People v. Fiveten

Superior Court of Guam·Decided January 22, 2025·No. CF0105-14·Unknown

Opinion

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8 PEOPLE OF GUAM, GUAM, CRIMINAL CASE NO. CF0105-14 9 9 vs. 10 10 DECISION AND ORDER 11 SONIY SONIY FIVETEN, 12 Defendant. Defendant. 13 13

14 14 INTRODUCTION 15 This matter came before matter came before the the Honorable HonorableVernon Vemon P. P. Perez Perez on November 12, 12, 2024, 2024, for 16 16 hearing on Defendant SONIY FIVETEN's ("Defendant") ("Defendant")Motion MotiontotoDismiss DismissPursuant to Title Pursuant to Title 8 17 17 GCA GCA §§80.70(b) 80.70(b) ("Motion ("MotiontotoDismiss"). Dismiss").Present Presentwere wereAssistant AssistantAttorney Attorney General General Kathleen Kathleen 18 O'Neil 0 'Neilon onbehalf behalfofofthe the People Peopleof ofGuam Guam ("the ("theGovernment") Government")and andDefendant Defendant with with counsel, counsel, Deputy 19 Public Public Defender Defender John P. Morrison. Having John P. Havingreviewed reviewedthe thepleadings, pleadings,the thearguments arguments presented, presented, and and 20 20 the record, the Court now now issues issuesthe thefollowing following Decision Decision and and Order. 21 BACKGROUND 22 On On March March 13, 13, 2014, 2014, a grand jury returned an indictment returned an indictmentcharging chargingDefendant Defendantwith with (1) (1) 23 Aggravated Aggravated Assault (As (As a Third Degree Felony) with with Special Special Allegation: Allegation: Possession Possession or Use of a 24 Deadly Weapon in Deadly Weapon in the the Commission of a Felony; Commission of Felony; (2) (2) Disorderly Disorderly Conduct (As a Petty Conduct (As Petty 25 25 Misdemeanor), and (3) (3) Public Public Drunkenness Drunkenness(As (AsaaViolation). Violation). (Indictment, Mar. 13, 13, 2014). 2014). On Misdemeanor); and (Indictment, Mar. On 26 26 June 18,2014, 2014,the theparties partiesindicated indicatedthe thematter mattermay maylikely likelyresolve resolvewith with aa lesser-included lesser-includedoffense, offense, June 18, 27 27 pending victim victim notification. notification. (Minute (MinuteEntry, Entry,Jun. Jun. 18, 18, 2014). 2014). Defendant Defendantwas wasreleased releasedon on aa personal 28 28

People v. v. Fiveten Case No. CF0105-14 Case No. CFol05-l4 Decision Decision and and Order

Page 1l of of5 11 recognizance bond recognizance bond and and placed placedon onhouse housearrest, arrest,with withcertain certainexceptions. exceptions. (Order (Order of of Conditional

2 Release Release and Appearance Appearance Bond, Jun. Jun. 18, 18, 2014). 2014). On his his Order Order of ofConditional Conditional Release Release and and 3 Appearance Bond, Defendant handwrote handwrote his his name nameas as"fiveten soniy"and "riveter sonly" andsigned signedthe the document document as as 4 "riveter sonly". Id "fiveten soniy". Id at at 2. 2. Subsequently, Probationfiled Subsequently, Probation tiled a Violation Violation Report, Report, indicating indicating that that 5 Defendant failed to report report weekly weeklyin inperson person to to the the probation probation office officeand and that that he last last checked in on 6 July 2, 2014. July 2, Report,Jul. (ViolationReport, 2014. (Violation Jul.28, 28,2014). 2014).On OnJuly July29, 29,2014, 2014,the theCourt Courtissued issuedaa $5,000.00 $5,000.00 7 warrant for warrant forhis hisarrest. arrest. (Bench (Bench Warrant, Warrant,Jul. Jul.31, 2014). 3 l,20l4).

