Lee v. Probate Court

656 F. Supp. 685, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16681
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Tennessee
DecidedAugust 20, 1985
DocketNo. Civ. A. 3:85-0953
StatusPublished

This text of 656 F. Supp. 685 (Lee v. Probate Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. Probate Court, 656 F. Supp. 685, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16681 (M.D. Tenn. 1985).

Opinion

[686]*686MEMORANDUM OPINION, ORDER AND DIRECTIONS

NEESE, Senior District Judge.

The petitioner Mr. Sinclair Lee applied to this Court for the federal writ of habeas corpus. He claims he is to be required to stand trial in the Probate Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, sitting as a Criminal Court of Tennessee, in violation of his federal right against double jeopardy. 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3), 2254(a).

Mr. Lee alleges that he was arrested on a criminal charge of the state of Tennessee of possessing marijuana and a criminal charge of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee (Metro) of possessing an instrument adapted for the use of a controlled substance which contained (the same) marijuana. He claims he was tried on the latter charge simultaneously with being given a preliminary hearing on the former charge.

It is claimed by Mr. Lee that witnesses were sworn and testimony received on the latter charge thereat, and that he was held to the action of a grand jury on both such charges. He contends further that no judgment of either acquittal or conviction was entered on the warrant of Metro after his trial as aforesaid; that he was indicted by a grand jury on each of the aforesaid charges; that he made a motion for a dismissal of the said charge of the state of Tennessee, on the ground that such would subject him “for the same offence to be put twice in jeopardy of life or limb,” Constitution, Fifth Amendment, Double Jeopardy Clause; and in such proceeding, to which he and the state of Tennessee were parties, it was determined factually that he had been tried and acquitted1 on the aforesaid charge by Metro, 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d).

The applicant asserts also that he presented the question he presents here, not only to a hearing Court of the state of Tennessee, but that it was passed on in addition by the Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee on March 12, 1985, and that the Supreme Court of Tennessee declined its permission for a further appeal on July 12,1985. He claims, therefore, the exhaustion of his available state-remedies. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b).

Even if the appellate courts of Tennessee may have believed correctly that such acquittal, if it occurred in fact, was based upon an egregiously erroneous foundation, any verdict of acquittal was final and could not be reviewed without putting Mr. Lee twice in jeopardy in violation of the Constitution. “ * * * Perhaps the most fundamental rule in the history of double jeopardy jurisprudence has been that ‘[a] verdict of acquittal ... could not be reviewed, on error or otherwise, without putting [a defendant] twice in jeopardy, and thereby violating the Constitution.’ United States v. Ball, 163 U.S. 662, 671, 16 S.Ct. 1192, 1195, 41 L.Ed. 300 (1896). * * * ”. United States v. Martin Linen Supply Co., 430 U.S. 564, 571, 97 S.Ct. 1349, 1354 [8], 51 L.Ed.2d 642 (1977), cited in Justices of Boston Municipal Court v. Lydon, supra, 466 U.S. at 307, 104 S.Ct. at 1813 [4] (Double jeopardy protects against a second prosecution for same offense after acquittal).

The applicant claims specifically that successive prosecutions of him for the same violation in a municipal court and also in a state court will violate the Constitution, Fifth Amendment, Double Jeopardy Clause, supra, because they will constitute multiple prosecutions for the identical conduct by the same Sovereign:2 “ * * * 'Political subdivisions of States — counties, [687]*687cities, or whatever — never were and never have been considered as sovereign entities. Rather they have been traditionally regarded as subordinate governmental instrumentalities created by the State to assist in the carrying out of state governmental functions.’ * * *” Waller v. Florida, 397 U.S. 387, 392, 90 S.Ct. 1184, 1187 [2], 25 L.Ed.2d 435 (1970), reh.den., 398 U.S. 914, 90 S.Ct. 1684, 26 L.Ed.2d 79 (1970). This rule presupposes, however, that two or more violations of law did not occur in a single transaction under separate chargings; a single transaction can give rise to distinct offenses under separate statutes without violating the Double Jeopardy Clause. Albernaz v. United States, 450 U.S. 333, 344, n. 3, 101 S.Ct. 1137, 1145[11], 67 L.Ed.2d 275 (1981).

From all which consideration, this Court is unable to ascertain from the face of the applicant’s petition whether he is entitled to relief in this Court. Rule 4, Rules — § 2254 Cases. It not appearing plainly therefrom that Mr. Lee is not entitled to relief in this Court, the respondent hereby is

ORDERED to file an answer or other pleading herein within 7 days herefrom, id.; it shall state whether the petitioner has exhausted his state-remedies under the procedural rules of Tennessee and indicate what transcripts) of pretrial and trial proceedings (on each of the aforementioned charges) are available, when they can be furnished,3 and what, if any, proceedings have been recorded but not transcribed, id.

The respondent shall attach to the answer such portions of the record(s) in the state Court(s) as he shall deem relevant to further preliminary consideration herein. Rule 5, Rules — § 2254 Cases. These portions shall include a record of each outstanding charge against the applicant in the courts of Tennessee.

The clerk is directed to serve forthwith by certified mail copies of the petition herein and of this order on the respondent and the attorney general and reporter of Tennessee. Rule 4, supra.

SUPPLEMENTAL MEMORANDUM OPINION, ORDER AND CERTIFICATE

The petitioner Mr. Sinclair Lee contends the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the federal Constitution precludes the State of Tennessee from trying him in the Probate Court of Davidson County, Tennessee on a pending charge of possession of marijuana because he was previously acquitted on the “same offense” in the General Sessions Court of such county. This Court disagrees.

As a result of the fruits of a judicially-authorized search of the petitioner’s residence, officers of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department charged Mr. Lee with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), T.C.A. § 52-1432 (now codified as T.C.A. § 39-6-417(b)) (“the state-charge”), and possession of instruments or implements adapted for the use of a controlled substance, Nashville Code § 29-1-18 (“the Metro-charge”). Proceedings relating to both such charges were conducted in the General Sessions Court of Davidson County, Tennessee on July 26, 1982 at which time witnesses were sworn and testimony was heard.

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Related

United States v. Ball
163 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 1896)
Collins v. Loisel
262 U.S. 426 (Supreme Court, 1923)
North Carolina v. Pearce
395 U.S. 711 (Supreme Court, 1969)
Waller v. Florida
397 U.S. 387 (Supreme Court, 1970)
United States v. Martin Linen Supply Co.
430 U.S. 564 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Sumner v. Mata
449 U.S. 539 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Albernaz v. United States
450 U.S. 333 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Justices of Boston Municipal Court v. Lydon
466 U.S. 294 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Howard v. State
399 S.W.2d 738 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1966)
State v. Williams
623 S.W.2d 121 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee, 1981)
O'Bryan v. Battisti
398 U.S. 902 (Supreme Court, 1970)
Waller v. Florida
398 U.S. 914 (Supreme Court, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
656 F. Supp. 685, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16681, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-probate-court-tnmd-1985.