In the Matter of Grand Jury Proceedings. United States of America v. John Sun Kung Kang

This is an appeal from an order committing appellant to jail for civil contempt upon the appellant’s refusal to obey an order of the district court compelling him to answer questions put to him by a federal grand jury and repeated to him by the district court in issuing its order. Prior to appellant’s refusal to answer the questions that were the subject of the contempt proceeding, appellant had been granted transactional immunity.

Appellant, an indigent, had requested appointment of counsel to represent him in the civil contempt proceeding. The district court denied the request on the ground…