Cramer v. United States

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Cramer v. United States

Reargued November 6, 1944
Decided April 23, 1945

Full case name:	Cramer v. United States

Citations:	325 U.S. 1

Holding

Conviction for treason must meet the definition given in Article III of the constitution.

Court membership

Chief Justice: Harlan Fiske Stone
Associate Justices: Owen Josephus Roberts, Hugo Black, Stanley Forman Reed, Felix Frankfurter, William O. Douglas, Frank Murphy, Robert H. Jackson, Wiley Blount Rutledge

Case opinions

Majority by: Jackson
Joined by: Roberts, Frankfurter, Murphy, Rutledge
Dissent by: Douglas
Joined by: Stone, Black, Reed

Laws applied

U.S. Const. art. III § 3

Cramer v. United States, 325 U.S. 1 (1945)^[1], was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States reviewed the conviction of Anthony Cramer, a German-born naturalized citizen, for treason. The case was reargued on 6 November 1944, and finally decided on April 23, 1945.

Creamer had associated with two Germans, Werner Thiel and Edward Kerling —one of whom he had prior business dealings with. The two were later found to be in the United States for the purpose of sabotage. Cramer was also arrested and convicted on the basis of this association.

The Court decided five-to-four to overturn the jury verdict. Writing for the majority, Justice Robert H. Jackson said that the constitution is clear in its definition of treason, limited to the waging of war, or giving material assistance to an enemy. The prosecution and its witnesses could demonstrate only an association and not that Cramer had given "Aid and Comfort," as defined in Article Three. Jackson wrote that the jury had been given no evidence that Cramer had "even paid for their drinks."

Writing for the dissent, Justice William O. Douglas claimed that acts, though innocent by nature, may serve a treasonous plan. Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone concurred with the dissent.

This was the first time the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a conviction for treason.