McGee v. United States

943 F. Supp. 671, 1996 WL 588048
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Louisiana
DecidedAugust 30, 1996
DocketCivil Action No. 96-0923; Crim. No. 90-60038-04
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 943 F. Supp. 671 (McGee v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGee v. United States, 943 F. Supp. 671, 1996 WL 588048 (W.D. La. 1996).

Opinion

JUDGMENT

SHAW, Chief Judge.

Considering the Report and Recommendation issued by Magistrate Judge Methvin, the court record in this case, and the applicable jurisprudence, the Court concludes that the Report and Recommendation of the magistrate judge is correct and this Court adopts the conclusions set forth therein.

Accordingly, IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that McGee’s motion to vacate, set aside or correct sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 as to Count II of the bill of information is Denied.

[673]*673 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

METHVIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

Before the court is a motion by defendant, Charles L. McGee, to vacate, set aside or correct sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. This case referred to me by Judge Shaw for a report and recommendation. For the following reasons, it is recommended that defendant’s motion be DENIED.

BACKGROUND

A. Procedural History:

The original indictment in this case, filed September 14, 1990, charged three Brous-sard brothers with seven counts stemming from their arrests on April 28, 1989 in New Iberia, Louisiana while in possession of guns and cocaine.1 The Broussards named McGee as their drug supplier, and in May 1989 Martin Broussard helped undercover agents induce McGee to travel.from Texas to Iberia Parish to deliver three ounces of cocaine. McGee was arrested and pled guilty to state drug charges following his arrest.2 The latter conviction was based upon the three ounces McGee personally delivered to Iberia Parish in May 1989. McGee was not, however, named in the original federal indictment as to the guns and cocaine possessed by the Broussards.

All three Broussards pled guilty on January 10, 1991 to Count 4 of a superceding indictment, charging them with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

On April 24, 1991, a second superceding indictment added McGee as a defendant on the same seven counts (Ree.Doc. 114). Although it is not explicitly stated in the indictment, McGee was charged as a principal to the substantive crimes, inasmuch as he was the drug supplier but was not physically present at the time of the Broussards’ arrest, when the drugs and guns were seized. McGee pled guilty to a bill of information on January 10, 1992 charging the following crimes:

Count I: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1);
Count II: Using or carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)

(Ree.Doc. 176).3

McGee was sentenced on April 24, 1992 to twelve months in prison on Count I and to 60 months in prison on Count II, to run consecutive to Count I. (Ree.Doc. 195-196). McGee did not file a direct appeal. McGee has completed service of his sentence on Count I and currently is serving time on the § 924(e) charge.

A previous motion for post-conviction relief was denied on April 16, 1993 (Ree.Doc. 205). McGee filed the instant § 2255 motion on December 29, 1995, citing Bailey v. United States, 516 U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). McGee argues that he could not be convicted of a § 924(c) offense since he wasn’t even in the same state as the gun involved in the transaction. Thus, McGee seeks to have the court vacate his conviction on the § 924(c) charge.

The government filed a response to McGee’s § 2255 motion, contending that although McGee’s conviction under the “use” prong of the statute may no longer be valid under Bailey, it is valid under the “carry” prong.

I granted McGee’s request for court-appointed counsel, and ordered the government and the Federal Public Defender to file 1) supplemental briefs; 2) a joint statement regarding factual stipulations; and 3) a statement whether an evidentiary hearing was [674]*674necessary. In response to this order, both parties indicated that they would stipulate to the facts and did not require an evidentiary hearing. Soon after, however, McGee filed a motion to withdraw the parties’ former agreement and to request an evidentiary hearing pursuant to United States v. Briggs, 939 F.2d 222 (5th Cir.1991).

The evidentiary hearing was set for May 28,1996. Prior to the hearing, in accordance with a further court order, the parties submitted a joint statement setting forth the factual and legal disputes.

On May 28, 1996, a brief evidentiary hearing was held during which the parties stipulated to the facts per the written factual basis submitted at the time of McGee’s guilty plea. The parties offered no additional legal arguments in support of their respective positions.

B. McGee’s Guilty Plea:

The bill of information charged McGee as a principal to two offenses physically committed by Phillip and David Broussard on April 28, 1989. The written factual basis filed at the time of McGee’s plea, which the parties stipulate is accurate, states that on April 28, 1989, undercover law enforcement agents were attempting to make a purchase of cocaine from Phillip and David Broussard in New Iberia. The Broussards had traveled to the scene in a pick-up truck. The undercover agent entered the vehicle to determine whether the cocaine was present. Upon satisfying himself that it was, the agent returned to his own vehicle for the stated purpose of getting his money, when in fact he radioed for additional agents to move in and make the arrests. The factual basis states in pertinent part:

* * * While he was in the suspects vehicle, he had observed a handgun on the passenger side. As agents converged, Agent Pohlman observed Phillip Broussard reaching for something on the floorboard and pulled his own weapon and advised both subjects to put their hands up. After David Broussard was thrown on the ground, Agent Pohlman retrieved cocaine from Phillip’s right hand. Agent Bill Bo-nin had Phillip step out of the vehicle as well. After the suspects were arrested and advised of their Miranda rights, Agent Pohlman reentered the cab and found on the floorboard a cocked sawed-off shotgun and a loaded .22 caliber H & R revolver (the revolver was on the passenger side of the vehicle).

(Rec.Doc. 183). As noted above, McGee was in Texas at the time these events transpired. He was charged in the superceding indictment as a principal in light of his role as supplier of the cocaine in question. The record is silent with respect to McGee’s connection to the guns in question.

LAW & ANALYSIS

A. The Scope of § 2255 Review:

In order to obtain habeas relief, a federal prisoner must generally file a motion to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

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943 F. Supp. 671, 1996 WL 588048, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcgee-v-united-states-lawd-1996.