Source: http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20130703_0001685.NIL.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 15:07:49+00:00

Document:
VIRGINIA M. KENDALL, District Judge.
Pro se Defendant Shariff Miller filed the following Pretrial Motions: (1) Motion for a Franks hearing; (2) Motion to Dismiss Count III of the Indictment against him charging him with possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 924(c); (3) Motion for Disclosure of Confidential Informer; (4) Motion to Suppress Evidence and to Order an Evidentiary Hearing; (5) Motion to Dismiss the Indictment on Grounds of Prosecutorial, Government and Local Officer Misconduct; and (6) Motion to Compel Production of Grand Jury Material.
Miller appealed his conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and raised three issues. First, Miller argued that the search warrant that led to his arrest was issued without probable case because it was based solely upon uncorroborated information supplied by an informant of unknown reliability. United States v. Miller, 673 F.3d 688, 692 (7th Cir. 2012). Second, Miller objected to the introduction at trial of evidence that he had possessed, two months before his arrest, the same pistol the police found in the search. Id. Third, Miller asserted that the prosecution's use of the details of Miller's 2000 conviction for felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute violated Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) and that this Court erred in admitting that evidence at trial.
The Seventh Circuit rejected Miller's first two arguments, finding that the Court did not err by denying Miller's motion to suppress "because the officers executed the warrant in good-faith reliance on its issuance by the state court" and that the testimony regarding Miller's prior possession of the same pistol was circumstantial evidence of the charged crime, not improper propensity evidence. Id. at 693-696. However, with respect to Miller's third basis for appeal, the Seventh Circuit found that the Court abused its discretion by allowing the government to present evidence of Miller's 2000 conviction. Id. at 696-702. The court concluded that the "only purpose for which [the evidence] could have been used by the jury... was to draw an impermissible propensity inference" and thus the prejudicial effect of admitting the prior conviction substantially outweighed its probative value. Id. at 696. The Seventh Circuit reversed Miller's conviction on the charge of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute and on the related charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Counts I and III). Id. at 692. The court affirmed Miller's conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms (Count II), finding that the conviction was supported by separate evidence and was not tainted by the impermissible propensity evidence. Id. The case was subsequently remanded to this Court for a new trial on Counts I and III and for re-sentencing on the felon-in-possession charge. Id.
The Court has gone to unprecedented lengths in this case to arm Miller with adequate legal representation for his criminal trial. Since the Government issued its indictment on August 8, 2008, Miller has enjoyed the representation of eight different attorneys, seven of which were appointed by this Court from either the Federal Defender Program or the federal criminal trial bar pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006, et seq. However, due to Miller's inability to take the advice of his trained counsel and his paranoia that every single one of his criminal defense attorneys was aiding the prosecution behind his back, Miller has either fired or forced each of his Court-appointed attorneys to withdraw based on ethical conflicts. Thus, despite the Court's best efforts, Miller has, through his conduct, waived his Sixth Amendment right counsel and chosen to represent himself at trial. Due to the practical perils and legal implications that follow a criminal defendant's decision to proceed to trial pro se, the Court takes this opportunity to review in detail the history of Miller's legal representation in this case.
"Mr. Miller, you will have your 7th and final attorney appointed to try the case with you. If you disagree with that attorney's advice, you're on your own.
And you're going to have to pro se case. You are not going to have any attorney represent you. I have given you seven attorneys to work with."
And you responded, "Can you give me an attorney that's not in the same building with them? It seemed most like every attorney that I had is all from - they are all in one big office."
I responded "Mr. Miller you don't have any attorney of your choice unless you want to pay for one."
And you said "I - if I had the money, I would."
I responded "You don't. And so I've given you six very competent attorneys. They are not from the same firm. They work in a building and there's lots of defense attorneys in that same building. Does not mean that they're working together. No one is conspiring here. So I'm going to give you an attorney and listen this is very firm if you cannot work with this attorney, I will recuse that attorney and I will allow that attorney to go on and will allow that attorney to withdraw and then you are on your own."
