Tipton v. Socony Mobil Oil Company/Dissent Harlan

Mr. Justice HARLAN, dissenting.

I am of the opinion that the petition for certiorari should have been denied in this case, which raises only a question of the admissibility of certain evidence and a ruling of the Court of Appeals that the admission of the evidence, which it thought erroneous, was harmless. See my opinion in Ferguson v. Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc., 352 U.S. 521, 559, 77 S.Ct. 457, 478, 1 L.Ed.2d 511, and the dissenting opinion of Mr. Justice Frankfurter in the same case, id., 352 U.S. at 524, 77 S.Ct. at 458, 1 L.Ed.2d 511.

Since the petition has been granted, I am constrained to say that I am doubtful of the ruling below that evidence probative of the petitioner's belief as to his status as a seaman or drilling employee was irrelevant to the issue of what his status actually was. His belief to be sure did not amount to a demonstration of the fact; but it seems to me sufficiently relevant to be not clearly inadmissible on the issue of his status, to show which was the purpose for which the evidence was offered. In any event, I find no solid reason for disturbing the view of the Court of Appeals that the admission of this evidence in the circumstances of this case did not prejudice the petitioner and was, therefore, harmless error.

Accordingly, while I believe the case is not 'certworthy,' I would affirm the judgment below.