In the Matter of the Application of the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Appeal of William Cammisano

Opinion for the court filed by Circuit Judge J. SKELLY WRIGHT.

J. SKELLY WRIGHT, Circuit Judge:

The appellant, William Camisano, who is currently serving a prison sentence for extortion, was summoned to testify about organized crime before a Senate subcommittee. After he refused to testify despite a grant of immunity, the District Court cited him for civil contempt and imposed a sentence. In this appeal Cammisano argues that the District Court erred in approving the grant of immunity and in sentencing him for civil contempt. Finding both the grant of immunity and the sentence for civil contempt…