United States v. Michael Bartel

19 F.3d 1105, 139 A.L.R. Fed. 747, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 5610, 1994 WL 96639
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedMarch 28, 1994
Docket93-1283, 93-1936
StatusPublished
Cited by62 cases

This text of 19 F.3d 1105 (United States v. Michael Bartel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth 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. Michael Bartel, 19 F.3d 1105, 139 A.L.R. Fed. 747, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 5610, 1994 WL 96639 (6th Cir. 1994).

Opinions

MILBURN, Circuit Judge.

Defendant Michael Bartel appeals his guilty plea conviction to one count of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Specifically, defendant challenges the district court’s failure to dismiss the indictment against him on the ground that the indictment was based upon his testimony before a grand jury, for which he had been granted use immunity under 18 U.S.C. § 6002. On appeal, the issues are (1) whether the district court’s denial of defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment was clearly erroneous, and (2) whether this court should adopt the per se rule of United States v. [1107]*1107Hinton, 543 F.2d 1002 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 980, 97 S.Ct. 493, 50 L.Ed.2d 589 (1976), which creates a supervisory rule prohibiting a grand jury from indicting a witness who has testified before the grand jury under a grant of immunity. For the reasons that follow, we affirm and decline to adopt the per se rule of United States v. Hinton.

I.

A.

Defendant Bartel was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury on October 16, 1991. The grand jury was investigating a number of persons, especially the Christunas family, for alleged violations involving the possession and distribution of marijuana. On the advice of counsel, defendant asserted his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and refused to answer any of the grand jury’s questions. Thereafter, defendant was ordered to appear before the same grand jury on December 5,1991. Defendant Bartel’s testimony before the grand jury was compelled by a grant of use immunity for the testimony under 18 U.S.C. § 6002.1 At the outset of his grand jury testimony, defendant was advised that he was not a target of the grand jury’s investigation.

During the course of his grand jury testimony, defendant Bartel admitted that he had been acquainted with Kenneth Christunas for approximately fifteen years. Defendant characterized his relationship with Ken Christunas as “just friends.” J.A. 87. Defendant also testified that he was purchasing his home at 34412 McBride, Romulus, Michigan, pursuant to a land contract from Ken Christunas, who had built the home in 1980. Defendant also testified that he became acquainted with Ken Christunas through his brother, Dave Christunas, whom he had met when they worked together at Corby Construction. Defendant testified Dave Christu-nas was “[j]ust a friend.” J.A. 90.

Whenever a witness refuses, on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or provide other information in a proceeding before or ancillary to—
(1) a court or grand jury of the United States,
and the person presiding over the proceeding communicates to the witness an order issued under this part, the witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination; but no testimony or other information compelled under the order (or any information directly or indirectly derived from such testimony or other information) may be used against the witness in any criminal case, except a prosecution for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the order.

Defendant Bartel further testified that during the early 1980’s he had no knowledge that either Dave Christunas or Ken Christu-nas were using or dealing in controlled substances. However, Bartel admitted that sometime in the mid-1980’s, Dave Christunas told him that his brother, Ken Christunas, had been arrested in Florida and that marijuana was found in the trunk of the car which Ken Christunas was driving. Bartel also testified that in June 1990, he was aware that David Christunas had been arrested. Bartel stated that he was surprised by the arrest of Dave Christunas. According to Bartel, he stopped to eat at a deli owned by Dave Christunas, and Christunas told him that he had been arrested for hauling marijuana. Bartel testified that he subsequently learned that Dave Christunas went to jail as a result of that arrest.

Defendant Bartel also testified that he was not aware of the financial status of Ken Christunas; however, he stated that he believed Ken Christunas either owned or was a partner in several strip malls. Furthermore, defendant Bartel testified that he had never made a trip to Florida at the request of Ken Christunas and that he had never stored anything at his home for Ken Christunas. Bartel also testified that he would be surprised if someone stated that he stored marijuana at his home for Ken Christunas.

Defendant Bartel testified that within the last five years he had used marijuana once at a party. According to Bartel, the party was a block party, and he smoked a joint of marijuana with some of the persons at the party. • Bartel also testified that within the last ten years, he did not obtain marijuana from anyone, had not had possession of any [1108]*1108marijuana, and had not stored any marijuana in his house. Bartel also testified that he had never stored marijuana in his home.

Defendant Bartel also admitted that he knew an individual named Gary Sancho and another individual named Patrick Ogle. Bar-tel testified that Pat Ogle had been to his home on approximately two occasions and that on both occasions Ogle was accompanied by Dave Christunas.2

Subsequently, on April 13,1992, the grand jury returned an indictment against twelve persons charging them with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and various other crimes. Defendant Bartel was not named in that indictment.

Michael Blackwood, a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), appeared before the grand jury on July 16,1992. Blackwood testified that three individuals had supplied information that defendant Bartel was a participant in the Christunas organization. Blackwood testified that one of these three individuals, Patrick Ogle, had grown up with the Christunas family in Marquette, Michigan, and had been involved with David Christunas in delivering and transporting maryuana. On two occasions Ogle and David Christunas went to defendant Bartel’s home and picked up bales of marijuana from Bartel’s garage. Black-wood testified that Ogle told him that Bartel stored marijuana for the Christunases and that whenever the Christunases needed some marijuana to distribute to their customers, they could go to Bartel’s home because that was where the Christunases kept some of their marijuana. David Christunas also told Ogle that there were more bales of marijua--na stored in the rafters of defendant’s home.

Blackwood also testified that information about defendant was provided by John Fred-erickson. Frederickson hauled marijuana for the Christunases from Florida and Texas.

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19 F.3d 1105, 139 A.L.R. Fed. 747, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 5610, 1994 WL 96639, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-michael-bartel-ca6-1994.