1946 Ed.):
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against
them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United
States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason. FN3. Appellant contends that if all the scripts and records made
of the Zero Hour broadcast had been produced, they would have disclosed that
the contents of the Zero Hour broadcasts were completely harmless. Appellant
bases this contention and the contention that there is good reason to believe
that the missing evidence contained in such scripts would be favorable to
defendant, upon her assertion that the 13 exhibits which were scripts or
records of the Zero Hour broadcast, showed no propaganda whatever;
instead they consist of the introduction to music done in the manner of a night
club master of ceremonies. Reference to some of the scripts actually
produced disprove this assertion. Thus the stenographic report of the records
introduced as exhibits 63 and 75 disclose that those broadcasts, after
proceeding for most of the hour with musical entertainment, wound up with the
kind of propaganda which many of the witnesses for the Government described
from their recollections. Thus the conclusions of exhibit 75 was as follows:
This is still the Zero Hour calling in the
Pacific on the nineteen and twenty-five meter bands. (Voice- with dramatic
background music) Theres something mighty funny about all these navy
bigshots resigning. First, there are all these admirals of the different fleets
who got relieved of duty. Then theres a hell of a big shift in high
positions. I didnt think much about it at the time. I thought it was
only routine changes, but now the Secretary of the Navy Forrestal and the
Undersecretary of Navy Ralph (Powers) have sent in their resignations. Now the
whole navy is trying to get away from (this war?). Although President Truman
has accepted (Powers?) resignation, he says he aint got no
intention of accepting Forrestals quittin papers. He said
that Forrestals resignation was submitted as routine after the death
of President Roosevelt, but Im thinkin that
theres more to it than that. Now why should they change horses in the
middle of the stream when everything is going smoothly? Or is everything going
along smoothly? Maybe thats why Forrestal wants to quit. He
dont want to take the responsibility of the big naval losses in this
Okinawa campaign. Now the Secretary of the Navy is supposed to be the top man
in the navy next to the president, and so he should stick to his guns
til the last shot is fired or the last ship is sunk or
somethin like that. But what I mean is that he should see the thing
through to the very end. He aint got no more right to send in a
resignation than the next one, or maybe he cant take it. Maybe the
beatin the navy took in the Okinawa campaign was too much for him;
the blood of too many men and officers and the destruction of too many ships
was on his hands, and so he wanted to quit. But after all, hes a
civilian and hes got a perfect right to quit. He aint like
you or me, buddy. We try somethin like that and its court
(martial) for us. According to Nimitz, there was only twenty-five ships sunk during
the Okinawa campaign and if thats so, I say that that was pretty
darned good because you gotta expect casualties in any kind of fight and for
large scale fightin like the Okinawa blowout, I say that twenty-five
ships sunk is not so bad. But then you know Nimitz. He dont like big
figures. By taking what he says, you multiply it by ten and get closer to the
right figure. But in the case of the Okinawa navy casualties, it seems that you
gotta multiply it by fifty to get the right figure. Now according to the
announcement made by the Japanese side, more than five hundred and fifty ships
were done for and even if they like to talk in big figures theres too
much difference between their figure and the one Nimitz gives. Now I got it
figured out that thats the answer to all the changes among the big
shots and the resignation of the navy cabinet members. I think that the navy
took a bigger beatin than Nimitz cares to admit. Thats the
