downum argued march decided april federal district petitioner indicted six counts federal offenses case called trial sides announced ready jury selected sworn instructed return prosecution asked jury discharged key witness two counts present petitioner moved two counts dismissed want prosecution trial continue remaining counts motion denied judge discharged jury petitioner objection two days later case called second jury impaneled petitioner pleaded former jeopardy held circumstances case plea sustained pp reversed richard tinsman appointment argued cause filed brief petitioner assistant deputy attorney general geoghegan argued cause brief solicitor general cox assistant attorney general miller beatrice rosenberg justice douglas delivered opinion case involving federal prosecution stealing mail forging uttering checks stolen presents question double jeopardy clause fifth amendment shall person subject offence twice put jeopardy life limb petitioner three others charged indictment containing eight counts codefendants pleaded guilty petitioner tried alone jury convicted counts apply claim double jeopardy arose follows morning april case called trial sides announced ready jury selected sworn instructed return returned prosecution asked jury discharged key witness counts present one rutledge payee checks involved counts petitioner moved counts dismissed want prosecution asked trial continue rest counts motion denied judge discharged jury petitioner objection two days later case called second jury impaneled petitioner pleaded former jeopardy plea overruled trial found guilty appeals affirmed granted petition certiorari seeming conflict decision cornero ninth circuit present case one dozen set call previous week cases involved approximately witnesses subpoenas including rutledge delivered marshal service day case first called prosecutor assistant checked marshal learned rutledge wife going let know husband find word received made prosecution allowed jury selected sworn even though one key witnesses absent found perez wheat decided gori decided agreed occasions second trial may although jury impaneled first trial discharged without reaching verdict without defendant consent classic example mistrial jury unable agree perez supra logan dreyer illinois keerl montana wade hunter tactical problems army field held justify withdrawal proceeding commencement another one later day discovery judge trial member members jury biased pro con one side held warrant discharge jury direction new trial wade hunter supra simmons thompson times valued right defendant trial completed particular tribunal summoned sit judgment may subordinated public interest imperious necessity wade hunter supra differences arisen application principle see brock north carolina green harassment accused successive prosecutions declaration mistrial afford prosecution favorable opportunity convict examples jeopardy attaches gori supra extreme cases mark limits guarantee discretion discharge jury reached verdict exercised extraordinary striking circumstances use words justice story coolidge fed cas prohibition double jeopardy clause twice punished twice put jeopardy ball jury first selected try petitioner sworn discharged prosecution witness served summons arrangements made assure presence witness essential two six counts concerning petitioner yet prosecution opposed petitioner motion dismiss two counts proceed trial four counts motion denied wade hunter supra refuse say absence witnesses never justify discontinuance trial case must turn facts record however think said cornero supra governing principle trial first continued prosecution witnesses present found time case called jury discharged plea double jeopardy sustained second jury selected saying fact district attorney impaneled jury without first ascertaining whether witnesses present took chance absence might justified continuance case view fact bond appear time place question presented entirely different involved exercise sound discretion trial granting continuance furtherance justice situation presented simply one district attorney entered upon trial case without sufficient evidence convict take case rule reference former jeopardy difference principle discovery district attorney immediately jury impaneled evidence insufficient discovery called witnesses reversed footnotes illness district attorney appearing minutes illness occurred jury sworn impossible assistant district attorney conduct trial motion put case term made assistant regarded creating manifest necessity withdrawing juror absence witnesses prosecution appear minutes absence first made known law officers government jury sworn occurred circumstances create plain manifest necessity justifying withdrawing juror mere illness district attorney mere absence witnesses prosecution circumstances disclosed record case ground upon exercise sound discretion trial indictment properly discharge jury without consent defendant jury sworn trial thus commenced admit propriety exercise discretion grounds throw open door indulgence caprice partiality possible probable prejudice defendants trial indictment commenced swearing jury defendant charge entitled verdict acquittal case part prosecution reason made unless consents discharging jury without giving verdict unless legal necessity discharging spread record enable error say discharge proper see shoemaker fed cas watson supra note justice clark justice harlan justice stewart justice white join dissenting applying rule cornero cir says valued right defendant trial completed particular tribunal summoned sit judgment may subordinated public interest imperious necessity