In re Carmen's Petition
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
165 F.Supp. 942 (1958)
Relevant factsFree
Carmen (petitioner), a Native American, was convicted of murder in state court and sentenced to death. He filed a federal habeas petition arguing the state court lacked jurisdiction because the Ten Major Crimes Act — incorporated into federal law — required his prosecution to occur in federal court, since murder was one of the ten enumerated offenses covered by the Act.
IssueFree
Whether the federal Ten Major Crimes Act provides exclusive jurisdiction to the federal courts when a Native American commits one of the ten enumerated crimes listed in the Act.