Hirsh v. McArdle

74 F. Supp. 3d 525, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24764, 2015 WL 792238
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 26, 2015
DocketNo. 9:13-CV-0600 (DNH)
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 74 F. Supp. 3d 525 (Hirsh v. McArdle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hirsh v. McArdle, 74 F. Supp. 3d 525, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24764, 2015 WL 792238 (N.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

DECISION and ORDER

DAVID N. HURD, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Petitioner Michael Hirsh filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging a judgment from Oswego County Court, convicting him, upon a jury verdict, of one count each of criminal possession of marihuana in the second degree (N.Y. Penal Law (“Penal Law”) § 221.25), criminal possession of marihuana in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 221.15), and unlicensed growing of cannabis (N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 3382). Dkt. No. 1, Petition (“Pet.”). Respondent filed a response to the petition and pertinent records from the state court proceedings. Dkt. No. 10-I, Respondents’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to the Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (“R. Mem.”); Dkt. No. 11, State Court Records. Petitioner filed a reply and records from the state court in support of his claims. Dkt. No. 18, Reply; Dkt. No. 18-1, Petitioner’s Records.

II. BACKGROUND

A. Pretrial Matters and Trial

The following background information is derived from the records provided by the parties. Petitioner was charged by a three-count indictment with criminal possession of marihuana in the second degree, criminal possession of marijuana in the fourth degree, and unlicensed growing of cannabis. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 5, Transcript of Arraignment; see id. at 68, Trial Transcript.1 The charges arose when a New York State Trooper responded to a domestic violence call in the Town of Palermo. The complainant, Joy Runge, stated that petitioner, the father of her child, broke a window, entered her home without permission, pushed her into a fan and to the ground, and physically threatened her. Dkt. No. 18-1 at 7-9, Supporting Deposition of Trooper Peter Lazarek; Dkt. No. 18-1 at 94-95, Supporting Deposition of Joy Runge. Trooper Lazarek then went to petitioner’s residence as provided by the complainant, and observed numerous marihuana plants outside the residence and through a window of the residence. Dkt. No. 18-1 at 94. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and secured the [528]*528evidence observed. Petitioner was subsequently indicted, and, at arraignment before counsel was assigned, asked the Court why he had not been notified of the grand jury presentation. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 7. Notice was apparently sent to the address where marijuana was discovered, but petitioner claimed that he lived in Baldwins-ville, New York and was unaware of any scheduled court appearances or grand jury proceedings. Id. at 7-10. The prosecutor asserted that he took “all steps” to attempt to provide petitioner notice by sending the notice to the address on the police report. Id. at 9. At the next court appearance, assigned counsel noted that “there might be a problem with the Grand Jury” and requested motion dates. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 23, 25, Transcript of Appearance, April 21, 2011.

As is relevant here, in his omnibus motion, petitioner requested “a hearing to determine whether the warrant was properly issued and whether the police overstepped their bounds in seizing” certain items not enumerated in the warrant, including a rifle and fireworks. Dkt. No. 18-1 at 55, Omnibus Motion. The Court denied that aspect of the omnibus motion without a hearing. See Dkt. No. 11-19 at 49, Transcript of Appearance, August 1, 2011.2 Petitioner declined a plea offer, and trial commenced on November 14, 2011. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 65, Trial Transcript.

The People’s first witness, Trooper La-zarek, testified that on August 18, 2010, he responded to an address in Palermo, New York, for a report of a domestic dispute. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 244. There, the female occupant provided information regarding petitioner, and Trooper Lazarek responded to 215 County Route 18 in Palermo to attempt to locate him. Id. at 245. Upon arriving at that residence, Trooper Laza-rek knocked on the door but received no response. Id. at 250. He walked around to the back of the house to see whether any people or vehicles were behind the house, but saw neither. Id. He heard a noise coming from the rear of the house, looked into a window where he saw a fan running, and observed “numerous marijuana plants” inside that room. Id. at 250. Trooper Lazarek could also smell marijuana and observed marijuana plants outside the residence “in various locations,” some in pots and others in the ground. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 250-252. He estimated that the closest plants to the house were about 15 yards south of the residence. Id. at 252. Trooper Lazarek called in his findings to an investigator, and other officers responded to the scene. Id. at 265. Trooper Lazarek stated that he did not have a warrant when he first went to petitioner’s residence. Id. at 268.

Trooper John Evans, an investigator with the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, responded to the residence, and he and other officers entered the residence after a search warrant was obtained. Id. at 289-290, 292-294. Evans observed marijuana plants hanging to dry in a closet and, in a bedroom, marijuana plants were growing under “grow lights.” Id. at 295-296. In another bedroom, Evans observed larger marijuana plants. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 297. Investigators collected the marijuana found inside and outside the residence, packaged the substances and transported them to the Southern Tier Crime Laboratory for analysis. Id. at 313, 317, 326.

[529]*529In August 2010, petitioner was renting the property from Gregory Stupp. He moved out around the time that he was arrested. Id. at 369-370. Petitioner’s “wife or girlfriend” also initially lived with petitioner, but she moved out of the property “months before” petitioner moved out. Id. at 370-371.

Julie Romano, a forensic scientist with the New York State Police Southern Tier Regional Crime Laboratory, tested the plants and determined that they were marijuana. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 378, 387. Prior to testing, Romano ensured that the packaging was sealed and removed the substance from its packaging. Id. at 385. Using a calibrated scale, she determined that one package of marijuana found at the scene weighed 82 grams, or just under 3 ounces, and marijuana contained in another package — a box holding the substance “loose” — weighed 783 grams, or approximately 27 ounces. Dkt. No. 11-19 at 388, 390-392. After completing her examination, she sealed the evidence and returned it to the vault from which it had been taken for analysis. Id. at 388, 392.

On cross examination of Romano, counsel requested on multiple occasions to “open the box” to “see what’s inside,” and then added that he wanted to “weigh it” with a scale he brought from home. Id. at 398, 399-401, 405. The Court stated counsel could open the box, but denied the request to weigh it because an expert witness and a calibrated scale was necessary for that purpose. Id. at 400, 404, 405. The prosecutor did not object to simply opening the box, but ultimately, counsel did not do so. Counsel expressed frustration with the Court’s ruling and noted that he brought a scale and was “trying to save money for the taxpayers” in not retaining an expert witness. Id. at 401.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
74 F. Supp. 3d 525, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24764, 2015 WL 792238, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hirsh-v-mcardle-nynd-2015.