United States v. George Hills, Jr., 455 F.2d 504 (9th Cir. 1972). · Go Syfert
United States v. George Hills, Jr., 455 F.2d 504 (9th Cir. 1972). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
7 citation events (2 in the last 25 years) across 1 distinct court.
Strongest positive: United States v. Zaragoza (ca9, 2009-10-23) · Strongest negative: United States v. Timothy Short (ca9, 1995-03-08)
Top citers, strongest first. 4 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited "but see" United States v. Timothy Short (2×) also: Cited as authority (rule)
9th Cir. · 1995 · signal: but see · confidence high
But see United States v. Hills, 455 F.2d 504, 505 (9th Cir.1972) (upholding admission of hearsay evidence from unidentified bystander with little discussion of particular foundational concerns).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Zaragoza
9th Cir. · 2009 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Hills, Jr., 455 F.2d 504, 505 (9th Cir.1972) (stating that the district court’s admission of a police operator’s testimony under an “excited utterance” hearsay ex ception was a “correct application of a well-known exception to the hearsay exclusionary rule”) (citation omitted). 3.
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Zaragoza
9th Cir. · 2009 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Hills, Jr., 455 F.2d 504, 505 (9th Cir.1972) (stating that the district court’s admission of a police operator’s testimony under an “excited utterance” hearsay ex ception was a “correct application of a well-known exception to the hearsay exclusionary rule”) (citation omitted). 3.
discussed Cited "see" United States v. M.A.
9th Cir. · 1993 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Hills, 455 F.2d 504, 505 (9th Cir.1972). 4 M.A. next argues the district court erred by permitting the pursuing officer to recount that when the police knocked on the door of the trailer where M.A. was hiding, the owner exclaimed, "he's under the bed." RT 37.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
George HILLS, Jr., Defendant-Appellant
71-2718.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Feb 23, 1972.
455 F.2d 504
Alan Saltzman, Martha Goldin, Hollywood, Cal., for defendant-appellant., William D. Keller, U. S. Atty., Eric A. Nobles, Chief, Criminal Division, Gregory C. Glynn, Asst. U. S. Atty., Los An-geles, Cal., for plaintiff-appellee.
Merrill, Browning, Wright.
Cited by 6 opinions  |  Published
PER CURIAM:

After a trial to the court, appellant was convicted of possessing stolen mail (18 U.S.C. § 1708) and of wilfully breaking into a mail collection box (18 U.S.C. § 1705). On this appeal, he contends that (1) unreliable hearsay statements were improperly admitted in evidence, (2) he was denied due process when the prosecution failed to produce a witness, and (3) the evidence was insufficient to sustain the convictions; We affirm.

Appellant’s apprehension was the result of a telephone call to the local police operator, late at night, from an unidentified bystander. His information was switched onto the police radio and appellant was captured within minutes. A tire iron, used to pry open the mail box was recovered, together with the stolen mail.

The operator, Mary Binder, was permitted to testify to the tone of voice and manner of speaking of the caller and to the substance of his message. The trial court admitted the evidence, over a hearsay objection, as an excited utterance or spontaneous declaration. The ruling was a correct application of a well-known exception to the hearsay exclusionary rule. 6 Wigmore on Evidence § 1747 (3rd ed. 1940). See Note, “Spontaneous Exclamations in the Absence of a Startling Event,” 46 Columbia Law Review 430 (1946).

The government was unable to locate an unidentified bystander who called to one of the police officers, “you better hurry; they just went that way." At trial, no request was made to the court or prosecution to have the man located or produced and appellant made no issue of the matter until this appeal. There was no indication that the testimony of the unknown bystander would have been favorable to appellant. His reliance on Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) is misplaced. Here, there was no deliberate withholding of information which would have materially aided the defense.

The conviction clearly was supported by sufficient evidence. The judgment of the district court is affirmed.