emphasis supplied appeals urged adopt cornero rule refused applying rule orders conviction reversed petitioner set free wade hunter refused follow cornero rule characterized holding absence witnesses imperious urgent necessity come within recognized exception double jeopardy provision said asked adopt cornero rule petitioner contends absence witnesses never justify discontinuance trial rigid formula inconsistent guiding principles perez decision perez wheat adhere principles command courts considering whether trial terminated without judgment take circumstances account thereby forbid mechanical application abstract formula value perez principles thus lies capacity informed application widely different circumstances without injury defendants public interest ibid order apply principles wade hunter necessary facts recalled wednesday thursday week preceding trial cases including petitioner set following monday words trial judge short notice transcript record subpoenas issued district attorney office approximately witnesses placed hands marshal petitioner case list prosecutor stated foresee reached tuesday second day week hearings prosecutor office shorthanded one assistants military service prosecutor assigned petitioner case learned marshal previous day wife rutledge key witness petitioner case inform husband learn since prosecutor trying another case tuesday morning petitioner case called unable immediately contact marshal determine whether rutledge present announced ready trial without ascertaining jury petitioner case selected excused prosecutor proceeded complete hearing case noon upon checking marshal office noon recess prosecutor discovered rutledge present immediately informed judge chambers upon opening afternoon session defense counsel advised open key witness government available case go couple days defense motion dismiss two six counts indictment rutledge key witness ground lack prosecution proceed trial remaining counts denied jury discharged objections defense two days later case called petitioner interposed plea double jeopardy thereafter second jury impaneled petitioner tried found guilty counts first jury never begun act case petitioner never formally arraigned presence first jury evidence presented heard time required put defense addition second jury impaneled two days later continued prolonged anxiety petitioner caused additional expense embarrassment deprived right prejudiced way neither petitioner contended one jury less favorable conclusions trial appeals indicate viewed circumstances prosecutor found resulted excusable oversight indication prosecutor explanation mere cover negligent preparation action way deliberate nothing record even suggests circumstances used prosecutor purpose securing favorable jury way take advantage harass petitioner indeed appears one circumstances often creep prosecutor life result inadvertence many cases must handled short trial period course visualize ways handling situation judge might held first jury together rather discharging rutledge attendance obtained viewed prospectively moment acted tied men panel indefinite period disrupted calendar entire week longer entirely understandable trial judge concerned calendar moreover even continuance manner holding first jury later held improper appeal trial judgment petitioner retried suffering time expense one full trial also disclosure defense claim petitioner government proceeded counts indictment claims require testimony rutledge tenable required two trials also might raise legal proposition prosecution remaining two counts barred ordinarily four counts might sufficient support maximum sentence prosecutor might well good reason addition obvious preference one rather two trials wanting counts considered one proceeding indictment charged petitioner forging passing government checks conspiring two codefendants pleaded guilty commit acts rutledge payee checks might well important though key witness reference conspiracy fact prosecutor expressed trial opinion entire indictment safely go trial without attendance rutledge transcript record pp see problem issue whether action prosecutor failing check presence witness allowing jury sworn moment constituted deprival petitioner rights entitled verdict acquittal without trial merits obviously facts suffered deprivation ever since perez recognized ends public justice must considered determining question light see finds trial judge abused discretion affording government period bring forward key witness surprise found temporarily absent believe ends public justice justice story referred perez require government fair opportunity present people case obtain adjudication merits rather criminal turned free harmless oversight prosecutor cornero watson fed cas says supports cornero entirely distinguishable facts cornero government sought continuance witnesses found followed mistrial two years later second trial contrasted mere delay instant case second jury impaneled trial begun therefore said realistically government proceeded first trial cornero without evidence retrial two years harassment moreover subpoenas cornero neither issued served subpoena issued reasons trial thought justifiable served watson granted continuance jury sworn ground district attorney ill government witnesses absent upon resumption trial prosecutor asked case go term continued illness district attorney holding circumstances warrant discharge jury observed illness district attorney appear occurred jury sworn apparently government officers first learned absence witnesses jury sworn shown impossible assistant district attorney conduct trial indication watson subpoenas issued