only way I can figure it out. In the first place, you (and me?) whos
been around the Pacific all this time have a pretty fair sample of how the
Japanese fight, and you cant tell me that theres only
twenty-five ships sunk during that campaign. And so the Japanese figures that
theres over five hundred and fifty ships done for would be closer to
the truth. But thats all right for the big shots. They can quit or be
replaced when things get tough, but as I have said, you just try it and see
what happens. While this conclusion was not read by appellant, the evidence
shows she did participate in the same broadcast at an earlier stage. FN4. Witnesses who identified the appellants voice
testified to sundry broadcasts by her which would fall in the psychological
warfare pattern claimed by the Government to have been followed by the
appellant. Included were broadcasts that Joe Brown was out with Sally
Smith. He is a rejectee who is getting the cream of the crop while you Joes are
out there knocking yourselves out; What are your wives and
sweethearts doing? and Wouldnt it be nice to be
home now, driving down to the park and parking and listening to the radio a
while; Why dont you kick in now? Theres
no hope. You can be treated right by the Japanese people. When the Japanese
finally take over they are not going to be hard on you; The
Japanese were kicking hell out of the American troops in Tacloban, and that by
New Years Day the Japanese would be in Palau;
There is no sense in being out there in those mosquito infested
islands, perhaps getting yourselves killed; The Island of
Saipan was mined with high explosives, and that the Americans would be given
forty-eight hours to clear off the island, and that if they did not, the island
would be blown sky high; I wonder who your wives and girl
friends are out with tonight? Maybe a 4F. Maybe someone working in a war plant
making big money, while you are out here fighting, knowing you cant
succeed; Wake up you boneheads. Why dont you see
your commanding officer and demand to be sent home? Dont stay out in
that stinking mosquito infested jungle and let someone else run off with your
girl friend; You boneheads- if you boneheads want to go
home, you had better leave soon. Havent you heard? Your fleet is
practically sunk; You know the boys at home are making the
big money and they can well afford to take your girl friends out and show them
a good time. FN5. See reference to this question in DAquino v.
United States, 9 Cir., 180
F.2d 271. FN6. 10 U.S.C.A. § 1542, at the time of
appellants detention, provided: When any person subject to
military law is placed in arrest or confinement immediate steps will be taken
to try the person accused or to dismiss the charge and release him. . . .
FN7. See Hirabayashi v. United States, 320 U.S. 81, 93, 63 S.Ct.
1375, 87 L.Ed. 1774. FN8. It is doubtful whether any of the statements here referred to
were confessions. Rather they were in the nature of admissions as
they contained no confession of guilt and some of them were full of exculpatory
statements. FN9. Wigmore, Evidence (3d Ed.) Sec. 830(3). Cf. Steiner v.
United States, 5 Cir., 134 F.2d 931, 935, certiorari denied 319 U.S. 774, 63
S.Ct. 1439, 87 L.Ed. 1721, holding that an offer by a member of the Board of
Governors of a state bar association to lend his personal influence to secure
leniency for the suspect was not such an inducement as to render statements
made by the suspect to him inadmissible. FN10. Defendants Proposed Instruction No. 88.
Various alleged statements by the defendant as well as records of voice tests
have been admitted into evidence for your consideration. Before you deal with
these from any other standpoint you must first determine whether the defendant
made each of these voluntarily and of her own free will not acting either under
inducement or threats. If as to any you do not find that the Government has
shown the statement to have been made voluntarily, then you must discard any such
alleged statement from your consideration of the case. Bram v. U.S., 163 (168) U.S. 532 (18 S.Ct.
