Kaluna v. Iranon

952 F. Supp. 1426, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19872, 1996 WL 755130
CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedDecember 27, 1996
DocketCivil No. 95-01062 ACK
StatusPublished

This text of 952 F. Supp. 1426 (Kaluna v. Iranon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kaluna v. Iranon, 952 F. Supp. 1426, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19872, 1996 WL 755130 (D. Haw. 1996).

Opinion

ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE’S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION TO DENY § 2254 PETITION

KAY, Chief Judge.

BACKGROUND

On December 22, 1995, Petitioner Jaime Kainoa Kaluna filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, seeking a writ prohibiting the State of Hawaii from further prosecuting him on charges originally brought in State of Hawaii v. Kaluna, Criminal No. 93-0086 (Fifth Circuit Court). Respondent filed its Memorandum in Opposition of Petition for Habeas Corpus on February 26, 1996, to which Petitioner filed1 his Reply on March 22, 1996.

On July 24, 1996, the Magistrate Judge thereafter issued a Findings and Recommendation (“F & R”) that the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus be denied. Specifically, Magistrate Judge Kurren recommended that Petitioner’s claim be denied because (1) retrial of Petitioner would not amount to double jeopardy and (2) the state trial judge’s decision to refuse the requested Allen instruction was not improper. On August 5, 1996, Petitioner filed objections to the Magistrate Judge’s F & R, on the grounds that the Magistrate’s findings concerning the use of the Allen instruction in state court was erroneous, and that the authority cited to support the F & R was distinguishable.

For the following reasons, the Court ADOPTS the Magistrate Judge’s F & R and accordingly DENIES the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus.

FACTS

Petitioner is presently in the custody of the State of Hawaii and has exhausted his state court remedies. On May 28, 1993, the State of Hawaii filed an amended complaint against Petitioner, charging him with second-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, possession or use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and second-degree theft. Petitioner’s trial began on October 12, 1993.

The jury deliberations at trial form the central facet of Petitioner’s § 2254 claims. The jury began deliberations on Friday, October 15, 1993. The jury did not deliberate on the weekend dates of October 16 and 17, but resumed deliberations on Monday, October 18. On October 19, the jury sent the court a communication that it was deadlocked. At Petitioner’s request, the trial court gave the jury a more emphatic instruction on deliberating toward an unanimous verdict.. The jury resumed deliberations through October 21, 1996, at which time, by agreement of both counsel for Petitioner and the government, the trial court decided to individually poll the jurors to determine whether the jury could eventually reach a verdict. Nine jurors indicated that the jury would be unable to reach a verdict under any circumstance, while three jurors stated the jury might reach a verdict if given more time to deliberate.

At this point Petitioner requested the trial court to give an “Allen instruction” and allow the jury further time to deliberate. The trial court denied Petitioner’s requests, however, and declared a mistrial.

[1429]*1429Petitioner then filed a Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint, asserting that the Double Jeopardy Clause prevented a retrial. The trial court denied Petitioner’s motion. Petitioner appealed to the Hawaii Supreme Court, which affirmed the trial court’s order. The Hawaii Supreme Court stated that the declaration of a mistrial was supported by manifest necessity, therefore allowing retrial of the claims against Petitioner. Petitioner then requested this Court to issue a writ of habeas corpus prohibiting the State of Hawaii from further prosecuting him on the charges in this case.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Any party may object to a Magistrate’s case dispositive proposed order, findings, or recommendation. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B); Fed.R.Civ.P. 72(b); Local Rule 404-2. The district court must make a de novo determination of those portions of the Magistrate’s, findings to which objection is made and may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendation made by the Magistrate. Id.

De novo review means the court must consider the matter anew, as if it had not been heard before and as if no decision previously had been rendered. Ness v. Comm’r, 954 F.2d 1495, 1497 (9th Cir.1992). Thus, although the district court need not hold a de novo hearing, the court’s obligation is to arrive at its own independent conclusion about those portions of the Magistrate’s findings or recommendation to which objections are made. United States v. Remsing, 874 F.2d 614, 617 (9th Cir.1989).

The Court may accept those portions of the Magistrate’s findings and recommendation which are not objected to if it is satisfied that there is no clear error on the face of the record. See Campbell v. United States District Court, 501 F.2d 196, 206 (9th Cir.1974).

DISCUSSION

I. OBJECTIONS TO THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S F&R

In the F&R, the Magistrate Judge found that the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment would not be triggered by further prosecution of the Petitioner on the charges in this case. The Magistrate Judge further found that, although the trial judge incorrectly stated that an Allen instruction is not appropriate under both the Hawaii Constitution and the United State Constitution, there was no actual prejudice to Petitioner. See infra. The Magistrate’s findings indicated that there was no evidence that the Allen instruction was “clearly warranted” and, notwithstanding the erroneous statement that the Allen instruction is unconstitutional, there was no actual prejudice to Petitioner. The Magistrate further found that the trial court’s decision to forego further jury deliberations and declare a mistrial was supported by “manifest necessity.”

Petitioner’s objections to the Magistrate’s findings fall within the following categories: (1) objections to the findings on the use of the Allen instruction under the circumstances of this ease; (2) objections to the findings regarding the individual polling of the jury; and (3) objections to the authority cited in support of the Magistrate’s findings.

II. THE ALLEN INSTRUCTION1

Petitioner’s habeas corpus petition alleges that the state trial court erred in denying Petitioner’s request for an Allen-type instruction to the jury after the jury appeared deadlocked for a second time. The Court finds the state trial judge properly denied Petitioner’s request for this instruction.

First, Petitioner wanted the trial court to give a “full” Allen instruction. The full Allen instruction which Petitioner requested is attached as Exhibit A to this Order. See attached.

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Bluebook (online)
952 F. Supp. 1426, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19872, 1996 WL 755130, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kaluna-v-iranon-hid-1996.