Ferrell v. United States

963 F. Supp. 615, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6052, 1997 WL 220088
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedApril 30, 1997
DocketCivil No. 96-CV-732438. Criminal No. 92-CR-80287
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 963 F. Supp. 615 (Ferrell v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ferrell v. United States, 963 F. Supp. 615, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6052, 1997 WL 220088 (E.D. Mich. 1997).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S MOTION TO VACATE, SET ASIDE, OR CORRECT SENTENCE UNDER 28 U.S.C. § 2255 AND SETTING A HEARING FOR RE-SENTENCING

ROSEN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This case is presently before the Court on Petitioner William Ferrell’s 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct his sentence. In light of the recent Supreme Court decision in Bailey v. U.S., — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995), Petitioner claims that: (1) There is insufficient evidence to support his conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) 1 for using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and (2) The jury was erroneously instructed on this Count. In its Response, the Government contends that the Motion should be denied because: (1) The evidence supports Petitioner’s conviction for “using” a firearm even under post-Bailey standards; and (2) A jury properly instructed under post-Bailey standards on both the “carry” and the “use” prongs of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) would have convicted Petitioner of carrying a firearm. Having reviewed the parties’ briefs and conducted a hearing on this matter, the Court is now prepared to rule. This Opinion and Order sets forth that ruling.

II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On April 1, 1992, a Federal Grand Jury indicted Petitioner with: (1) Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; (2) Aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2; and (3) Possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). In particular, this last Count read “on or about August 29,1990, ... William Ferrell ... during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime ... used a ' Charter Arms .38 caliber revolver____”

This Indictment was based on the following incident. On the evening of August 29, 1990, an undercover police officer arranged to purchase two ounces of cocaine base from Petitioner’s Co-Defendant, Charleston Adams, at a bowling alley. The officer and Adams had had previous meetings where Adams was accompanied by another individual who described himself as a “look-out.” Whether this “look-out” was Petitioner and whether he was ever armed is not specified in the record.

Nevertheless, the drug deal was eventually moved from the bowling alley parking lot to a hotel parking lot across the street. While the undercover officer and Adams were negotiating inside the undercover officer’s car, Petitioner, who had been waiting in Adams’ nearby car, approached the hotel, apparently because he had become concerned and/or impatient about how much time the deal was taking. Shortly thereafter, other officers, who had been observing this sequence of events, arrested Adams and some other individuals who had remained in Adams’ car. Next, they proceeded to search for Petitioner whom they had observed exiting Adams’ car and heading towards the hotel. Eventually, the officers searched in some bushes along the corner of the hotel wherein they found Petitioner kneeling with a firearm a few feet from his knee.

When the Court submitted the case to the jury, the Court explained to the jury the three elements of “Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime”:

First, on or about the date charged in the indictment, Mr. Ferrell used a firearm ... Second, that Mr. Ferrell had knowledge that what he was using was in fact a firearm.
Third, that he did so during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking *618 crime, for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States of America.

(Trial Transcript, 10/08/92). Next, the Court instructed the jury on how it should construe “use” within the context of § 924(c):

For the purposes of the crime charged in Count 6, the word “use” does not require the Government to show that Mr. Ferrell brandished or displayed the firearm. Rather, it is sufficient to convict Mr. Ferrell, if you find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he had the firearm under his control in any manner which facilitated the distribution of crack cocaine. Thus, if you find beyond a reasonable doubt ... that Mr. Ferrell kept a firearm readily accessible to secure or to enforce a drug transaction, you may find him guilty on Count 6.

(Trial Transcript, 10/08/92). These instructions are commonly called “Fortress Theory” instructions because they enabled juries to convict defendants for using firearms even where the defendants merely kept firearms readily accessible. See, United States v. Moore, 76 F.3d 111, 113-14 (6th Cir.1996). Due to the Bailey decision, these instructions have been held “inadequate.” Id. at 114.

Based on the events and instructions described above, the jury found Petitioner guilty of all counts on October 8, 1992. Thereafter, Petitioner filed a Motion for a New Trial, arguing that he would have been acquitted had his trial lawyer called Adams to testify that Petitioner did not conspire with him to sell cocaine. On April 27, 1993, the Court denied this Motion finding that Adams’ potential testimony would not have likely led to acquittal since the evidence against Petitioner was so strong. The Sixth Circuit affirmed this ruling on appeal.

On October 18, 1996, Petitioner filed the instant 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motion where he argued that he had received ineffective assistance of counsel and that he should have his sentence for “use” of a firearm vacated in light of Bailey. On January 17, 1997, the Court denied Petitioner’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim, but granted a hearing on Petitioner’s Bailey argument. Pursuant to this hearing, the Court appointed counsel for Petitioner and ordered supplemental briefing.

III. ANALYSIS

At issue in this § 2255 Motion is how the Supreme Court’s decision in Bailey and the Sixth Circuit’s subsequent interpretation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) should affect Petitioner’s case. Specifically, the Court must determine if pursuant to post-Bailey

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Barry G. Rattigan v. United States
151 F.3d 551 (Sixth Circuit, 1998)

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Bluebook (online)
963 F. Supp. 615, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6052, 1997 WL 220088, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ferrell-v-united-states-mied-1997.