E.g., as in the case of Texas' post-conviction relief statute, Vernon's Ann.Tex. C.Cr.P. 11.07. See State of Texas v. Payton, 5 Cir., 1968, 390 F.2d 261; Waters v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1970, 423 F.2d 934; Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189; Beto v. Conley, 5 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 497. Clearly, however, this is not such a case.
Before the court at that time was a copy of the transcript of the proceedings in the District Court of Ellis County, Texas, the brief filed in the Court of Criminal Appeals on behalf of petitioner, the brief filed in the Court of Criminal Appeals on behalf of the State of Texas, the opinion of the Court of Criminal Appeals affirming the judgment of the trial court, and the statement of facts from the state court. After consideration of the discussion at the pre-trial hearing on April 10, 1967, and after consideration of all the records, the court, on April 21, 1967, ordered petitioner's application dismissed. From this Order of Dismissal, petitioner appealed to this Court, which vacated the judgment of the lower court and remanded the case with instructions to dismiss without prejudice to petitioner's right to reapply in the State Court in which he was convicted, 395 F.2d 189. This Woodbury did. On September 4, 1968, his writ application in the 40th Judicial District Court of Ellis County, Texas, was denied with the notation: "foregoing dismissed because matters alleged are deemed to be res judicata, coram nobis previously passed on, and not in the interest or fairness of justice." On November 15, 1968, petitioner's writ in the Court of Criminal Appeals was denied.
Irving v. Breazeale, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 231 [August 27, 1968]. See also Waters v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 74 [March 28, 1968]; Beto v. Conley, 5 Cir. 1968, 393 F.2d 497 [April 3, 1968]; Taylor v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 566 [April 19, 1968]; Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189 [May 14, 1968]; Bruce v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 212 [May 27, 1968]; Peters v. Rutledge, 5 Cir., 1968, 397 F.2d 731; Moore v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 782 [July 5, 1968]; Stepp v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 398 F.2d 814 [July 11, 1968]; Harris v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 191 [July 12, 1968]; Welch v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 582 [August 1, 1968]; Lydy v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 59 [August 2, 1968]; Powers v. Hauck, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 322 [August 5, 1968]; Phelper v. Decker, 5 Cir., 1968, 401 F.2d 232 [August 6, 1968]; Williams v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 797 [August 20, 1968]; Ballard v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 707 [September 12, 1968]. The judgment of the Federal District Court denying the writ is therefore vacated to provide Spencer with an opportunity to apply to the Florida Courts for relief. After having exhausted his State remedies, if Spencer is dissatisfied, he "can [then] return to the Federal Court for its inescapably independent judgment on
Irving v. Breazeale, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 231. See also Waters v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 74; Beto v. Conley, 5 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 497; Taylor v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 566; Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189; Bruce v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 212; Peters v. Rutledge, 5 Cir., 1968, 397 F.2d 731; Moore v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 782; Stepp v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 398 F.2d 814; Harris v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 679; Welch v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 582; Lydy v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 59; Powers v. Hauck, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 322; Phelper v. Decker, 5 Cir., 1968, 401 F.2d 232; Williams v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 400 F.2d 797; Ballard v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 399 F.2d 707. This puts responsibility for fact finding and determination directly and initially on the states, where it belongs, while assuring all of the time, ultimate access, if necessary, to the Federal Court for its independent federal constitutional determination.
Although urged at oral argument by Appellant's counsel to find that all contentions had been presented to the Texas Courts, we called for, received and examined the Appellant's petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court and his briefs in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and we are satisfied that contentions (4) and (5) were presented to neither the State Courts nor the Supreme Court for determination. The landmark case was Texas v. Payton, 5 Cir., 1968, 390 F.2d 261. Since then we have followed the reasoning of that decision in the following Texas cases: Stepp v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 398 F.2d 814; Van Skike v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 398 F.2d 407; Bruce v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 212; Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189; Beto v. Conley, 5 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 497; Taylor v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 566; Waters v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 387 F.2d 335; Sheehan v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 387 F.2d 263. We have followed the same procedure in other Fifth Circuit States where post-conviction remedies are available. See, for Georgia, Peters v. Rutledge, 5 Cir., 1968, 397 F.2d 731; accord, Moore v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 782; for Florida, Milton v. Wainwright, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 214.
Any additional fact-finding can best be done in the state courts of Texas under Article 11.07, Vernon's Ann. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. State of Texas v. Payton, 5 Cir., 1968, 390 F.2d 261; Bruce v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 396 F.2d 212; Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189; Ex parte Young, 418 S.W.2d 824 (Tex.Cr.App. 1967). The petition for rehearing is granted.
We have done it recently in Florida, see Milton v. Wainwright, supra, as in Texas, and we've done the same in Georgia. See also Woodbury v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 395 F.2d 189; Taylor v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 566; Beto v. Conley, 5 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 497; Waters v. Beto, 5 Cir., 1968, 392 F.2d 74. See Mobley v. Dutton, 5 Cir., 1967, 380 F.2d 14; Clarke v. Grimes, 5 Cir., 1967, 374 F.2d 550.