United States v. Boyd

29 F. Supp. 3d 658, 2014 WL 2930832, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 87798
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. North Carolina
DecidedJune 27, 2014
DocketNo. 2:14-CR-13-FL-2
StatusPublished

This text of 29 F. Supp. 3d 658 (United States v. Boyd) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Boyd, 29 F. Supp. 3d 658, 2014 WL 2930832, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 87798 (E.D.N.C. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

LOUISE W. FLANAGAN, District Judge.

This matter came before the court this date upon hearing on the government’s appeal of release order (DE 35), filed June 23, 2014. Defendant is charged with multiple drug crimes. Defendant appeared before the Honorable Kimberly A. Swank, United States Magistrate Judge, for hearing June 20, 2014, on the government’s motion for pretrial detention. The magistrate judge denied the motion upon hearing and entered order setting release conditions, including that the defendant be released to return to the residence shared with his mother under her supervision, and placed on home detention supported by electronic monitoring. This decision subsequently was stayed upon the government’s request, pending consideration by this court of the instant motion seeking the court to revoke the decision to release defendant pending trial.

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3145(a), if a person is ordered released by a magistrate judge, the attorney for the government may file with the district court a motion for revocation of the order. 18 U.S.C. § 3145(a). The district court should conduct a de novo review of the decision by the magistrate judge. United States v. Clark, 865 F.2d 1433, 1437 (4th Cir.1989); United States v. Williams, 753 F.2d 329, 333 (4th Cir.1985); United States v. Ramey, 602 F.Supp. 821, 822-24 (E.D.N.C.1985). In doing so, the court makes an independent determination as to whether the magistrate judge’s findings are correct based on the court’s review of the evidence before the magistrate judge. See Williams, 753 F.2d at 333-34. The court may conduct a further evidentiary hearing if it is necessary or desirable in carrying out the review. See id., at 333; see also United States v. Koenig, 912 F.2d 1190, 1192 (9th Cir.1990) (district court has discretion on whether to conduct a further evidentiary hearing); United States v. Delker, 757 F.2d 1390, 1393-94 (3rd Cir.1985); United States v. Fortna, 769 F.2d 243, 249-50 (5th Cir.1985) (same).

Upon thorough review of the government’s motion for pretrial detention and the magistrate judge’s order of release, the pretrial report .prepared by the [660]*660United States Probation Office, the matters made a part of the record in this case, including the instant motion and supporting memorandum, as well as defendant’s response, and after further hearing June 27, 2014, at which the court received testimony of a law enforcement officer, the court finds the decision to deny the motion for pretrial detention and release defendant was in error. For the reasons set forth below, it is ordered that defendant be detained pending disposition of the case.

Defendant is subject by operation of law to the presumption, which may be rebutted by the defendant, that he is a risk of flight and a danger to the community, and that no condition or combination of conditions can be fashioned to assure his appearance and that he will not be a danger. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(e). In determining whether there are conditions of release, pursuant to § 3142(c), that will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required and the safety of any other person and the community, the court must take into account the available information concerning:

(1) the nature and circumstances of the offense charged, including whether the offense is a crime of violence Or involves a narcotic drug;
(2) the weight of the evidence against the person;
(3) the history and characteristics of the person, including
(A) the person’s character, physical and mental condition, family ties, employment, financial resources, .length of residence in the community, community ties, past conduct, history relating to drug or alcohol abuse, criminal history, and record concerning appearance at court proceedings; and
(B) whether, at the time of the current-offense or arrest, the pérson was on probation, on parole, or on other release.
(4)the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community that would be posed by the- person’s release.

. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(g).

In this case, the government contends that defendant poses a significant risk of danger to the community, and moreover, that he has not rebutted the presumption weighing heavily against him, despite the offer of his mother as a third-party custodian. The mother’s absences from the home for work reasons undercut her effectiveness. Testimony elicited by the government also shows this defendant’s repeated association with gang members during periods of residency with his mother, including individuals who were and/or are now under investigation for murder offenses.

While without criminal record of conviction, save for traffic offenses, it is noted defendant was subject to investigation in 2011, for assault and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill in 2011. That charge was dismissed. That contact with the criminal justice system appears to have served no moderating influence on defendant’s associations, as described also in the government’s brief, which corresponds to the testimony heard today about defendant’s continued gang involvement, and his affiliations with individuals subject to investigation for violent offenses involving use of firearms. A firearm was recovered from premises at which the co-defendant was arrested, which testimony showed the co-defendant later urged this defendant to admit to possessing, while the co-defendant was incarcerated on related state charges, as a favor due because defendant introduced the co-defendant to the individual later revealed to be an informant.

[661]*661Defendant also was urged by D’Quel Najae Washington, while incarcerated, to locate that confidential- informant, too. Testimony was heard that one of defendant’s known associates is the subject of an investigation involving the murder of a confidential informant in the same area. However, there is no evidence the informant in this -case' has been threatened.

The co-defendant’s girlfriend’s residence appears to have played a central role in facilitating illicit contact among defendants and asserted gang members, and defendants’ alleged drug activities. Moreover, the girlfriend appears to have played a roll, too, in serving as a conduit for communications as between her paramour, Washington, and this defendant, with intent to thwart the investigation.

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Related

United States v. Robert P. Delker
757 F.2d 1390 (Third Circuit, 1985)
United States v. Albert Samuel Fortna, Jr.
769 F.2d 243 (Fifth Circuit, 1985)
United States v. Richard C. Koenig
912 F.2d 1190 (Ninth Circuit, 1990)
United States v. Ramey
602 F. Supp. 821 (E.D. North Carolina, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
29 F. Supp. 3d 658, 2014 WL 2930832, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 87798, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-boyd-nced-2014.