United States v. Johnson

711 F. Supp. 506, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5119, 1989 WL 48044
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedApril 28, 1989
DocketCr. No. 4-87-120
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 711 F. Supp. 506 (United States v. Johnson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Johnson, 711 F. Supp. 506, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5119, 1989 WL 48044 (mnd 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

DIANA E. MURPHY, District Judge.

Defendant Amy Frances Johnson was charged in a three-count indictment with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine. Johnson waived her right to a jury trial and tried her case to the court. She was convicted on each count on January 29,1988. Defendant appealed and on November 9,1988 the Court of Appeals reversed and remanded with directions. United States v. Johnson, 861 F.2d 510 (8th Cir.1988). The Court of Appeals held that it was error not to have held an evidentiary hearing on defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment. Defendant argues that she is entitled to specific performance of an agreement that she not be prosecuted in federal court in exchange for her cooperation. The case was remanded for this court to determine whether the agreement defendant believes she had with the government existed, whether the government breached it, and whether any factors exist to make specific performance inappropriate. Id. at 513-14.

An evidentiary hearing was conducted over three days in January 1989. Testimony was received from defendant, attorneys who represented her in negotiations with the government, the Assistant United States Attorney who negotiated with Johnson’s attorneys, and the police officers who interviewed her. After the hearing, a transcript was prepared, and the parties then briefed their positions. The court now having considered all the evidence and arguments and having evaluated the demeanor and testimony of the witnesses, makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law in memorandum form.1

I.

Amy Frances Johnson2 sold one-half ounces of cocaine to an undercover Minneapolis police officer on both September 28 and 29, 1987. She was arrested after the sale on the 29th. A search of her home revealed further quantities of cocaine (2.22 ounces), a handgun, an O’Haus scale, two containers of inositol, and $6,000 in cash. Johnson was arrested and taken to jail.

After her arrest Johnson disclosed to officers some information regarding her involvement in drug purchases and sales. She also attempted to make a monitored phone call to a drug contact, but was unsuccessful. The officers were particularly interested in two areas. Johnson is a registered nurse and until shortly before her arrest had worked at the Hennepin County Medical Center. The officers believed that she had sold drugs to hospital coworkers and had removed narcotics from the hospital. The officers were also interested in Johnson’s sale of drugs to a uniformed [508]*508Minneapolis police officer and her use of drugs with that officer.

Shortly after her arrest she retained attorney Bruce Hanley to represent her. It was Hanley’s opinion that the evidence against Johnson presented a good case for the prosecution and that it was in her interest to attempt to have the charges brought in state court rather than federal court. After considering his advice Johnson informed Hanley that she wished to cooperate.

Assistant United States Attorney Jon Hopeman spoke by phone with Hanley on October 2, 1987 and discussed possible cooperation by Johnson. Hopeman told Han-ley that the police might be interested in receiving from Johnson a full account of her drug-related activities.3 Hopeman stated that any statements by Johnson would not be used against her at trial and would not be used to develop evidence against her. The agreement reached between Hopeman and Hanley was that if Johnson gave full information of her drug-related activities candidly and truthfully, then Hopeman would consider referring the prosecution to state court. In order to show her good faith and interest in cooperating, Johnson was to initiate the contact with officers Baltzer and VandeSteeg. After her cooperation, Hopeman would make the decision whether to seek federal indictment or refer the case to state court, and he would rely on the officers’ assessment of Johnson’s candor. The testimony of both Hanley and Hopeman shows that that was the only agreement entered. There was never any definite promise that Johnson’s case would be referred to state court if she cooperated.

Hanley has a policy of not generally representing clients who cooperate with the government. Soon after Johnson agreed to cooperate, Hanley referred her to attorney Philip Villaume. Villaume conferred with Hanley about the agreement regarding cooperation. Villaume testified that he understood from Hanley that if Johnson cooperated with the police by meeting with them and answering their questions, then the criminal matter would be referred to state court. Johnson testified that she understood from Villaume that the agreement contained this definite promise. Both Johnson and Villaume formed their understanding from Hanley’s description of the agreement he had negotiated with Hope-man. It appears that something was inadvertently lost in translation or interpretation.

In mid-October Villaume contacted Hope-man regarding Johnson’s cooperation. Hopeman repeated the same terms — that Johnson had to initiate the contact with the officers, and that if she testified fully, candidly, and truthfully, he would consider referring prosecution to state court. On November 2, 1987, Villaume again called Hopeman. He asked whether the opportunity to cooperate was still available. Hope-man told him that any meeting would have to take place that day since he was scheduled to present the matter to the federal grand jury the next day on November 3, 1987, and intended to seek an indictment. Villaume understood that Johnson would be required to provide more than bare facts — that she would be required to give full, forthright, and candid testimony about all aspects of her drug-related activities.

Johnson met with Officers Baltzer and VandeSteeg in the late afternoon of November 2, 1987. Villaume was not present and did not ask to attend, nor was Hope-man present. The officers made no promise to Johnson that by her cooperation she could avoid federal indictment. She was questioned about several topics: her drug sources, cocaine and marijuana sales — including sales to hospital co-workers, her removal of narcotics from the Hennepin County Medical Center, her relationship and drug activities with David Hibbin, and her knowledge of drug use by a uniformed police officer. During the meeting Johnson made clear that she would not participate in any undercover drug transactions [509]*509or make further phone calls to try to set up drug transactions. The meeting lasted a little more than one hour.

Baltzer and VandeSteeg, who were both present for most of the meeting, expressed frustration with Johnson’s lack of candor throughout the session. They testified that getting information from her was “like pulling teeth.” She volunteered very little and only provided brief answers to pointed questions. She frequently appeared reluctant to give information on a topic until the officers revealed they knew something about it and could determine that she was holding back information. During the meeting the officers told Johnson that she was not cooperating fully and was not telling them all she knew.

By the end of the meeting, the officers believed that Johnson was not being truthful in several regards. Johnson discounted her role in drug dealing with David Hibbin who had formerly lived with her and dealt drugs from her home.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
711 F. Supp. 506, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5119, 1989 WL 48044, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-johnson-mnd-1989.