8 29, 2023, On August 29, 2023, a Return Return of Warrant Warrant Service was filed, indicating indicating that that "[u]pon "[u]pon

9 conducting aa check utilizing the conducting the Blue Blue Check Check System System the the Guam Guam Marshals Marshals discovered discovered that that the the 10 10 defendant is currently detained and defendant and serving serving a sentence sentence in case case CF0281-15. CF0281-15. Alias are (BJ Alias are (BJ Johnny, Johnny, 11 11 BJ Asukar, Asukar,JK JKJohnny, Johnny,Jiam JiamSio Sioand andSoniy SoniaFiveteen)." Fiveteen)."(ROW (ROW Service, Aug. Aug. 29, 29, 2023). 12 12 Afterseveral After severalstatus the Court status hearings, the Courtset setthe thematter matterfor fortrial trialfor forNovember November6,6,2024. 2024.(Am. (Am.

13 13 Criminal Trial Trial Scheduling SchedulingOrder, Order, Jun. Jun. 26, 2024). 14 15, 2024, On October 15, 2024, Defendant Defendant filed filed the the instant instantMotion. On October Motion. On October 28, 28, 2024, 2024, the the 15 Government filed its Government filed its Opposition. Opposition. No No Reply was filed. filed.

16 16 On November November 12, 12, 2024, 2024, the the parties parties submitted submitted on their briefs and and the Court Court placed the the 17 17 matter under under advisement. advisement.

19 19 Defendant Defendant moves moves the the Court to dismiss Court to this matter dismiss this matterpursuant pursuantoto88G.C.A. G.C.A.§§80.70(b), 80. 70(b arguing arguing 20 20 that there was that there was unnecessary unnecessarydelay delay in in bringing bringing this matter matter to to trial. See See generally, Mot. Dismiss, Dismiss, 21 Oct. 15, 2024. The 15, 2024. The Government Government opposes, opposes, arguing arguing Defendant Defendanthas failed to has failed to allege allegeaaproper proper standard standard 22 for dismissal dismissal and further, that Defendant's further, that Defendant's actions actions caused or contributed caused or to the contributed to the delay. See See 23 generally, generally, Opp'n, Opp'n, Oct. Oct. 28, 28, 2024. 2024. 24 Title 88 G.C.A. G.C.A. section section 80.70(b) 80. 70(b) provides provides that that "[i]f "[i]fthere thereisisunnecessary unnecessary delay in in bringing 25 25 a defendant to trial, the court, defendant to court, on its own own motion, motion, may may dismiss dismiss the the indictment, indictment, information or 26 Thereasons complaint. The reasons for forthe thedismissal dismissalshall shall be be set set forth forth in inan an order order entered entered upon the the minutes." minutes."

27 8 G.C.A. §§ 80.70(b). 80.70(b). Dismissals Dismissals pursuant to 88 G.C.A. pursuant to G.C.A. §§ 80.70(b) 80.70(b) "should "should be be imposed only in imposed only in 28 28 extreme circumstances." circumstances." People People v. v. Stephen, Guam 8 ,r'll 21 Stephen, 2009 Guam 21 (citing (citing United United States States v. Sears, Sears,

v. Fiveten People v. Case No. CF0105-14 Case No. cF0105-14 Decision Decision and and Order

Page 2 of5 of 1 Roebuck & Co., 877 877 F.2d 734, 734, 737 737(9th (9thCir. Cir. 1989)). I989)). Section Section80.70 80.70 is is based based on Rule 48 of the the 2 2 Federal Rules of Federal Rules Procedure. 8 Criminal Procedure. of Criminal 8 G.C.A. G.C.A. §§ 80.70, Note. "[T]his 80.70, Note. "[T]hisRule Rulegrants grantsthe the trial trial court court 3 inherent power, derived from from common common law, to to dismiss dismiss a case for want of of prosecution, prosecution, whether or 4 not there has hasbeen beenaaSixth SixthAmendment Amendmentviolation. violation. Thus, this power of of dismissal dismissal is independent of 5 constitutional considerations, and is derived from from the the court's supervisory authority in in regard to its 6 own jurisdiction." United own jurisdiction." United States States v. Simmons, Simmons, 536 F.2d 827, 827, 832 832 (9th (9th Cir. Cir. 1976).

7 Here, however, however, Defendant Defendantis is moving movingthe theCourt Courtto todismiss dismiss this this matter, matter, not not the the Court on on its 8 own own motion.

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