United States v. Plaskett

49 V.I. 640, 2008 WL 444552, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8561
CourtDistrict Court, Virgin Islands
DecidedFebruary 4, 2008
DocketCriminal No. 2007-60
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 49 V.I. 640 (United States v. Plaskett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Plaskett, 49 V.I. 640, 2008 WL 444552, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8561 (vid 2008).

Opinion

GÓMEZ, Chief Judge

MEMORANDUM OPINION

(February 4, 2008)

Before the Court are the motions of defendants Leroy Marchena (“Marchena”), Dean C. Plaskett (“Plaskett”), and Marc A. Biggs (“Biggs”) (collectively, the “Defendants”) to dismiss the indictment in this matter. For the reasons stated below, the Court will deny the motions to dismiss.

I. FACTS

On November 8, 2007, a grand jury returned a twelve-count indictment against Plaskett, Biggs, and Marchena. Count One charges conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and to commit honest services mail fraud against Plaskett and Biggs. Counts Two through Four charge federal program bribery against Plaskett Five through Seven charge federal program bribery against Biggs. Count Eight charges Plaskett and Marchena with conspiracy to obstruct justice. Counts Nine and Ten charge Plaskett and Marchena with obstruction of justice. Count Eleven charges Plaskett with making a false statement. Count Twelve charges Plaskett and Biggs with making fraudulent claims upon the government, under Virgin Islands law.

The Defendants argue that dismissal is appropriate due to various defects in the grand jury procedure. Additionally, Plaskett and Biggs contend that Counts One and Five must be dismissed because the offenses charged therein are barred by the applicable statute of limitations. Plaskett and Marchena also argue that Counts Eight through Ten should be dismissed for failure to allege the elements of the crimes charged therein. Finally, Biggs seeks dismissal of Count Twelve on grounds that it fails to allege the elements of the offense, and infringes upon his first amendment right to free speech as well as his Fifth Amendment privilege to be free from self-incrimination.

[645]*645II. DISCUSSION

A. Right to Indictment by a Grand Jury

The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees that “[n]o person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.” U.S. Const. amend. V. The grand jury determines whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed, protecting citizens from baseless prosecutions. See United States v. R. Enters., Inc., 498 U.S. 292, 297-98, 111 S. Ct. 722, 112 L. Ed. 2d 795 (1991) (explaining that the Grand Jury’s “task is to conduct an ex parte investigation to determine whether or not there is probable cause to prosecute a particular defendant”); In re Grand Jury, 286 F.3d 153, 159 (3d Cir. 2002) (“The grand jury belongs to no branch of the institutional Government, serving as a kind of buffer or referee between the Government and the people.”).

“In the unincorporated Territory of the Virgin Islands the requirement of the Fifth Amendment for indictment of a grand jury is not applicable.” Gov’t of the V.I. v. Dowling, 633 F.2d 660, 667 (3d Cir. 1980); see also United States v. Ntreh, 279 F.3d 255, 256 (3d Cir. 2002) (“[Residents of the Virgin Islands have no constitutional right to indictment by a grand jury.”); Rivera v. Gov’t of the V.I., 375 F.2d 988, 991, 6 V.I. 155 (3d Cir. 1967) (“[T]he right of presentment by grand jury is merely a remedial right which is not among the fundamental rights which Congress in legislating for a territory not incorporated into the United States, such as the Virgin Islands, must secure to its inhabitants.”).

Rather, in the Virgin Islands,

all offenses against the laws of the United States and the laws of the Virgin Islands which are prosecuted in the district court... may be had by indictment by grand jury or by information, and that all offenses against the laws of the Virgin Islands which are prosecuted in the district court pursuant to section 1612(b) of this title or in the courts established by local law shall continue to be prosecuted by information, except such as may be required by local law to be prosecuted by indictment by grand jury.

Revised Organic Act § 3, 48 U.S.C. § 1561 (1984); see also Fed. R. Crim. P. 1(a)(3)(C) (2002) (stating that in “the district court of the Virgin Islands, [646]*646except that the prosecution of offenses in that court must be by indictment or information as otherwise provided by law”). No such local law requiring any Territorial crimes to be prosecuted by indictment has been enacted. Accordingly, neither federal nor territorial crimes must be charged by indictment in the Virgin Islands. See Rivera v. Gov’t of the V.I., 375 F.2d 988, 6 V.I. 155 (3d Cir. 1967) (explaining that “it is settled” that the Fifth Amendment right to a grand jury indictment does not govern a prosecution for offenses against the Virgin Islands “without Congressional approval”); Ntreh, 279 F.3d at 259 (“[W]e hold that the United States of America may prosecute a federal felony offense in the District Court of the Virgin Islands by information.”); Gov’t of the V.I. v. Rijos, 285 F. Supp. 126, 6 V.I. 475 (D.V.I.1968) (holding that the right to a grand jury indictment does not apply to a prosecution in the Virgin Islands for offenses against the United States).

B. Sufficiency of the Indictment

Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12(b)(2) (“Rule 12(b)(2)”) permits pre-trial dismissal of an indictment, “if its allegations do not suffice to charge an offense.” United States v. DeLaurentis, 230 F.3d 659, 661 (3d Cir. 2000) (citing United States v. Sampson, 371 U.S. 75, 78-79, 83 S. Ct. 173, 9 L. Ed. 2d 136 (1962)). A district court evaluating such a motion considers “only those objections that are ‘capable of determination without the trial of the general issue.’” United States v. Gallagher, 602 F.2d 1139, 1142 (3d Cir. 1979) (quoting United States v. Knox, 396 U.S. 77, 90 S. Ct. 363, 24 L. Ed. 2d 275 (1969)).

In determining the sufficiency of the charges in a criminal indictment, the court should “accept[] as true the factual allegations set forth in the indictment.” United States v. Besmajian, 910 F.2d 1153, 1154 (3d Cir. 1990) (citing Boyce Motor Lines v. United States, 342 U.S. 337, 343, 72 S. Ct. 329, 96 L. Ed. 367 (1952)). The sufficiency of an indictment “may not be properly challenged by a pretrial motion on the ground that it is not supported by adequate evidence.” Ld. (citations and quotations omitted).

Generally, an indictment will be deemed sufficient if it: [647]*647United States v. Rankin,

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Bluebook (online)
49 V.I. 640, 2008 WL 444552, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8561, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-plaskett-vid-2008.