State of Delaware v. Green.

CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedApril 8, 2015
Docket1303011941
StatusPublished

This text of State of Delaware v. Green. (State of Delaware v. Green.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Delaware v. Green., (Del. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY

STATE OF DELAWARE, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) ) v. ) Cr. ID. No. 1303011941 ) ) STERN E. GREEN, ) ) Defendant. ) )

Submitted: March 30, 2015 Decided: April 8, 2015

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION THAT DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR POSTCONVICTION RELIEF SHOULD BE DENIED AND COUNSEL’S MOTION TO WITHDRAW SHOULD BE GRANTED.

Barzilai K. Axelrod, Esquire, Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice, Wilmington, Delaware, Attorney for the State.

Theopalis K. Gregory, Sr., Esquire, 2227 N. Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 19802, Attorney for Defendant Stern Green.

PARKER, Commissioner This 8th day of April, 2015, upon consideration of Defendant’s Motion for

Postconviction Relief, it appears to the Court that:

BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

1. On June 10, 2013, Defendant Stern E. Green was indicted on charges of Drug

Dealing Marijuana (Tier 2), Aggravated Possession of Marijuana (Tier 2), and Possession

of Drug Paraphernalia. If convicted, Defendant was eligible to be sentenced as a

habitual offender under both 11 Del. C. § 4214(a) and (b). If sentenced under 11 Del. C.

§ 4214(b), Defendant would be facing an automatic life sentence.

2. On September 30, 2013, Defendant Green pled guilty to Drug Dealing Marijuana

(Tier 2) and Aggravated Possession of Marijuana (Tier 2). As part of the plea

agreement, the remaining charge was dismissed. 1

3. Also as part of the plea agreement, the parties agreed that even though Defendant

was habitual offender eligible under both 11 Del. C. § 4214(a) and (b), the State would

seek to have Defendant sentenced as a habitual offender, pursuant to 11 Del. C. §

4214(a), on the drug dealing charge. The State agreed not to seek to have Defendant

sentenced as a habitual offender pursuant to 11 Del. C. § 4214(b). The parties further

agreed that at sentencing the State would recommend not more than 10 years of

unsuspended Level V time, and Defendant would not seek less than 5 years of

unsuspended Level V time. 2

4. On December 6, 2013, following a pre-sentence investigation, Defendant was

sentenced. Defendant was declared a habitual offender, pursuant to 11 Del. C. § 4214(a),

and sentenced to 5 years at Level V on the drug dealing charge. On the aggravated

1 September 30, 2013 Plea Agreement. 2 September 30, 2013 Plea Agreement.

1 possession charge, Defendant was sentenced to 5 years at Level V, suspended for 3 years

at Level IV, suspended after 6 months at Level IV, for 18 months at Level III probation.

Consequently, Defendant was sentenced to a total of 5 years of unsuspended Level V

time, followed by decreasing levels of probation.

5. Defendant did not file a direct appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.

6. Thereafter, Defendant filed a motion for modification of sentence. 3 By Order

dated April 9, 2014, the Superior Court denied the motion on the basis, inter alia, that the

sentence was imposed pursuant to the Plea Agreement agreed to by Defendant and

because the sentence was appropriate for all the reasons stated at the time of sentencing. 4

FACTS

7. During the month of February 2013 an investigation was being conducted into the

sale of illegal drugs from 5 Briarcliff Drive, New Castle, Delaware 19720. On March

14, 2013, the New Castle County Drug Control Squad and Mobile Enforcement Team

executed a search warrant at that residence. 5

8. A search of the residence was conducted and 1746 grams of marijuana packaged

in 6 bags was found in a safe in Defendant Stern Green’s bedroom. Another three bags

of marijuana, weighing approximately 10 grams, was located in a shoebox in Defendant’s

bedroom. In a guest bedroom, an additional six grams of marijuana was found. The total

amount of marijuana seized was 1762 grams. 6

3 Superior Court Docket No. 16. 4 Superior Court Docket No. 17. 5 Affidavit of Probable Cause, Exhibit “B”, attached to Justice of Peace Court 2 Commitment; Memorandum in Support of Motion to Withdraw as Rule 61 Counsel, Superior Court Docket No. 29, at pgs. 1-3. 6 Id.

