United States v. Turner

365 F. App'x 918
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 12, 2010
Docket07-5143
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 365 F. App'x 918 (United States v. Turner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth 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. Turner, 365 F. App'x 918 (10th Cir. 2010).

Opinion

ORDER AND JUDGMENT *

TERRENCE L. O’BRIEN, Circuit Judge.

Desmond Dion Turner appeals from his convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack), cocaine, and marijuana and use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was convicted by a jury. He voices no complaints about the trial or the adequacy of his retained attorney. Instead he complains that possible pretrial irregularities coupled with an inadequate record from which to appeal compel reversal. Most of his concerns are imagined and were not properly preserved (none were called to the attention of the district judge). As to the remainder, if error occurred it was harmless. We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

In late January 2007, Turner was arrested after police arranged a controlled buy in an Oklahoma hotel room. An indictment charged Turner with possession with intent to distribute crack, cocaine and marijuana and use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He had six pretrial proceedings. 1

Turner first appeared before a magistrate judge on March 26, 2007. 2 Represented by an Assistant Federal Public Defender, he acknowledged having read and understood the indictment. Turner stated he was attempting to retain counsel. The magistrate judge granted a continuance so Turner could make these arrangements. Arraignment was set for March 28, 2007. The government filed a motion for pretrial detention and requested a detention hearing. 3 The magistrate judge scheduled the detention hearing for March 28, 2007.

Turner next appeared before the magistrate judge on March 28, 2007, again rep *922 resented by an Assistant Federal Public Defender. He informed the magistrate judge he was still attempting to retain an attorney who was out of town for personal reasons. The magistrate judge again continued the matter to allow Turner the opportunity to consult with counsel.

On April 8, 2007, Turner and his retained attorney appeared before the magistrate. Turner pled not guilty and again stated he had read and understood the indictment. The magistrate judge asked Turner’s lawyer how he wished to proceed on the government’s detention motion. Counsel stated he needed time to prepare. The magistrate judge honored the request for additional time and set a date agreeable to Turner’s counsel.

On April 5, 2007, Turner and his counsel appeared for the detention hearing. 4 The government called one witness who testified regarding the circumstances surrounding Turner’s arrest. Turner called his former employer who testified he would rehire Turner if he was released. The magistrate judge sustained the government’s motion for detention. Although the magistrate judge issued no written findings or a statement of reasons, he made oral findings in support of his decision which noted: Turner’s past departure from the jurisdiction before fulfilling his supervised release conditions, his attempted flight from the police and failure to show his hands while possessing a loaded weapon when arrested on the current charges, his past drug use, the fact his current offense was a crime of violence and his limited history, family ties and employment record in the community. No request for written findings or a written statement of reasons was made, nor did Turner seek review of the detention order by the district court. See 18 U.S.C. § 3145(b).

On May 22, 2007, Turner and his attorney appeared for a pretrial conference. His attorney stated the government had provided a written plea agreement that appeared to be acceptable but he had not had time to review it with Turner in detail. However, he represented he was authorized to inform the court that a trial would not be needed. The magistrate judge scheduled a change of plea hearing but stated if there was no plea Turner would be expected to go to trial as scheduled.

On May 80, 2007 — three business days before trial was to begin — Turner appeared with his attorney. Defense counsel informed the magistrate judge Turner would not be pleading guilty and wanted to proceed to trial with a new attorney. 5 The attorneys and the magistrate judge discussed plea negotiations and Turner’s rejection of the government’s proposed plea bargain, the time needed for a trial, and Turner’s request for a different attorney. When the magistrate judge asked why he wanted new counsel, Turner responded:

Well, we did talk, like, last week when I came to court about the plea and everything but everything still wasn’t ex *923 plained to me, the guidelines weren’t gone over with me. I mean, I still wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do. I didn’t get a visit from my lawyer until Tuesday which I thought was my court date.
So it was, like — I just feel like he’s not really working for me and I feel like — I mean, I feel like we’ve lost already. He’s not really — I don’t feel like he’s fighting for me at all. So, therefore, I don’t think it would be right to represent me as my lawyer.

(R. Supp. Vol. II at 6.) The magistrate judge told Turner that he had time to speak with his attorney before trial was set to begin and directed him to explain his concerns in writing to the district court judge who would preside at the trial. Implicitly, the magistrate judge denied the request to substitute counsel.

Turner appeared with his attorney for trial on June 4, 2007. Defense counsel stated the defense was ready. Neither defense counsel nor Turner raised an objection about the pretrial proceedings and Turner did not renew his request for appointment of new counsel. After a two-day trial, the jury found Turner guilty. Turner was sentenced to seventy-eight months imprisonment. He raises no complaint about his trial or sentencing.

Rather, Turner’s appellate arguments involve two concerns: the transcription accuracy of the pretrial proceedings and the adequacy of those proceedings. He distills these concerns to six issues: (1) the district court’s failure to preserve a record adequate to afford a meaningful appeal; (2) a violation of the Court Reporter’s Act through failure to accurately transcribe proceedings; (3) procedural errors by the magistrate judge during Turner’s arraignment and initial appearance; (4) the magistrate’s failure to issue written findings or a statement of reasons when granting the government’s motion for pretrial detention; (5) the magistrate’s failure to properly consider his desire to substitute counsel; and (6) to the extent each of these alleged errors are harmless, cumulative error requiring reversal.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Record Issues

1. Transcription of the pretrial proceedings

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Related

Turner v. United States
177 L. Ed. 2d 344 (Supreme Court, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
365 F. App'x 918, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-turner-ca10-2010.