United States v. O'Driscoll

250 F. Supp. 2d 432, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25846, 2002 WL 32063814
District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania·Decided July 8, 2002·No. 4:CR-01-277·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

SEALED ORDER

MUIR, District Judge.

THE BACKGROUND OF THIS ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS:

On August 29, 2001, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael J. O’Driscoll with first-degree murder. On September 21, 2001, O’Driscoll appeared before the court for arraignment and entered a not guilty plea. On October 9, 2001, the government filed a notice of its intent to pursue the death penalty. On March 14, 2002, the government filed an amended notice of its intent to seek the death penalty.

A pretrial conference was held on March 25, 2002, and we issued an order on March 27, 2002, setting various scheduling deadlines and placing this case on the October, 2002, trial list. Paragraph 7 of the March 27th order provides that “[a] hearing shall commence on the first opening in oúr trial calendar after June 17, 2002, to determine the reliability of any and all evidence of unadjudicated acts of violence and misconduct the government intends to present during the penalty phase of the trial.” Briefing with regard to the standard to be employed by the court for determining reliability was concluded on April 12, 2002, when the government filed its reply brief. Footnote 1 of that reply brief stated as follows:

The Court’s scheduling order anticipates a hearing on this issue. The United States respectfully suggests that the issue can be resolved on the briefs and other written submissions by the parties. If the Court believes a hearing is necessary, the United States requests at least 30 days notice to arrange for the movement of the defendant by the United States Marshals Service.

By order of April 30, 2002, we directed the government to file its “written submissions” relating to the unadjudicated acts of violence and misconduct and a brief in support by May 17, 2002, and O’Driscoll was authorized to file an opposing brief on or before May 31, 2002.

On May 17, 2002, the government filed a brief in support and six volumes of exhibits which are in excess of 1000 pages. At a conference held on May 24, 2002, relating to a proposed juror questionnaire counsel for O’Driscoll stated co-counsel had discussed with government counsel the need for an extension of time to respond to the *434 government’s exhibits and brief in support. The court advised counsel that he should file a motion for extension of time.

On May 28, 2002, the court issued an order continuing sine die the hearing regarding the reliability of the evidence of unadjudicated acts of violence and misconduct. On May 29, 2002, counsel for O’Driscoll filed a motion for extension of time to respond to the United States’s proffer of evidence. By order of May 31, 2002, the court granted O’Driscoll an extension of time until June 10, 2002, to file a response to the government’s proffer of evidence. On June 10, 2002, O’Driscoll filed a document entitled “Brief in Opposition to the Government’s Motion to Proffer of Evidence of Unadjudicated Conduct Without an Evidentiary Hearing.” On June 27, 2002, the government filed a reply brief. Therefore, the matter is ripe for disposition.

The court is presented with a very difficult issue. We will commence our discussion by outlining the unadjudicated conduct which the government proposes to offer during the penalty phase of the trial. First, the government proposes to offer evidence regarding the following three unadjudicated acts of violence as distinct non-statutory aggravating factors to be considered and weighed by the jury:

(1) The assault and robbery of 78-year-old Howard Shirtcliff in Belcherton, Massachusetts, on June 4,1982;
(2) The aggravated assault and robbery of Irwin Kass in Colorado on January 20,1983; and
(3) The premeditated murder of Kent Leslie Martin in Kansas on or about January 21,1983.

The government also proposes to offer evidence of unadjudicated acts of violence and misconduct in support of the non-statutory aggravating factor of future dangerousness. The government states it intends to offer in support of the non-statutory aggravating factor of future dangerousness evidence of the following:

(1) Stabbing of Ernest B. Stacey during a robbery on December 18, 1978, in West Springfield, Massachusetts;
(2) Assault and robbery of Howard Shirtcliff, age 78, and theft of his handgun on June 4,1982, in Belcherton, Massachusetts;
(3) Shooting and robbery of Fred Swartzel and son on June 5, 1982, in Chicopee, Massachusetts;
(4) The aggravated assault and robbery of Irwin Kass in Colorado on January 20,1983;
(5) The premeditated murder of Kent Leslie Martin in Kansas on or about January 21,1983;
(6) Armed bank robbery of Peoples Bank in Holyoke, Massachusetts, using Kent Leslie Martin’s car on January 31, 1983;
(7) Armed bank robbery of Pioneer National Bank in Easthampton, Massachusetts, after which the defendant stole a car at gunpoint and locked victims in trunk of abandoned getaway car in Hun-tingdon, Massachusetts on July 6, 1983;
(8) Escape attempt and assault of United States Marshals while traveling westbound on Interstate 84 in Pennsylvania on January 5,1984;
(9) Escape attempt at United States Penitentiary, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on November 9,1991;
(10) Escape plot at United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 19,1995;
(11) Possession of escape paraphernalia at United States Penitentiary, Lewis-burg, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1996;
*435 (12) Possession of shank in Special Housing Unit at United States Penitentiary Allenwood on October 14, 1998;
(13) Assault on corrections staff resulting in use-of-force team in Special Housing Unit on April 30, 2001; and
(14) Assault on corrections staff resulting in use-of-force team in Special Housing Unit on April 9, 2002.

The government has submitted documentary evidence and two videotapes in support of the above alleged acts of violence and misconduct.

We will now address the standard to be applied in determining whether such evidence is admissible during the penalty phase of the trial. First, we observe that some courts have concluded that evidence of unadjudicated offenses and misconduct should not be admitted during a capital sentencing proceeding. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. McCoy, 405 Pa. 23, 172 A.2d 795, 799 (1961) (such evidence may confuse the jury and deprive an accused of an orderly trial); State v. McCormick, 272 Ind. 272, 397 N.E.2d 276, 281 (1979) (expressing the concern that a jury which had already convicted defendant of murder would be tainted in passing on the likelihood of his having committed other like offenses).

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United States v. O'Driscoll, 250 F. Supp. 2d 432, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25846, 2002 WL 32063814 (M.D. Pa. 2002).

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