Tracy Hertel v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 22, 2016
Docket71A03-1505-CR-475
StatusPublished

This text of Tracy Hertel v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.) (Tracy Hertel v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tracy Hertel v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.), (Ind. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION FILED Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), Jun 22 2016, 8:51 am this Memorandum Decision shall not be CLERK regarded as precedent or cited before any Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals court except for the purpose of establishing and Tax Court

the defense of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.

APPELLANT PRO SE ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Tracy Hertel Gregory F. Zoeller South Bend, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana Michael Gene Worden Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Tracy Hertel, June 22, 2016 Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No. 71A03-1505-CR-475 v. Appeal from the St. Joseph Superior Court State of Indiana, The Honorable T. Edward Page, Appellee-Plaintiff. Senior Judge Trial Court Cause No. 71D08-0409-FA-96

Brown, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 71A03-1505-CR-475 | June 22, 2016 Page 1 of 26 [1] Tracy Hertel appeals his convictions for two counts of dealing in a schedule II

controlled substance as class B felonies, two counts of possession of two or

more chemical reagents or precursors with the intent to manufacture as class D

felonies, possession of a schedule IV controlled substance as a class D felony,

possession of marijuana as a class A misdemeanor, and possession of hashish as

a class A misdemeanor. He raises three issues which we consolidate and restate

as:

I. Whether Hertel was denied his right to a speedy trial; and

II. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in admitting certain evidence.

We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

[2] In September 2004, the Indiana State Police requested search warrants for the

home of Hertel’s girlfriend on Altgeld Street in South Bend and storage units

rented by Hertel. The affidavits requesting the warrants alleged that the police

searched an address in St. Joseph County that was rented by Kevin Smith, and

that the search revealed items consistent with the manufacture of

methamphetamine packaged in United States Post Office priority mailboxes.

The affidavits stated that Smith said that he assisted Hertel move laboratory

equipment and/or chemicals from Hertel’s home to a storage facility and

outbuilding, and that Smith consumed methamphetamine given to him by

Hertel. The affidavits also stated that Smith provided a digital camera, which

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 71A03-1505-CR-475 | June 22, 2016 Page 2 of 26 he said belonged to Hertel, and that this camera had images of laboratory

equipment previously in production at Hertel’s residence stored on it. And the

affidavits indicated that Smith called Hertel, that Smith asked Hertel “Did you

get rid of everything,” and Hertel replied “Pretty much” and also referenced the

postal boxes. Direct Appeal Appellant’s Supplemental Appendix Volume II at

3, 6-7, 11, 15.

[3] On September 24, 2004, the trial court granted the search warrants, and police

found items they believed were related to the illegal manufacture of drugs and

illegal substances.

[4] On September 27, 2004, the State charged Hertel with several drug-related

counts. On October 28, 2004, his counsel filed an appearance and Motions to

Reduce Bail, for a Speedy Trial, to Dismiss, to Strike and for Discovery. On

November 5, 2004, the court scheduled the trial for January 4, 2005.

[5] On December 14, 2004, Hertel filed a number of motions including a motion to

suppress the evidence seized at the Altgeld property and the storage facilities.

His motion to suppress alleged that the State misunderstood the nature of a

statement against penal interest, that probable cause was so lacking as to deem

relying on the affidavits entirely unreasonable because Smith’s reliability was

never established, and the affidavits were lacking in indicia of reliability as to

the particularity requirements.

[6] The court held a hearing that same day, and Hertel’s counsel stated that Hertel

wished to pursue his motion to suppress evidence. When the court indicated

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 71A03-1505-CR-475 | June 22, 2016 Page 3 of 26 that it would not be able to hear the case on January 4th because Hertel was

pursuing a motion to suppress, his counsel stated: “My recommendation, Your

Honor, would be to combine the motion to suppress with the trial.” Transcript

of December 14, 2004 Hearing at 7. The court stated that there was no sense in

doing that because “as a practical matter, a motion to suppress, which is

anticipatory as to what evidence comes in or does not come in, needs to be

held.” Id. at 7-8. The court stated that if Hertel wished to pursue the motion to

suppress, then it constituted a waiver of his right to a speedy trial.

[7] On December 21, 2004, Hertel filed exhibits to support his motion to suppress.

That same day, the court held a hearing and stated: “I view and continue to

view the filing of the motion to suppress on December 14th as an act

inconsistent with a motion for speedy trial. So, from my standpoint, the motion

for speedy trial does not exist.” Transcript of December 21, 2004 Hearing at

76. Hertel’s counsel indicated that Hertel “does want to keep the speedy trial

for now.” Id. at 82. The court scheduled a hearing for January 7, 2015. On

January 4, 2005, Hertel filed a brief in support of his motion to suppress.

[8] On January 7, 2005, the court heard arguments regarding Hertel’s motion to

suppress and motion for a speedy trial. His counsel discussed several police

reports which he alleged demonstrated that the police knew Smith was

unreliable because he had lied to the police on several occasions, and that this

information was excluded from the affidavits for the search warrants. After

some discussion, the court had the reports marked as Defendant’s Exhibit A

and stated that it was not going to alter its decision with respect to the motion

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 71A03-1505-CR-475 | June 22, 2016 Page 4 of 26 for a speedy trial. Hertel’s counsel stated that he wished to preserve the issue

for appeal. The court denied Hertel’s request to reconsider the denial of the

motion for a speedy trial and took his motion to suppress under advisement.

[9] On January 14, 2005, Hertel’s counsel filed a Motion to Discharge and a

Motion to Withdraw. On January 21, 2005, the court entered an order denying

the motion to suppress, specifically, finding that a substantial portion of the

affidavits related to hearsay information provided by Smith, that Smith’s

hearsay statements were not declarations against his penal interests, and that

the affidavits “establish that when the digital camera was provided by Smith,

police were aware that it was not his property, but rather Hertel’s,” and that the

viewing of the images in it amounted to an unlawful search of Hertel’s property.

Appellant’s Appendix at 479. The court found that the “inclusion of the

information regarding the images of laboratory equipment discovered in the

search of [Hertel’s] camera was a substantial basis for the warrant, thereby

tainting the probable cause determination.” Id. at 480. The court mentioned

the good faith exception and found that the warrants issued were free from

obvious defects and that the officers conducting the searches reasonably

believed the search warrants were valid.

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