Title: Sandman v. Commonwealth

State: massachusetts

Issuer: Massachusetts Supreme Court

Document:

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SJC-12645 
 
JORDAN P. SANDMAN  vs.  COMMONWEALTH. 
 
 
May 17, 2019. 
 
 
Supreme Judicial Court, Superintendence of inferior courts.  
Practice, Criminal, Revocation of probation. 
 
 
 
The petitioner, Jordan P. Sandman, appeals from a judgment 
of a single justice of this court denying his petition pursuant 
to G. L. c. 211, § 3.  We affirm. 
 
 
In September 2016, Sandman pleaded guilty to several 
offenses and was sentenced to two concurrent terms of two years 
in a house of correction and two concurrent terms of four years' 
probation.  In October 2016, he pleaded guilty to several other 
offenses and was sentenced to seven months in a house of 
correction, deemed served, and the balance suspended for two 
years.  Then, in June 2018, while serving the probationary 
portion of the 2016 sentences, he was charged with new crimes.  
On July 11, 2018, at a probation revocation and dangerousness 
hearing, Sandman stipulated to the probation violation as well 
as to dangerousness pursuant to G. L. c. 276, § 58A.  He then 
filed, in October 2018, his G. L. c. 211, § 3, petition, seeking 
relief from the sentence imposed as a result of the probation 
violation as well as from the new, June 2018 charges.1  He 
argued, generally, that several of his constitutional rights 
have been violated, including his right to due process under the 
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and his right 
to counsel under the Sixth Amendment to the United States 
                                                 
 
1 He also filed, in the District Court, a motion for 
reconsideration of the revocation of his probation and the 
resulting sentence, which was denied. 
2 
 
 
Constitution.  The single justice denied the petition without a 
hearing. 
 
 
Relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3, is properly denied where, 
as here, "there are other routes by which the petitioning party 
may adequately seek relief."  Sabree v. Commonwealth, 432 Mass. 
1003, 1003 (2000).  As the petitioner, it was Sandman's burden, 
pursuant to G. L. c. 211, § 3, "to demonstrate the absence or 
inadequacy of other remedies."  Russell v. Nichols, 434 Mass. 
1015, 1016 (2001).  Sandman has not met this burden.  Indeed, he 
has made no effort to do so, other than to summarily state in 
the conclusion of his brief that "[t]here is in fact no other 
avenue for relief."  There is no reason why Sandman could not 
raise the issues that he raises here in an appeal from the 
probation revocation order.  See, e.g., Commonwealth v. 
Christian, 429 Mass. 1022, 1022-1023 (1999) (direct appeal is 
appropriate method for seeking review of probation revocation 
order).2  To the extent that Sandman raises arguments related to 
the new, 2018 charges, there is no reason why he cannot, 
similarly, raise those issues in a direct appeal from any 
adverse judgment (or, as may be applicable, through appropriate 
motions in the trial court). 
 
 
The single justice did not err or abuse his discretion in 
denying relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Judgment affirmed. 
 
 
 
Jordan P. Sandman, pro se. 
 
Catherine L. Semel, Assistant District Attorney, for the 
Commonwealth. 
                                                 
 
2 In point of fact, the District Court dockets for the two 
2016 cases in which Sandman's probation was revoked reflect that 
Sandman filed a notice of appeal shortly after his motion for 
reconsideration was denied.  There is no indication that 
assembly of the record is yet complete or that the appeals have 
been entered in the Appeals Court.