Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cr-00078/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cr-00078-7/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Calvin Mitchell
Defendant
USA
Plaintiff

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DINA L. SANTOS, SBN 204200

LAW OFFICE OF DINA L. SANTOS

428 J STREET, SUITE 359

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 447-0160

Attorney for Defendant

CALVIN MITCHELL

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

CALVIN MITCHELL,

Defendant.

_______________________________

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CRS-06-078 WBS 

AMENDED APPLICATION FOR ORDER

DIRECTING THE GOVERNMENT TO

RELEASE SAMPLES OF CONTROLLED

SUBSTANCE FOR INDEPENDENT DEFENSE

RETESTING; DECLARATION OF

COUNSEL, AND ORDER.

APPLICATION

A superseding indictment was filed on this case as a result of the

recent Ninth Circuit decision in United States v. Hollis, No. 05-30611,

2007 U.S. App.LEXIS 10796, requiring an indictment to specifically

allege crack cocaine in order to seek the enhanced statutory penalties

of crack cocaine. The DEA lab reports provided in discovery quantify

the drugs seized in this case as cocaine base. The government is now

alleging that the drugs are in fact crack. In order to prepare Mr.

Mitchell’s defense, we are requesting that the drug sample be analyzed

at an independent laboratory to determine the exact chemical

composition; specifically, what type of cocaine is the sample.

Case 2:06-cr-00078-WBS-KJN Document 58 Filed 06/04/07 Page 1 of 6
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The undersigned has spoken with forensic chemist Susan O’neill of

National Medical Services Laboratories (NMS), in Willow Grove,

Pennsylvania. From the undersigned’s discussions with Ms. O’neill, the

drug sample must first be deemed cocaine. Subsequent tests of the

sample can then determine the type of cocaine that exists through

determining whether it is derived from salts or base. Initially, the

undersigned intended to have a local laboratory perform this analysis,

but was informed that this type of testing requires infrared

spectrometry machinery the local laboratory does not have this type of

machinery and the local laboratory is not capable of performing this

type of analysis. NMS laboratory was recommended by Forensic Chemist,

Jeffery Zehnder of Drug Detection Laboratory, located in Sacramento,

California. After speaking to Ms. O’neill, she confirms that this type

of testing can be done at NMS lab. See declaration of Dina L. Santos.

The DEA Laboratory requires a court order which specifies the

following: 1.) That the defense expert is authorized to receive and

evaluate controlled substances, 2.) The amount/weight of the samples to

be transported, 3.) That the defense expert is to return the unused

portion of the samples within 10 days after the independent testing is

performed, and 4.) That the court is directing DEA Western Laboratory

to transmit the samples to the defense expert.

Based upon the significance of the determination of the specific

type of cocaine that was seized in the instant case, and based upon the

possible inaccuracy of the finding in the government reports that refer

to the drugs as cocaine base and crack interchangeably, defendant

respectfully requests this court to issue an order directing the DEA’s

Western Laboratory to furnish NMS Laboratory, with a sample from the

drugs seized in this case.

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Respectfully submitted,

Dated: June 1, 2007 _________/S/_______________________

DINA L. SANTOS, ESQ.

Attorney for CALVIN MITCHELL

DECLARATION OF DINA L. SANTOS

I, Dina L. Santos, hereby declare as follows:

1. I am the attorney for CALVIN MITCHELL in the case of United

States v. CALVIN MITCHELL, CR-S 06-0078 WBS.

2. All factual representations in the accompanying application

are true and accurate.

3. I spoke with Susan O’neill, of NMS Laboratories. Ms. O’neill

is authorized to receive and analyze controlled substances. Her DEA

Registration Number is PN0067226. 

4. According to Ms. O’neill, testing of this type usually takes

approximately three or four weeks. 

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and

correct.

Dated: June 1, 2007 /S/Dina L. Santos

DINA L. SANTOS

Attorney for Calvin Mitchell

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DINA L. SANTOS, SBN 204200

LAW OFFICE OF DINA L. SANTOS

428 J STREET, SUITE 359

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 447-0160

Attorney for Defendant

CALVIN MITCHELL

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

CALVIN MITCHELL,

Defendant.

_______________________________

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CRS-05-0078 WBS 

ORDER TO PRODUCE REPRESENTATIVE

SAMPLE FOR TESTING BY DEFENSE

EXPERT

UPON THE DEFENDANTS MOTION for an order which requires the

Government to produce a representative sample of the following

exhibit(s), to-wit:

Exhibit Number DEA Laboratory Number

 1 7121604

 

as reported in DEA FORM-7, REPORT OF DRUG PROPERTY COLLECTED, PURCHASED

OR SEIZED, having the Case File No. 166E-SC-37915, and dated 6/7/2004,

for qualitative analysis and identification of the controlled substance

contained therein by a defense expert, AND UPON THIS COURTS

CONSIDERATION of the arguments and pleadings filed, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED and DECREED in accordance with FED.R.CRIM.P

16(a)(1)(E), that the Government shall allow the defense to

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independently inspect and analyze a representative sample from the

above-described drug exhibits; and 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Government shall deliver, in a

manner consistent with the type and quantity of controlled substance at

issue, a representative sample in the amount of 500 mg or not less than

one-half (1/2) the current reserve weight, if less than 1 gram

presently remains as the reserve weight, from each of the abovedescribed exhibits to Susan O’neill, DEA License No. PN0067226 

of NMS, Inc., located at 3701 Welsh Road, Willow Grove, PA 79090

telephone (215) 657-4900. The DEA Western Laboratory shall arrange the

delivery of said representative sample(s) on or before June 8, 2007 ,

to Susan O’neill, of the NMS Laboratory; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that upon delivery of the representative

sample for each of the exhibit(s) identified above to the defense

expert, the defense expert shall conduct the qualitative analyses and

identification ordered herein, and shall provide the Government with an

Unsworn Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury, under 28 U.S.C. § 1746,

executed by the individual who conducted the analyses, or the head of

the facility where the analyses occurred, which states the quantity of

each exhibit consumed during testing, and either the weight of each

exhibit returned to the Government, or a statement that all sample was

consumed during testing; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all remaining material of the

sample(s), after testing, is to be returned by Susan O’neill to the DEA

Western Laboratory via registered U.S. mail, return receipt requested,

or approved commercial carrier, within five (5) business days after the

completion of analyses; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, in accordance with FED. R. CRIM. P.

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16(b)(1)(B), that the defendant shall provide the Government with a

copy of the results or report of the physical examinations and

scientific tests or experiments which resulted from the analyses

conducted under this Order: and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that Susan O’neill is to safeguard the

representative sample(s) received, preserving the chain of custody in a

manner to faithfully protect the integrity of each exhibit received. 

IT IS SO ORDERED this 4th day of June, 2007.

BY THE COURT:

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

_______/s/________________

Dina L. Santos

Attorney for Defendant

______/s/_________________

Phillip Ferrari

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Case 2:06-cr-00078-WBS-KJN Document 58 Filed 06/04/07 Page 6 of 6