2 9. Defendant Green had $814 in United States Currency. He claimed to be

unemployed for the last two years. 7

10. Defendant Green was arrested and taken into custody. Defendant agreed to be

interviewed and in a recorded statement admitted to the police that all of the marijuana

seized belonged to him. He told the police that he smoked the marijuana and also sold it

as well. 8

RULE 61 MOTION AND COUNSEL’S MOTION TO WITHDRAW

11. On April 25, 2014, Defendant filed a pro se motion for postconviction relief. In

Defendant Green’s pro se motion, he raised four claims. He claimed that: 1) the search

performed by the New Castle County Police Department constituted an illegal search and

seizure; 2) that his counsel was ineffective in representing him throughout the court

proceedings and did not file necessary motions; 3) that the evidence seized and

statements made while in custody were illegally obtained and should have been

suppressed; and 4) that he was forced into accepting the plea agreement due to his

counsel’s ineffectiveness.

12. Defendant was thereafter assigned counsel. On February 24, 2015, assigned

counsel filed a Motion to Withdraw as Postconviction Counsel pursuant to (pre-June

2014) Superior Court Criminal Rule 61(e)(2), (post-June 2014) Superior Court Criminal

Rule 61(e)(6). 9

13. (Pre-June 2014) Superior Court Criminal Rule 61(e)(2), (post-June 2014) Rule

61(e)(6) provides that:

7 Id. 8 Id. 9 Superior Court Criminal Rule 61(e) was amended effective June 4, 2014. After June 4, 2014, Superior Court Criminal Rule 61(e)(2) is now set forth at Superior Court Criminal Rule 61(e)(6).

3 If counsel considers the movant’s claim to be so lacking in merit that counsel cannot ethically advocate it, and counsel is not aware of any other substantial ground for relief available to the movant, counsel may move to withdraw. The motion shall explain the factual and legal basis for counsel’s opinion and shall give notice that the movant may file a response to the motion within 30 days of service of the motion upon the movant.

14. In the motion to withdraw, Defendant’s Rule 61 counsel represented that, after

undertaking a thorough analysis of the Defendant’s claims, counsel has determined that

the claims are so lacking in merit that counsel cannot ethically advocate any of them. 10

Counsel further represented that, following a thorough review of the record, counsel was

not aware of any other substantial claim for relief available to Defendant Green.11

Defendant’s Rule 61 counsel represented to the court that there are no potential

meritorious grounds on which to base a Rule 61 motion and has therefore sought to

withdraw as counsel. 12

15. Defendant’s Rule 61 counsel advised Defendant of his motion to withdraw and

advised Defendant that he had the right to file a response thereto within 30 days, if

Defendant desired to do so. 13 Defendant filed a response to counsel’s motion to

withdraw. 14

16. In response to Rule 61 counsel’s motion to withdraw, Defendant requested that

the court consider the merits of his Rule 61 motion and reiterated the claims made in his

original motion that the search performed by the New Castle County Police Department

10 See, Superior Court Docket No.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Younger v. State
580 A.2d 552 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1990)
United States v. Poppitt
227 F. Supp. 73 (D. Delaware, 1964)
Mojica v. State
977 A.2d 899 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 2009)
Somerville v. State
703 A.2d 629 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1997)
Desmond v. State
654 A.2d 821 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1994)
Miller v. State
840 A.2d 1229 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 2003)
Brown v. State
108 A.3d 1201 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 2015)
Premo v. Moore
178 L. Ed. 2d 649 (Supreme Court, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
State of Delaware v. Green., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-delaware-v-green-delsuperct-2015.