183, 42 L.Ed. 568). FN11. This portion of the instruction was as follows:
Since every crime requires a voluntary mind, it may be a defense to a
criminal charged that the criminal act was not committed voluntarily but was
the result of coercion, compulsion or necessity. There is really no technical
distinction in the use of the terms coercion, compulsion and necessity when
they are used to designate a defense in a criminal case, and they are often
used interchangeably. In fact, the terms coercion and compulsion are practically
synonymous, although coercion is applied more accurately perhaps to the
accomplishment of ones purpose by indirect means as threats or
intimidation, and compulsion to the overcoming of ones will by means
of force or physical restraint. The term necessity has various meanings in the law, but in the sense
of a defense of crime, it has a general meaning of some unavoidable
circumstance, condition or fact, which leaves no choice of action. However, this doctrine of coercion, compulsion or necessity is
hedged about with certain positive rules of law and is recognized only in clear
cases. In order to excuse a criminal act on the ground of coercion, compulsion
or necessity, one must have acted under the apprehension of immediate and
impending death or of serious and immediate bodily harm. Fear of injury to ones property or of remote bodily harm
do not excuse an offense. That one commits a crime merely because he or she is
ordered to do so by some superior authority, is, in itself, no defense, for
there is nothing in the mere relationship of the parties that justifies or
excuses obedience to such commands. Moreover, the force and fear, in order to constitute a defense in
a case of treason, must continue during all the time of such service with the
enemy, and one who makes force his defense must show that he or she left the
service as soon as he or she could. In other words, ladies and gentlemen of the
jury, this coercion or compulsion that will excuse a criminal act must be
present, immediate and pending, and of such a nature as to induce a well grounded
apprehension of death or serious bodily injury if the act is not done. If you believe from the evidence that the defendant committed
these acts that the Government alleges to be of a treasonable character under a
well grounded apprehension of immediate death or serious bodily injury to be
inflicted by any particular person or agent of the Japanese government, and
those facts are substantiated by the evidence in this case, you would be
warranted in finding that the defendant committed the alleged acts under
coercion and compulsion, and under those circumstances it would be your duty
under the law to return a verdict of not guilty. The fact that the defendant may have been required to report to
the Japanese police concerning her activities is not sufficient. Nor is it
sufficient that she was under surveillance of the Kempei Tai. If you find that
she, in fact, was under such surveillance, it is not sufficient that the
defendant thought that she might be sent to a concentration or internment camp
or that she might be deprived of her food ration card. Neither is it sufficient that threats were made to other persons
and that she knew of such threats, if you find, in fact, that such threats were
made to her knowledge. Nor is it sufficient that the defendant commenced her employment
with the Broadcasting Corporation of Japan and continued that employment and
committed the acts attributed to her merely because she wanted to make a
living. FN12. Illustrative of the courts ruling is the
following: Q. Did you on any other occasions tell the defendant that
any of the other prisoners of war or any prisoner of war had been beaten? Mr.
Knapp: Object to that, your Honor. The fact that whether the defendant knew
what went on at Bunka has no bearing on this case, no bearing on her guilt or
innocence one way or the other. The Court. It has to do with the state of mind.
It might be remote. I will allow it. The objection will be overruled. FN13. Appellant argues that it was error to use the words:
to be inflicted by any particular person or agent of the Japanese
government, arguing that if she feared death or injury, it was not
essential to establish which particular person or agent would inflict it. This
contention is not open to appellant for the reason that when opportunity was
given to make objection to the charge under rule 30 appellant did not state to
the court any objection to the use of this language. FN14. Appellants failure to conform to Rule 20d has made
her brief in many respects almost unintelligible. Had specifications been made
in compliance with the rule each one relating to rejection of evidence would
have quoted the grounds urged at the trial * * * and the full
substance of the evidence admitted or rejected * * * .
Appellants brief without stating the substance of the evidence
rejected or of the grounds urged for its admission, merely throws at the court
a mass of references to pages of the record. We have nevertheless examined them
all with care. FN15. The following portion of the direct examination of the
witness Cousens illustrates the rule of the court in such cases: Q.
Were there any guards stationed there? (at a prison of war camp. Mergui South
Burma; the time was around March, 1942) A. Yes, sir. Mr. Knapp: Your
Honor, I object to this line of testimony. It has gone on for quite a while.
(Following this objection the court heard an extensive argument on the point in
absence of the jury. He then ruled): The Court: I quite agree with counsel for
the Government. It has to do with the order of proof. This proof that is going
in now, the proper foundation has not been laid for it. It is in anticipation
of conveying this message to the defendant. Do I make myself clear? Mr.
Collins. Yes. I can do that if your Honor says we must show a connection. The
Court: I think it is a problem of order of proof. This testimony may or may not
be admissible at the proper time. It is not admissible at this time because the
foundation has not been laid for it. FN16. Moreover, the court will often, where the facts
would be highly improper if irrelevant, require the other facts, instead of
being postponed, to be first offered, so as to ensure the presence of the
proper foundation and leave nothing to the sanguine expectation of counsel.
