Opinion ID: 2345777
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Removal From Federal to State Custody

Text: Mr. Ballard first asserts that the manner in which he was removed from federal custody and taken into state custody was illegal. As a result, he argues that Rhode Island was without jurisdiction to prosecute him, and thus the charges against him should be dismissed with prejudice. It is well settled that [c]hallenges to a court's subject-matter jurisdiction can be raised at any point in the proceedings and may not be waived by any party. State v. Sivo, 925 A.2d 901, 916 (R.I.2007) (citing Bradford Associates v. Rhode Island Division of Purchases, 772 A.2d 485, 488 (R.I.2001)). Nevertheless, we are satisfied that applicant's jurisdictional argument is without merit. The applicant contends that the writ of habeas corpus and mittimus served on federal authorities in a federal court building, in which the federal government has exclusive sovereignty [was] not an appropriate legal procedure for transferring physical custody of Ballard from federal to Rhode Island State authorities. In support of his position, he cites three United States Supreme Court cases: Robb v. Connolly, 111 U.S. 624, 4 S.Ct. 544, 28 L.Ed. 542 (1884); Tarble's Case, 80 U.S. (13 Wall.) 397, 20 L.Ed. 597 (1871); Ableman v. Booth, 62 U.S. (21 How.) 506, 16 L.Ed. 169 (1858). These cases generally support the proposition that State judges and State courts, authorized by laws of their States to issue writs of habeas corpus, have undoubtedly a right to issue the writ in any case where a party is alleged to be illegally confined within their limits, unless it appear[s] upon his application that he is confined under the authority, or claim and color of the authority, of the United States, by an officer of that government. Tarble's Case, 80 U.S. (13 Wall.) at 409. This is because [w]henever    any conflict arises between the enactments of the two sovereignties, or in the enforcement of their asserted authorities, those of the National government must have supremacy until the validity of the different enactments and authorities can be finally determined by the tribunals of the United States. Id. at 407. We are of the opinion, however, that applicant's reliance on the cases cited is misplaced because there was no conflict between the federal and state governments' asserted authorities in the instant case. The federal government no longer had an interest in exercising authority over applicant when he was released into state custody because, by that time, all federal charges against him had been dismissed. When confronted with a question concerning the transfer of a federal prisoner to state custody with the consent of federal authorities, the United States Supreme Court has held that the state may properly exercise its power to vindicate its own laws. See Ponzi v. Fessenden, 258 U.S. 254, 42 S.Ct. 309, 66 L.Ed. 607 (1922). In Ponzi, the defendant, Charles Ponzi, was serving a federal sentence when a state court issued a writ of habeas corpus directing federal authorities to release him into state custody to face state charges. The state issued a writ of habeas corpus and served the writ upon the warden of the federal prison. The federal government, through an assistant attorney general, consented to the issuance of the writ and to the transfer of custody of the prisoner. The defendant argued that the state had no jurisdiction to proceed with his trial while he was in federal custody, but the Supreme Court disagreed. The Court held: One accused of crime has a right to a full and fair trial according to the law of the government whose sovereignty he is alleged to have offended, but he has no more than that. He should not be permitted to use the machinery of one sovereignty to obstruct his trial in the courts of the other, unless the necessary operation of such machinery prevents his having a fair trial. He may not complain if one sovereignty waives its strict right to exclusive custody of him for vindication of its laws in order that the other may also subject him to conviction of crime against it. Id. at 260, 42 S.Ct. 309 (citing In re Andrews, 236 F. 300 (D.Vt.1916); United States v. Marrin, 227 F. 314 (E.D.Pa.1915)). In the present case, there is no indication that federal authorities challenged the state's process in asserting custody of Ballard. It was proper, therefore, for applicant to have been released into Rhode Island's custody, where he had been indicted, because the federal government no longer had an interest in holding him. Thus, we are satisfied that applicant's argument that he was transferred illegally into state custody is without merit.