Opinion ID: 516902
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: motion for release of funds

Text: 9 DEA agents arrested appellant Fafowora after he had consummated the purchase of more than a kilogram of heroin from an undercover DEA agent. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Fafowora alleging, among other charges, that $5,000 in cash tendered to the agent before the date of the heroin sale and $40,590 in cash tendered at the time of the sale, and seized upon Fafowora's arrest, were subject to the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act of 1984, 21 U.S.C. Sec. 853(a)(2) (Supp. II 1984), as property used to facilitate the possession of heroin with intent to distribute. 10 In a pre-trial motion, Fafowora sought release of $34,000 of the seized cash in order to retain his counsel of choice. The district court conducted a hearing in order to determine the extent to which other assets were available to Fafowora and, upon concluding that Fafowora had access to approximately $14,750, denied the motion. At trial, Fafowora was represented by retained counsel, but not by the counsel he had originally sought to retain through the motion to release funds. 11 On appeal to this court, both Fafowora and the government interpret the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act of 1984 as statutory authorization for the district court's refusal to release the seized funds. Fafowora, however, argues that the Act, thus interpreted, violates his Sixth Amendment right to counsel of his choice. In light of the pendency of United States v. Monsanto, 852 F.2d 1400 (2d Cir.1988) (en banc ), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 363, 102 L.Ed.2d 353 (1988), and In re Forfeiture Hearing as to Caplin & Drysdale, 837 F.2d 637 (4th Cir.1988) (en banc ), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 363, 102 L.Ed.2d 352 (1988), we certify to the Supreme Court, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1254(3), the question: Does the Sixth Amendment right to counsel of choice require the pre-trial release of seized assets that, in the event of conviction, would be subject to forfeiture to the United States under the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act of 1984, 21 U.S.C. Sec. 853(a)(2)? 12