Johnson v. New York

851 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2012 WL 1034821, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46282
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 23, 2012
DocketNo. 10 Civ. 8305 (VM)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 851 F. Supp. 2d 713 (Johnson v. New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Johnson v. New York, 851 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2012 WL 1034821, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46282 (S.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

VICTOR MARRERO, District Judge.

Petitioner Marcus Johnson (“Johnson”) brings this pro se petition (the “Petition”) for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (“§ 2254”) against the State of New York and Criminal Court System of New York (“Respondent”). Johnson claims that during the imposition and execution of his sentence, the sentencing court and New York State Department of Correctional Services (“DOCS”) violated his constitutional due process and double jeopardy rights. Respondent argues that Johnson’s claims are unexhausted and without merit. For the reasons discussed below, the Court DENIES Johnson’s Petition.

[717]*717I. BACKGROUND1

A. JOHNSON’S INITIAL SENTENCING

This Petition arises from a judgment of conviction, entered on October 28, 1999, following a bench trial before the Honorable Marcy Kahn in New York State Supreme Court, New York County (the “Trial Court”). On December 17, 1999, the Trial Court sentenced Johnson, as a second felony offender under New York Penal Law § 70.06 (McKinney 2011) (“§ 70.06”), to an indeterminate prison term of five-and one-half to eleven years for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree (N.Y. Penal Law § 220.09(1)); and a one-year terra for Resisting Arrest (N.Y. Penal Law § 205.30) (the “1999 Sentence”).2 Johnson also had a prior, undischarged twenty-four month sentence for a parole violation (the “Undischarged Sentence”). The Trial Court stated that the two terms of the 1999 Sentence would run concurrently, but did not specify whether Johnson was to serve them concurrently or consecutively with the Undischarged Sentence.

In administering his sentence, DOCS initially calculated Johnson’s conditional release date with the 1999 Sentence running concurrently with his Undischarged Sentence. On this basis, DOCS informed Johnson upon his arrival at Downstate Correctional Facility on January 11, 2000, that he would be eligible for conditional release on June 13, 2006. Subsequently, on June 13, 2001, DOCS informed Johnson that its initial calculation was erroneous because, under New York Penal Law § 70.25(2-a) (“§ 70.25(2-a)”),3 Johnson’s 1999 Sentence was required to run consecutively to his Undischarged Sentence. Section 70.25(2-a) provides:

When [a] sentence of imprisonment is imposed pursuant to [§ 70.06], and [the person sentenced] is subject to an undischarged ... sentence of imprisonment imposed prior to the date on which the present crime was committed, the court must impose a sentence to run consecutively with respect to such undischarged sentence.

N.Y. Penal Law § 70.25(2-a). DOCS informed Johnson that his new conditional release date was September 6, 2009.

On June 16, 2008, Johnson wrote to the DOCS Inmate Records Coordinator and argued that, under People ex rel. Gill v. Greene, 48 A.D.3d 1003, 852 N.Y.S.2d 457 (3rd Dep’t.2008), DOCS did not have the authority to convert his concurrent sentence into a consecutive sentence when the Trial Court had not specified that his sentences were to run consecutively.

In Gill, a state inmate challenged his sentence on due process grounds. At the time of his sentencing, two previous sentences had not been completed, as “he had been paroled on the first, and had absconded from a temporary release pro[718]*718gram while serving the second.” Id. at 826, 903 N.E.2d 1146. Although the sentencing court, under the terms of § 70.25(2-a), was required to impose a sentence consecutive to the undischarged portions of the first two sentences, the court “did not say, orally or in any document,” whether the sentence imposed was to run concurrently or consecutively. Id. Gill claimed that since the court had remained silent on the issue, the sentences must run concurrently, and DOCS had no authority to impose a corrected sentence. The Third Department ruled in Gill’s favor, holding that that the only cognizable sentence is the one imposed by the sentencing court, and DOCS had “no authority to calculate [the defendant’s] sentences consecutively where the [sentencing] court did not do so.” Id. at 458.

DOCS responded to Johnson in writing, citing § 70.25(2-a) as the reason why Johnson’s sentences were consecutive. Johnson then appealed to the Office of Sentence Review, but his appeal was denied.

B. JOHNSON’S SECOND SENTENCING

On July 15, 2008, Johns on filed a pro se motion under CPL § 440.20, challenging DOCS’ authority to administer his sentences consecutively. On November 14, 2008, the Trial Court denied Johnson’s motion but vacated his sentence and ordered a new sentencing hearing to specify whether Johnson’s sentences were to run consecutively or concurrently.

On December 12, 2008, Johnson appeared with counsel at a resentencing hearing before Judge Kahn. On the basis of § 70.25(2-a), the Trial Court denied Johnson’s request that the court order the sentences to run concurrently, and resentenced Johnson to the same prison term, this time specifying that his 1999 Sentence and Undischarged Sentence were to run consecutively.

C. JOHNSON’S APPEAL

On February 12, 2009, the New York Court of Appeals reversed the Third Department’s decision in Gill, holding that when a statute requires a court to impose a consecutive sentence, and the court is silent regarding whether a sentence is consecutive or concurrent, the court is deemed to have imposed the consecutive sentence required by law, giving DOCS the authority to administer the sentences consecutively. People ex rel. Gill v. Greene, 12 N.Y.3d 1, 875 N.Y.S.2d 826, 903 N.E.2d 1146 (2009), cert. denied sub. nom. Gill v. Rock, — U.S. -, 130 S.Ct. 86, 175 L.Ed.2d 59 (2009).

On appeal to the New York Appellate Division, First Department (“First Department”), Johnson argued that: (1) because his ease is distinguishable from Gill and because Gill was wrongly decided as a matter of federal constitutional law, the Trial Court’s silence on the issue meant that Johnson’s 1999 Sentence should have run concurrently to his Undischarged Sentence; and (2) the Trial Court exceeded its inherent authority and violated Johnson’s due process and double jeopardy rights when it resentenced Johnson to consecutive terms nearly nine years after the imposition of his original sentence.

On November 24, 2009 the First Department unanimously affirmed Johnson’s resentencing, finding that: (1) by operation of New York state law, Johnson’s 1999 sentence had always been consecutive to his Undischarged Sentence, and the Trial Court said nothing at the 1999 sen-[719]

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Bluebook (online)
851 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2012 WL 1034821, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46282, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/johnson-v-new-york-nysd-2012.