United States v. Miranda

442 F. Supp. 786, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12400
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedDecember 14, 1977
Docket76-292-Cr-JLK
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 442 F. Supp. 786 (United States v. Miranda) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Miranda, 442 F. Supp. 786, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12400 (S.D. Fla. 1977).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING BOND PENDING APPEAL

JAMES LAWRENCE KING, District Judge.

This cause came on for consideration upon the petition of defendant, Fernando Miranda, to be released on bond pending the appeal of his conviction by a jury on December 6, 1977. The court, having considered the record and having heard oral argument on this matter, finds and concludes that the petition should be denied. 1

I. Factual Background:

On January 31, 1976, state and federal authorities uncovered a shipment of twenty-three (23) tons of marijuana at Bella Vista Point, Florida. As a result of the arrests made at that time, an indictment was returned in June of 1976 charging several defendants with various violations of federal law. Defendant, Fernando Miranda, was not indicted at that time. However, he was indicted subsequently in September of 1976. That indictment charged Miranda and others with violating five statutory provisions, one of which was dis *788 missed by this court at trial. The four remaining counts charged Miranda with:

(i) participation in a conspiracy to import quantities of marijuana into the United States; 2
(ii) importation of this substance; 3
(iii) possession of this substance; 4
(iv) unlawful possession of a firearm: to wit, three shotguns possessed during the commission of the offense of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. 5

A jury found defendant guilty' on each of these four counts. As a result of this conviction, defendant could be ordered to serve a maximum sentence of twenty-five years. 6

On or about March 1, 1976 — one month after the 23 ton shipment was uncovered and six months before defendant was indicted — a second fifteen (15) ton shipment of marijuana apparently occurred at No-Name Key. Defendant Miranda is presently under investigation for this offense. Further, the government’s chief witness in the case which resulted in defendant’s conviction has stated, to an agent who testified before this court, that defendant was involved in this importation. 7

In April of 1976, the defendant Miranda fled to Spain. F.B.I. Agent John Peterson testified at the bond hearing that during a conversation with Nora Gonzales, the former wife of Carlos Hernandez-Rumbaut, Ms. Gonzales informed him that she had been in Spain in the fall of 1976. Carlos Hernandez is an indicted co-defendant in this matter and he is currently a fugitive. While in Spain, she visited the residence of her former husband in Costa del Sol. At that time, she spoke with Fernando Miranda and, on the basis of her conversation, she concluded that he had been living with Carlos Hernandez for an extended period of time. In addition, the court believes, on the basis of the trial and the subsequent hearing, that Fernando Miranda and Carlos Hernandez-Rumbaut were the principals in these importations of drugs.

Defendant Miranda remained outside the United States from April of 1976 to June of 1977. By defendant’s own admission, he knew of the indictment pending against him as early as November of 1976, but waited until February 1977 before contacting his attorney to arrange a voluntary surrender in this matter.

In June of 1977, defendant Miranda surrendered to authorities in this country. During the entire period that he lived in Spain and continuing through to the present, defendant has not had a visible source of income. Testimony at trial revealed that Carlos Hernandez, discussed above, had assured all of the members of the conspiracy of unfailing financial support. In addition, he apparently stated that he would furnish those members with any documents needed to protect them in their activities or to catalyze their escape. Jose Perez, the principal witness in the case against. Miranda, testified that his $40,000 bond had been furnished by Hernandez and Miranda. Further, Perez testified that on one occasion, Carlos Hernandez literally “dumped” $100,000 on a table, stating that such funds were to be used for the protection of “his men”.

On November 29, 1977, the case against Fernando Miranda came to trial. The trial ended on December 6, 1977 with a guilty verdict on all four counts. Defendant now seeks release on bond pending his appeal.

II. Discussion:

This court recognizes its obligation, under Rule 9(b) of the Federal Rules of Appellate *789 Procedure, to designate the specific statutory provision upon which it bases its decision. In addition, this rule requires the court to delineate the rationale underlying its choice of that specific provision. See, Weaver v. United States, 131 U.S.App.D.C. 388, 405 F.2d 353 (1968). However, because the court believes that its decision herein represents a major step in the development of criminal law in this circuit, if not the nation, it will attempt to set forth the concerns underlying its decision to commit the defendant into custody without bond in greater detail than might otherwise be mandated.

A. The■ Criteria for Denying Bail:

The court notes, as a preliminary matter, that the criteria for granting bail pending appeal are far more stringent than the criteria applicable to a decision on bail before a trial has commenced. See, 18 U.S.C. § 3148. This court is guided in its bail determination by the Bail Reform Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3148. That Act designates two major factors which this court must consider in its decision-making calculus in these matters: (i) the danger to the community posed by the defendant and (ii) the risk that defendant will flee the jurisdiction if permitted to remain free on bond. See, also, United States v. Stanley, 152 U.S.App.D.C. 170, 469 F.2d 576 (1972).

These two factors embody several more specific concerns. These concerns have been enumerated by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in United States v. Stanley, supra, as follows:

(i) the nature and circumstances of the offense;
(ii) weight of the evidence against the accused;
(iii) the defendant’s family ties;
(iv) the defendant’s employment status;
(v) the defendant’s financial resources;

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Bluebook (online)
442 F. Supp. 786, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12400, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-miranda-flsd-1977.