Matter of Neal

Appellant was convicted by a jury of criminal contempt pursuant to D.C.Code § 11-944 (1981) 1 after he refused to obey a trial court order directing him to answer questions as a witness before a grand jury investigating a robbery. The court sentenced him to a term of imprisonment of from 16 to 48 months. Appellant argues on appeal (1) that the court order was void because it infringed his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination; (2) criminal contempt was an impermissible sanction under the circumstances here; and (3) that it was error for the judge to impose an indeterminate sentence…