This, however, is rather a question of the order of presenting
evidence. Wigmore on Evidence, 3d Ed. Sec. 40, p. 433. Concerning the courts discretionary power in respect to
the order of proof, Cf. United States v. Montgomery, 3 Cir., 126 F.2d
151, certiorari denied 316
U.S. 681, 62 S.Ct. 1268, 86 L.Ed. 1754; Thiede v. Utah, 159 U.S. 510, 519, 16
S.Ct. 62, 40 L.Ed. 237. FN17. These include refusal to permit Cousens to give the names of
prisoners in Bunka; refusal to admit the testimony of Schenk as to threats to
compel broadcasting; refusal to permit Cousens to describe how he was knocked
about by a prison guard on one occasion; refusal to permit Cousens to testify
as to whether a broadcast made by him on August 1, 1942, was made freely and
voluntarily; refusal to permit Cousens to testify as to the condition of a
demented American prisoner; refusal to permit Reyes to describe his
mistreatment at Fort Santiago; refusal to permit witness Henshaw to testify as
to treatment of Kalbfleisch; refusal to permit Parkyns to testify as to what
caused him to broadcast at Radio Tokyo; refusal to permit various witnesses to
testify as to cat and dog diet at Camp Bunka; refusal to permit witness Cox to
testify as to how he was compelled to broadcast; refusal to permit Kalbfleisch
to testify as to atrocities and living conditions at Camp Bunka; evidence
asserted to show the entire Radio Tokyo staff was kept in state of fear proved
no such thing but was solely an account of the witnesses personal
experiences with the police. FN18. Such were the questions as to the names of prisoners at Camp
Bunka; the apparent physical condition of Cousens when appellant first met him;
what Mr. Huga said to appellant when she said she was going to stick by the
prisoners of war; whether Mr. Uno carried a sword when prisoners were
transported from Bunka prison to Radio Tokyo; persons who objected to appellant
having a Christman tree and the activities in which neighborhood associations
were engaged; what Mr. Okada said about Kempei-tai; living conditions at the
Dai Hotel; whether Reyes said anything to appellant of anything in
Bulacan connected with stakes, which, during direct examination of
Reyes, was brought out as follows: Q. Did you make any mention to
defendant at that time and place of anything in Bulacan connected with stakes?
Mr. DeWolfe: Object to it as immaterial * * * . The Court: (after ascertaining
that the word was stakes), Objection sustained;
whether prisoners of war were in poor physical condition. FN19. Thus complaint is made of the sustaining of objection to a
question in the direct examination of Cousens: Did you at any time
tell the defendant the prisoners of war detained at Bunka were beaten by the
Japanese? The objection was that the question was leading and the
objection was sustained. Immediately following this ruling the question was
asked: Did you on any other occasions tell the defendant that any of
the other prisoners of war, or any prisoner of war, had been beaten?