And you responded "I understand that. If it don't work, then I'll have to go pro se. I mean you gave me my warning, you told me, and I understand."
And then I said "I gave you your warning and I gave you six prior attorneys, and you said I understand."
( Id. ) (reading from Transcript of July 26, 2013 Motion Hearing) (quotation marks added).
Based on its July 26 warning and Miller's continued refusal to work with his attorneys, the Court determined that Miller, through his conduct, had waived his right to legal representation. ( Id. ) In so holding, the Court relied upon the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in United States v. Oreye, 263 F.3d 669 (7th Cir. 2001). ( Id. ) In that case, Petitioner James Oreye appealed his conviction by a jury of federal drug offenses on the basis that his Sixth Amendment right to counsel had been violated when the district court refused provide him a third court-appointed attorney after he was unable to work with his first two court-appointed lawyers. Id. at 670.
Shortly after his arraignment, Oreye had expressed dissatisfaction with his court-appointed lawyer because the lawyer did not share in his view that the indictment against him was defective. Id. The district court allowed the first attorney to withdraw and appointed Oreye a second attorney. Id. Six days before Oreye's trial was set to begin, Oreye's second attorney filed a motion to withdraw on the basis that his client refused to cooperate with him. Id. The attorney made it clear that "he had filed the motion to withdraw only because Oreye and he had an irreconcilable difference of opinion over how to conduct the case...." Id. After deciding that further delay in the proceedings would be prejudicial to Oreye's co-defendants, who were to be tried with him, the district court gave Oreye a choice between (1) keeping his second attorney, (2) finding another lawyer who would be ready to go to trial on schedule, and (3) representing himself. Id. The court informed Oreye that "if he dismissed his attorney and didn't find a substitute at his own expense, he would have to proceed pro se." Id. The court also informed Oreye that in the event he chose to move forward pro se, it would appoint his second attorney as standby counsel. Id. Oreye proceeded to trial as a pro se criminal defendant with standby counsel and was convicted. Id.
Following his conviction, Oreye appealed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and arguing that his Sixth Amendment right to counsel was violated when the district court decided not to provide him with a third court-appointed attorney. Id. at 670-71. In support of this position, Oreye pointed to the fact that he had never explicitly stated that he wanted move forward with his case pro se. Id. The court disagreed, finding that "a defendant can waive his right to counsel through conduct as well as words." Id. at 670 (citing United States v. Irorere, 228 F.3d 816, 827-28 (7th Cir. 2000), United States v. Harris, 2 F.3d 1452, 1454-55 (7th Cir. 1993), and United States v. Fazzini, 871 F.2d 635, 641-42 (7th Cir. 1989)). In assessing the three-choice ultimatum the district court gave Oreye before his trial, the court found that "[a]s a matter of both logic and of common sense... if a person is offered a choice between three things and says no' to the first and the second, he's chosen the third even if he stands mute when asked whether the third is indeed a choice. This is provided the offer is clear." Id. at 670-71 (citing Cain v. Peters, 972 F.2d 748, 750 (7th Cir. 1992)). The court also rejected the defendant's argument that the district court should have appointed a third lawyer to represent him, finding that "[a] defendant has no right to indefinite delays while he tries on new lawyers unless he has a reason for dissatisfaction with the old." Id. at 671 (citing Irorere, 228 F.3d at 827-28, Harris, 2 F.3d at 1454-55, and Fazzini, 871 F.2d at 641-42). The court determined that the defendant had "no good reason" to be dissatisfied with his first two attorneys. Id. Thus, "[g]iven the fact that an indigent defendant has a right to competent counsel but not a right to counsel of his choice, " the court held that the "[district court] judge was fully within his rights in refusing to appoint a third lawyer for Oreye." Id. (internal citations omitted).
