Felts v. Murphy

Citations

• 201 U.S. 123
• 26 S. Ct. 366
• 50 L. Ed. 689
• 1906 U.S. LEXIS 1818

Syllabus

<p>Where in the criminal trial of a person compos mentis, but almost totally deaf, the state court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the person, and also to direct and enforce the judgment which was entered, the jurisdiction is not lost by any irregularities caused by the failure of the court to have the testimony repeated to the accused through an ear trumpet; nor is the accused thereby deprived of his liberty without due process of law in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Even though the case be a hard one Federal courts cannot on habeas corpus proceedings grant relief from the judgment; their power is limited to the question of' jurisdiction.</p> <p>The writ of habeas corpus cannot perform the functions of a writ of error. Re Nielsen, 131 U. S. 176, distinguished.</p>