Norman J. Mastrian v. Kermit Hedman, Ramsey County Sheriff, and the State of Minnesota

Petitioner is under indictment by the State of Minnesota for murder in the first degree. Bail was fixed in the sum of $100,000. A motion for reduction was denied by the trial court after a hearing. The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed, State v. Mastrian, 266 Minn. 58, 122 N. W.2d 621, and the United States Supreme Court denied certiorari, Mastrian v. Minnesota, 84 S.Ct. 349.

An application for a writ of habeas corpus was then made to the United States District Court, on the ground that $100,000 was such excessive bail as to amount to an arbitrary and discriminatory denial of petitioner’s…