United States ex rel. Farrell v. Haws

739 F. Supp. 1237, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7483, 1990 WL 82661
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. Illinois
DecidedJune 13, 1990
DocketNo. 89-3231
StatusPublished

This text of 739 F. Supp. 1237 (United States ex rel. Farrell v. Haws) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States ex rel. Farrell v. Haws, 739 F. Supp. 1237, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7483, 1990 WL 82661 (C.D. Ill. 1990).

Opinion

OPINION

RICHARD MILLS, District Judge:

Habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254.

Petitioner complains that law enforcement officials improperly questioned him after he had asserted his right to counsel at his arraignment, thus violating his sixth amendment right to counsel as defined in Michigan v. Jackson, 475 U.S. 625, 106 S.Ct. 1404, 89 L.Ed.2d 631 (1986).

Respondent answers that Petitioner did not request counsel within the meaning of Jackson, and so waived his sixth amendment right to counsel by virtue of the holding in Patterson v. Illinois, 487 U.S. 285, 108 S.Ct. 2389, 101 L.Ed.2d 261 (1988).

Respondent also suggests that the posture of this case will cause us to reconcile the Jackson and Patterson cases.

The factual background of this case goes back to January 28, 1988, when Petitioner and two buddies made a pre-dawn invasion of the home of Paul and Mary Hoots in Scott County, Illinois. Two of the three intruders, armed with a handgun, entered the Hoots' residence, tied them up, and took items from the house including a VCR, a small wooden chest containing silverware, watches, a ring, a.pillowcase, and cash. The intruders left behind, though, a flashlight and some footprints.

Petitioner was arrested for the home invasion on February 18, 1988, and at his trial, inter alia, testimony established that the footprint found at the Hoots residence could have been made-by shoes belonging to Petitioner, and also that a fingerprint found on the flashlight left at the Hoots home was that of Petitioner: The trial evidence also included post-arrest statements made by Petitioner to Sergeant John Yelliott on February 22, and to Officer Jerry. Lieb on February 25. The jury returned verdicts of guilty against Petitioner, upon which judgment was .entered for the offenses of theft over $300, armed robbery, residential burglary, and'armed violence. (Later, the residential burglary conviction was vacated by. the appellate court).

The statements made by Petitioner to Sergeant Yelliott and to Officer Lieb create the issue in this case. Following his February 18 arrest, Petitioner was arraigned on February 22. During the arraignment, this dialogue ensued before Judge Mann:

COURT: Mr. Farrell, you, as is true with regard to every man, are entitled to be represented by a lawyer at all future stages. You’re entitled to have a lawyer at the preliminary hearing, and if probable cause is found, you’re entitled to have a lawyer when I ask how you plead. And of course, if you plead not guilty, you’re entitled to have a lawyer at the trial in which case, or at which time, the question of guilty or innocence on these charges will be determined.
In the traditional sense, the right to a lawyer means a right to a lawyer whom you’d select, one you’d pick out, a lawyer in whose ability and integrity you have confidence. Oftentimes, we find that men in your position don’t have money enough, or financial resources enough, to hire a lawyer of their own choice, and if that’s true, and if they make request for it, a public defender is appointed, but traditionally, a man such as you has a right to say, “I want to hire John Doe,” or whatever his name is. “I know him, or I’ve heard of him. I believe he’s a good lawyer. I’m persuaded that he’s a good lawyer, and I’m sure he’ll work for me,” and if you intend, of course, to hire [1239]*1239a lawyer of your own selection, you may do so. On the other hand, as I said, if you haven’t got the money, we’ll see that you have a public defender, and he’ll be an experienced and competent defense attorney.
Do you understand me?
DEFENDANT: Yeah.
COURT: You going to hire a lawyer, Mr. Farrell?
DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
COURT: Sir?
DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
COURT: All right. Are you in a position at this time to tell me his name?
DEFENDANT: Not at the moment, no.
COURT: All right. How soon, Mr. Robinson [the prosecuting attorney], can the State be ready for preliminary hearing?
PROSECUTOR: We could do a preliminary Friday if the Court wishes.
COURT: It may not give Mr. Farrell time enough with his lawyer, and once again, Mr. Farrell, I’m not trying to be smart with you. You don’t have to tell me anything. You have an absolute right to remain silent if you want to. Make every effort as promptly as possible to have someone in your acquaintance contact this lawyer whom you hope to employ. We don’t like to make unnecessary trips back and forth to wherever you’re detained, and [it’s] probably no picnic for you to come down here handcuffed, so make an effort to get this guy or woman, I suppose it would be a man, however, if it is a defense lawyer, lined up in plenty of time for the preliminary hearing. It’ll save you unnecessary trips down here and save the county the necessity to send a deputy up for you.

Later that day, on February 22, Sergeant Yelliott visited Petitioner at the jail, and fully advised him of his rights pursuant to Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), and additionally had Petitioner sign a card attesting to having been advised of those rights. Sergeant Yelliott then interviewed Petitioner and obtained statements used against him at trial. Three days later, Petitioner was again interviewed, this time by Officer Lieb, who also informed Petitioner of his constitutional rights and had Petitioner sign a statement to that effect; more statements were made which were later used against Petitioner.

Petitioner never did retain counsel. On March 4, 1988, his preliminary hearing was held, and the court appointed a public defender to represent Petitioner at that hearing. Following that hearing, the appointment of the public defender was vacated (due to a potential conflict of interest), and Judge Mann again engaged Petitioner in a dialogue concerning counsel:

COURT: Mr. Farrell, I’m going to vacate the appointment of the Public Defender Mr. Cherry with regard to your case. I don’t want to suggest that you have no right still to employ counsel of your own choice. You have that right. You told me when you were in court that you would be doing that. I see that you have him not, from which I infer that you’ve not been able to employ counsel. Am I correct?
DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
COURT: Is that because you lack financial resources by means of which to do so?
DEFENDANT: No, it’s because, okay. Where they got me housing with county, I only have like three minutes to use the phone, you know, and every time I try to call this office, you know, I’m getting busy signals or whatever, and then when I try to call them last week, you know, he wasn’t in his office for a couple of days.

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

Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Brewer v. Williams
430 U.S. 387 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Edwards v. Arizona
451 U.S. 477 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Michigan v. Jackson
475 U.S. 625 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Arizona v. Roberson
486 U.S. 675 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Patterson v. Illinois
487 U.S. 285 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Michael McMonagle v. Northeast Women's Center, Inc
493 U.S. 901 (Supreme Court, 1989)
Michigan v. Harvey
494 U.S. 344 (Supreme Court, 1990)
Robert Lee Boles, Jr. v. Dale Foltz, Warden
816 F.2d 1132 (Sixth Circuit, 1987)
Frank Smith v. Richard L. Dugger
840 F.2d 787 (Eleventh Circuit, 1988)
United States v. Miguel Rodriguez
888 F.2d 519 (Seventh Circuit, 1989)
United States v. Gregory Scarpa, Jr.
897 F.2d 63 (Second Circuit, 1990)
People v. Farrell
536 N.E.2d 476 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1989)
Department of Banking & Consumer Finance v. Clarke
483 U.S. 1010 (Supreme Court, 1987)
Egly v. Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Co.
494 U.S. 1046 (Supreme Court, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
739 F. Supp. 1237, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7483, 1990 WL 82661, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-ex-rel-farrell-v-haws-ilcd-1990.