 The Yates and Noto decisions undermined the Smith Act and marked the beginning of the end of CPUSA membership inquiries . When the trials came to an end in 1958 , 144 people had been indicted , resulting in 105 convictions , with cumulative sentences totaling 418 years and $ 435 @,@ 500 ( $ 3 @,@ 880 @,@ 753 in 2016 dollars ) in fines . Fewer than half the convicted communists served jail time . The Smith Act , 18 U.S.C. § <unk> , though amended several times , has not been repealed . 
