United States v. John Dillard O'Bryant

775 F.2d 1528, 1985 U.S. App. LEXIS 24002
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedNovember 15, 1985
Docket84-3640
StatusPublished
Cited by94 cases

This text of 775 F.2d 1528 (United States v. John Dillard O'Bryant) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. John Dillard O'Bryant, 775 F.2d 1528, 1985 U.S. App. LEXIS 24002 (11th Cir. 1985).

Opinion

KRAVITCH, Circuit Judge:

John O’Bryant was convicted on three counts of making a false statement in applications for passports. 18 U.S.C. § 1542. O’Bryant challenges his conviction on four grounds: first, that the indictment against him should have been dismissed because of the government’s failure to prosecute him within the time limits set out in the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3161 et seq.; second, that the trial court improperly failed to suppress the fruits of a warrantless search; third, that the court improperly rejected several of his requested jury instructions; and finally that the court inadequately polled the jury. We conclude that the court committed no reversible error and affirm O’Bryant’s conviction.

I. BACKGROUND

On July 2, 1982, Hallandale police officer Ted Crespi, while on routine parole, spied a briefcase next to an overflowing trash dumpster. Officer Crespi unlatched the briefcase and examined its contents. He found numerous pieces of identification inside. Crespi turned the briefcase over to Detective Negrería who, after examining the contents, turned the briefcase over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The briefcase contained two passports and passport applications in the name of John Dillard O’Bryant as well as passports in the names of George Allan Williams and George Edwin Cuenca. All of the passports bore O’Bryant’s photograph. The briefcase also contained birth certificates, drivers’ licenses and other identification documents in various names.

II. THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT

18 U.S.C. § 3161 provides a seventy day period from the date of the information or indictment or the date on which the defendant appeared before a judicial officer of the court where charges are pending, whichever last occurs, and the commencement of the trial. 18 U.S.C. § 3161(c)(1). Failure of the government to bring the defendant to trial within the seventy day period results in dismissal of the case. 18 U.S.C. § 3162(a)(2). Under section 3161(h), however, certain periods of delay are excludable when calculating the time limit:

(h) The following periods of delay shall be excluded in computing the time within which an. information or an indictment must be filed, or in computing the time within which the trial of any such offense must commence:
*1530 (1) Any period of delay resulting from other proceedings concerning the defendant, including but not limited to — [certain specified proceedings].

18 U.S.C. § 3161(h). 1

Appellant contends that the time span between his indictment and trial exceeded the allowable seventy days and therefore the charges against him must be dismissed in accordance with section 3162(a)(2). In order to properly compute the time involved, the sequence of events must be reviewed.

September 15, 1982 — O’Bryant indicted in the Middle District of Florida on three counts of making a false statement in a passport application and an arrest warrant issued the next day.

May 12, 1983 — O’Bryant arrested in Maryland for misdemeanor boating violations and held on state bond.

May 13, 1983 — O’Bryant brought before a federal magistrate in Baltimore who set $1,000,000 bond and remanded O’Bryant to state officials. Detainer notice filed by federal marshals. 2

August 17, 1983 — O’Bryant tried and convicted on state charges. State court set appeal bond in same amount as trial bail bond.

December 20, 1983 — State charges against O’Bryant dismissed on appeal.

March 15, 1984 — O’Bryant brought before a magistrate in Florida. Arraignment continued until March 21, 1984 to enable O’Bryant’s attorney to be present.

March 21, 1984 — O’Bryant arraigned, and defense counsel moved for discovery; hearings on discovery motion set for April 13, 1984.

March 28, 1984 — Government filed notice of speedy trial considerations. Next day O’Bryant moved for reduction of bond.

April 6, 1984 — Trial court ordered O’Bryant to respond to the government’s notice of speedy trial considerations by April 13.

*1531 April 16,1984 — O’Bryant filed motions to dismiss the indictment and suppress evidence. Government filed motion to revoke defense counsel’s pro hac vice admission for failure to abide by April 13 filing date set by court.

April 17, 1984 — O’Bryant’s counsel failed to appear at status conference. New status conference scheduled for April 30, and subsequently rescheduled for May 18 to accommodate O’Bryant’s attorney.

May 17, 1984 — O’Bryant’s attorney filed motion to continue May 18 status conference. Status conference finally held on May 31, 1984 and trial date set for June 18, 1984.

June 8, 1984 — O’Bryant moved to continue trial date; motion granted on June 14. Trial date set for July 2, 1984.

June 11, 1984 — Court order deferred ruling on O’Bryant’s motion to suppress until the conclusion of the government’s case-in-chief.

June 19, 1984 — O’Bryant’s motion to dismiss for violations of Speedy Trial Act denied.

Although O’Bryant was indicted in September of 1982,, he was not brought before a judicial officer of the Middle District of Florida until March 15, 1984. At that time the arraignment proceedings were continued until March 21, 1984, to enable O’Bryant’s attorney to attend the proceedings. O’Bryant argues that the seventy day time period should have begun running from May 13, 1983, when he was brought before a United States magistrate in Maryland. On its face, however, the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3161(c)(1) provides otherwise. That section specifically indicates that the seventy day period does not begin until an indictment is filed or a defendant “appear[s] before a judicial officer of the court in which [the charge against the defendant] is pending, whichever date last occurs.” Case law and the legislative history of the Act also indicate that, where an indictment has been filed, the seventy day clock does not begin running until a defendant has appeared in the court where the charges are pending. United States v. Wilson, 720 F.2d 608, 609 (9th Cir.1983) (quoting Judicial Conference of the United States, Committee on the Administration of the Criminal Law,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
775 F.2d 1528, 1985 U.S. App. LEXIS 24002, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-john-dillard-obryant-ca11-1985.