Upon objection to this question the court made the ruling quoted in the footnote
121 above and permitted the answer. FN20. Thus objection is made that the court improperly sustained
an objection to the question propounded to appellant as to her version of what
Captain Ince said as to how he came to be working at Radio Tokyo. Appellant had
previously testified at considerable length with respect to this identical
matter. A similar ruling with respect to the further inquiry of appellant as to
conversations with Cousens or Ince concerning their mistreatment at Bunka
prison, operated merely to exclude a repetition of testimony previously given
on her direct examination by the appellant. In like manner efforts were made
unsuccessfully to elicit from appellant on her direct examination a repetition
of testimony already given by her as to the discussion with Capt. Ince as to
why he was broadcasting or writing script or as to the threats made against
prisoners of war by one Major Tsuneishi. FN21. Such as the question to Tsuneishi as to whether he had a
sword on the table when he talked to Major Cousens on August 1, 1942; and the
inquiry of the same witness as to what had happened to a certain British
prisoner of war by the name of Williams and as to what happened to others at
that time; and the ruling on cross-examination of witness Oki as to where Major
Cousens was standing during Tsuneishis interview with him. FN22. A further example of the trivial character of some of the
complaints made is furnished by the following extract from the record:
Q. What date was this? (When witness arrived at Bunka) A. About March
or April 1944. It decreased by one when Lt. Kalbfleisch was taken to be
executed about February. Mr. Knapp I object to that. There is no
proof that plt. Kalbfleisch was executed * * * . Mr. Collins. He did not say he
was ececuted. He said he was taken away to be executed. The Court: Let the
statement go out and let the jury disregard it for any purpose in this
case. Complaint is made to the courts ruling with respect to
the statement about Lt. Kalbfleisch. It appears to us that the courts
ruling was correct for several reasons. First, the statement was not responsive
to any question but was volunteered by the witness; next, since it is admitted
that Kalbfleisch who testified at the trial was not execuited, there is no
foundation to disclose that the witness was qualified by knowledge to testify
that Kalfleisch was taken to be executed; finally, as previously indicated,
there is no evidence that the incident was communicated to appellant and hence
that the testimony was relevant. FN23. Objection is made that in interrogating appellant about her
conversation with a Mr. Kuroishi about the job at Radio
Tokyo, the prosecutor had given the impression that defendant was applying to
Kuroishi for a job as announcer instead of applying, as she did, for a job as a
typist. It is objected that in cross-examing appellant, the prosecutor stated
to her that she had testified the day before that she gave some 40 radio
scripts away. The record shows the appellant clearly explained that the number
of complete scripts she had was 15 or 20 and that her reference to autographing
30 or 40 was not merely to scripts but to other objects including Japanese
money. Another claim is that in cross-examining appellant the prosecutor
improperly quoted Cousens as having said that he had opposed the Allied policy
of unconditional surrender, where the true state of the record was that Cousens
had merely said that he had written scripts which had to do
with unconditional surrender. FN24. Appellant says that typical of this line of
cross-examination was the following: Q. And after you were married,
you told Chiyeko Ito that you were still an American? A. I didnt tell
her anything about my citizenship status. Q. You heard her testify here that
you did tell her that, didnt you? A. Yes. Q. She was in error,
wasnt she.? A. Her recollection was wrong. FN25. Reference is to a question as to whether appellant ever
regained Japanese nationality. Since appellant had spoken of this subject in
her letter, exhibit 5, the inquiry was relevant and it was proper
cross-examination because of her testimony as to her citizenship. Another
complaint is to the inquiry as to what appellant thought the Japanese
militarists were thinking. In view of her extensive testimony concerning
Japanese atrocities and the bearing they had on her own thoughts and fears, we
think the question a proper one. Another complaint is the interrogation of
appellant as to whether she told her husband she was a Portuguese national. It
is asserted the communication was privileged and confidential. But previously
appellant had put her husband on the stand and interrogated him as to
conversations with her regarding her nationality. Thus she waived the
privilege. Objection is made to the question put to her asking if she knew that
all Japanese radio programs were Japanese propaganda. It is asserted this
improperly called for a conclusion. Frankly, we see no reason why the inquiry
was not properly put on cross-examination. It is objected that the prosecutor
unduly repeated the same question on cross-examination over and over again. It
is fundamental that repetition is not a legitimate objection on
cross-examination and it is elementary, too, that in a case of this kind the
placing of limits to repetition must be left to the discretion of the trial
court. FN26. This form of question used by counsel for appellant is
authorized by statute in California. C.C.P. Sec. 2051. See People v. Markham, 64 Cal. 157, 163, 30
P. 620, 623: The section of the Code as to reputation for truth is
but declaratory of the common-law rule. The California Code provision
is not made applicable to Federal criminal procedure. See Rule 26, F.R. Crim.