In addressing the adequacy of the district court's warnings to Oreye regarding the perils of self-representation, the Seventh Circuit stated that a "judge placed in [the district court judge's] position is on the razor's edge in assisting a defendant to make an informed choice between representation by counsel with whom the defendant is irrationally dissatisfied and self-representation. If the judge exaggerates either the advantages of being represented or the disadvantages of self-representation, he will be accused of having put his thumb on the scale and prevented the defendant from making an informed choice." Id. at 672. Recognizing the trial court's dilemma, the Court of Appeals found that by mentioning the difficulties of self-representation on two occasions and pointing out to Oreye that he was unfamiliar with trial procedures and legal procedures, the district court's warnings were adequate and satisfied the standard set forth in United States v. Hill, 252 F.3d 919 (7th Cir. 2001). Id. at 672; see also Hill, 252 F.3d at 928-29 ("All a judge can do as a practical matter-all a judge need do as a legal matter-is ensure that the defendant knows his rights and avoids hasty decision.... Section 1654 and Faretta require courts to respect a litigant's demand for self-determination at the most critical moment in the criminal process. That right is not honored if judges must depict self-representation in such unremittingly scary terms that any reasonable person would refuse.").
Okay. So I don't understand why he would refuse himself if - why he would withdraw I mean according to the Constitution I have a right to an attorney to adequate defense for my - for my trial and he's withdrawing. The first - the first attorney that I had withdrew because I asked for a speedy trial. I'm not asking these lawyers to withdraw. Out of the eight four have withdrew on their own, not because of... me not wanting them as my attorney. I don't understand why they withdrawing. You see what I'm saying? All I know is my constitutional right, I have a right to an attorney, to go trial and now you giving me stand-by counsel, you see what I'm saying? All I'm trying to do is have an adequate defense. Only thing I'm asking to argue are... legitimate arguments, I don't' know why they withdrawn, I don't know why they doing what they doing I'm asking them to do things for me in my defense.... I don't know why they not arguing how I'm asking to argue and that's where the problem is coming in at, after they argue it they don't argue it right, they persuade me that they arguing it right and it comes back not right because you denying it and then it's not being said how I'm asking for it to be said so I don't know how to go about it no other way of getting it said than going pro se but all I know is that the Constitution guarantees me an attorney, Constitution guarantees me to be secure, Constitution guarantees me the Fourth Amendment Fifth Amendment due process as well life and liberty so I don't understand how I'm not - I don't understand how I don't have a right to an attorney. You see what I'm saying? Four quit on me and I did not ask them to quit and then the other four they filed paperworks ineffective, inefficiently because they did not argue it right. I had a motion to suppress that you denied through the mail, you see what I'm saying? I never... had a hearing and every officer that's on my case has been fired, been resigned but everything was in good faith for these officers. I don't' how understand how it's in good faith these officers that are no longer officers for misconduct that they didn't conduct it in they duties do you see what I'm saying.
Number one, you do have a right to have a counsel. You do not have a right to have the counsel of your choice. You have had seven highly competent attorneys represent you over the course of your case. All them are trained in the law and you are not.
Number two, those lawyers have an obligation to this Court to only present legally sufficient arguments that are based in fact and law. They must rely on their experience and their training and only to present those that are valid. If they do not believe they are valid, they are violating their oath of office as an officer of this Court and they may not bring what they believe is an improper motion, which is why your attorneys continue to withdraw, because you want them to do something that they do not believe is a valid motion under the facts and the law.
Number three, as you move forward, you may bring those motions because that is what you want. You don't believe they are right.... [Y]ou don't believe that the seven law degrees that came before you know what they're doing. You have the right now as a pro se person to present those issues to me and I will apply the law to the facts.
Number four, I did not grant the motion to suppress because based on the filings presented to me, you were not entitled to a hearing. You are only entitled to a hearing when facts are in dispute such that a factual dispute requires me to hear evidence from a hearing. I made a determination under the law that no such hearing was required.

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