United States v. Ginyard

CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedAugust 25, 2022
DocketCriminal No. 2020-0155
StatusPublished

This text of United States v. Ginyard (United States v. Ginyard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ginyard, (D.D.C. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. Criminal Action No. 20-155 (CKK)

MICHAEL DONALD GINYARD, JR., Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION (August 25, 2022)

Defendant Michael Donald Ginyard, Jr. is charged by Indictment with unlawful possession

of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a

term exceeding one year, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). This charge arises from the recovery

of a pistol and ammunition during the execution of a search warrant at Defendant Ginyard’s

residence on May 30, 2020. The search warrant was obtained by an officer of the Washington

Humane Society (“WHS”), based upon an affidavit detailing three complaints that Defendant

Ginyard had mistreated his dog, in violation of D.C. Code § 22–1001, et seq.

Defendant Ginyard has filed a [54] Motion to Suppress Evidence obtained as a result of

the search and a [55] Motion to Suppress Statements made to law enforcement officers during the

execution of the search. In an earlier [110] Memorandum Opinion, the Court denied in part

Defendant Ginyard’s [54] Motion to Suppress Evidence to the extent it sought a Franks hearing to

challenge the integrity of the Affidavit submitted in support of the search warrant. See Mem. Op.

at 18–19. The Court found that Defendant Ginyard had failed to make a “substantial showing”

that the Affidavit contained “materially false statements or omitted material facts, or that any of

the purported deficiencies in the Affidavit were made with reckless disregard for the truth.” Id. at

19. The Court reviewed in detail the various alleged “false statements” and “material omissions” relied upon by Defendant Ginyard to challenge the Affidavit, and concluded that the exclusion of

the purported misleading statements or inclusion of the alleged omissions would not have defeated

the finding of probable cause.

The Court now addresses the arguments remaining in Defendant Ginyard’s Motion to

Suppress Evidence, which hinge on alleged deficiencies with the Search Warrant itself and

challenges to the reasonableness of the execution of the search. In addition, the Court addresses

Defendant Ginyard’s Motion to Suppress Statements, in which he seeks to suppress statements

made to law enforcement officers during the execution of the search warrant. Upon careful

consideration of the pleadings, 1 the relevant legal authorities, and the record as a whole, the Court

DENIES the [54] Motion to Suppress Evidence and GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART

the [55] Motion to Suppress Statements.

1 The Court’s consideration has focused on the following pleadings and accompanying exhibits: x Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Tangible Evidence and Statements (“Def.’s Mot. to Suppress Evid.”), ECF No. 54; x Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Statements (“Def.’s Mot. to Suppress Stmts.”), ECF No. 55; x United States’ Opposition to Defendant’s Motions to Suppress (“Gov.’s Opp’n”), ECF No. 57; x Reply to Government’s Opposition to Defendant’s Motions to Suppress (“Def.’s Reply”), ECF No. 59; x Supplemental Memorandum of Facts and Law in Support of Motions to Suppress Tangible Evidence and Statements (“Def.’s Suppl. Mem.”), ECF No. 68; x United States’ Supplemental Opposition to Defendant’s Motions to Suppress (“Gov.’s Suppl. Opp’n”), ECF No. 75; x Defendant’s Reply to Government’s Supplemental Opposition to Defendant’s Suppression Motions (“Def.’s Suppl. Reply”), ECF No. 91-1; x United States’ Reply in Opposition to Defendant’s Reply (and Previous Motions to Suppress) (“Gov.’s Suppl. Reply”), ECF No. 96; x Joint Notice of Filing Regarding Statements at Issue in Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Statements (“Joint Notice”), ECF No. 109; x Government’s Supplemental Motions Evidence Regarding Search Warrant Protocols and Criminal Records Protocols (“Gov.’s Suppl. Evid.”), ECF No. 114; and x Defendant’s Response to the Government’s Supplemental Motions Evidence Regarding Search Warrant Protocols (“Def.’s Resp. to Gov.’s Suppl. Evid.”), ECF No 117. In addition, the Court considers the arguments made by the parties during the motions hearing on June 29, 2022.

2 I. BACKGROUND

A. Procedural Posture

On May 29, 2020, Judge Steven Wellner of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

(“Superior Court”) authorized a search warrant (the “Search Warrant”) permitting law enforcement

officers to search Defendant Ginyard’s residence and the “surrounding yard and property.” Def.’s

Mot. to Suppress Evid. Ex. 1, Search Warrant, ECF No. 54-1. In so doing, Judge Wellner relied

on an affidavit submitted by Humane Law Enforcement Officer (“HLEO”) Ian Matheson (the

“Affidavit”), which detailed three complaints received by WHS between February and May 2020,

alleging that Defendant Ginyard had failed to provide adequate shelter for, improperly tethered,

and otherwise abused his dog. 2 See Def.’s Mot. to Suppress Evid. Ex. 2, Affidavit, ECF No. 54-2.

Judge Wellner concluded that there was probable cause to search Defendant Ginyard’s apartment

and the “surrounding yard and property” for “[p]roperty which constitutes the commission of a

crime in violation of [D.C. Code § 22–1001],” specifically “[a]nimals abused or neglected (dead

or alive, born or unborn, above ground or below), documents that provide proof of ownership or a

history of veterinary care, and any other evidence of animal cruelty/neglect.” 3 Search Warrant.

On May 30, 2020, officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) assisted

WHS in executing the search. Compl., Stmt. of Facts, ECF No. 1-1. During the search, an MPD

officer recovered from a filing box inside a bedroom closet a .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun,

loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and eleven rounds of ammunition in a

2 These three complaints are discussed in greater detail infra Section I(B). 3 Pursuant to D.C. Code § 22–1005, when a “complaint is made by any humane officer of the Washington Humane Society on oath or affirmation, to any magistrate authorized to issue warrants in criminal cases, that the complainant believes, and has reasonable cause to believe, that the laws in relation to cruelty to animals . . . being violated in any particular building or place,” the magistrate, “if satisfied that there is reasonable cause for such belief, shall issue a search warrant, authorizing any marshal, deputy marshal, police officer, or any humane officer of the Washington Humane Society to search such building or place.” D.C. Code § 22–1005.

3 fourteen-round capacity magazine. Id. A criminal history check showed that Defendant Ginyard

had a prior felony conviction in Superior Court for carrying a pistol without a license, for which

he was sentenced to twenty (20) months. Id. Defendant Ginyard was charged in this case with

one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of a Crime

Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year, in violation of 18 U.S.C.

§ 922(g)(1). See Indictment, ECF No. 16.

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