P. The whole question is discussed in Wigmore, 3d Ed. Sec. 923, P. 450. The
better rule is that the traits to be inquired about should be left to the trial
courts discretion. Gage v. United States, 9 Cir., 167 F.2d
122, 125. FN27. An attempt was made to have appellant testify that she was
told by a party that her voice did not sound like the voice the party had heard
in the South Pacific. Appellant attempts to argue that such remark was within
the spontaneous exclamation rule. The circumstances here do
not permit such a conclusion. Also defendant was not permitted to testify as to conversations
between herself and Brundidge. It is argued that there was prima facie evidence
that Brundidge had gone to Japan with one Hogan on behalf of the United States
and therefore that anything Brundidge said would be binding upon the United
States. A similar contention is made with respect to a conversation with one
Major Swanson who was jailer in charge of the prison in which appellant was
interned. The argument was that he was an agent of the United States and that
his statements were binding upon the United States. It is elementary that even
if agency is proven, the agents remarks are not binding upon the
principal unless there is foundation to prove that the agent had express or
implied authority to speak on behalf of the principal. Apparently in
appellants view, the United States would be bound by the remarks of
anyone on the Government payroll. FN28. Thus for the purpose of impeaching the testimony of certain
American veterans who were Government witnesses and who identified the
appellants voice and testified as to the contents of
appellants broadcast, the appellant sought to introduce evidence of
rumors afloat among the armed forces as to things allegedly coming over the
radio from Tokyo Rose. The theory appears to have been that
since many rumors were afloat, the Government witnesses might have heard those
rumors and might have such rumors and their recollections mixed up. Again
appellant sought to introduce evidence as to broadcasts coming from numerous
other Japanese stations including Manila, Gilbert Islands and Leyte. The
purpose was to show that the witnesses may have been listening to these other
broadcasts. The evidence excluded was as to the contents of numerous other
broadcasts by other persons far distant from Tokyo. They were not shown to have
been at the Zero Hour time, and in view of the fact that appellant was
permitted to disclose that there were Japanese broadcasts from many different
points, we cannot observe the materiality of the contents of the broadcasts
here included. FN29. It was sought to introduce oral testimony as to the contents
of certain confidential army bulletins relative to the success of appellants
broadcast. The absence of the bulletins themselves was not accounted for. Another part of this evidence was an exhibit which was a Navy
press release containing a purported citation of appellant
for the morale building contents of her broadcasts. Whether the document was
intended as a joke or otherwise, it was plainly inadmissible as hearsay
containing incompetent conclusions. Appellants witness Paul was prohibited from testifying
that the music on the Zero Hour program and that on the armed forces radio
program was substantially the same. Appellants rejected offer to prove that the American
troops were never ordered not to listen to her program might serve to prove the
opinion of the commanding officers, but it was clearly inadmissible here and
its rejection was certainly not prejudicial. The rule cited in the Chandler case, supra, demonstrates the
impropriety of appellants requested instruction No. 60 to the effect
that there is no direct evidence that any of the alleged overt acts aided Japan
or weakened the United States. FN30. The following is a sample of what is here referred to:
Mr. Collins: If your Honor please, since the court has ruled against
us on the question of the admissibility of certain evidence, we would like to
make an offer of proof concerning * * * . The Court: There will be no necessity
of it. The Court has ruled and you have a record of everything that has
occurred. There is no necessity to make an offer of proof. Mr. Collins: Your
Honor is denying us the right to make an offer of proof on those grounds? The
Court: Let the record so show. FN31. For example: whether or not Mrs. Ince and children were left
in the hands of the Japanese; whether or not Capt. Kalbfleisch knew of his own
knowledge that prisoners at Bunka Prison did or did not receive adequate food;
whether or not witness Stanley in August, 1942, at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, had
heard discussion among American troops concerning any lady known by the name of
Tokyo Rose; whether or not appellant had demanded of the military authorities
at Yokohama Military Stockade that she be given a speedy trial. |