Case o' The Week: Brown and Blue and Read All Over - Bud Ray Brown and Federal Escape Charges (from State Jails!)

  No good deed goes unpunished (by a federal prosecutor).

United States v. Bud Ray Brown, 2017 WL 5586562 (9th Cir. Nov. 21, 2017), decision available here.

Players: Decision by visiting First Circuit Judge Lipez, joined by Judges Wardlaw and Owens.  

Facts: Brown was serving a federal sentence when Washington dragged him into state custody on a writ ad prosequendum (related to a state murder charge). Id. at *1. While Brown was in a county jail, a rope made out of bedclothes was discovered hanging out of his cell -- the window itself was gone. Id.

  [Ed. note: watch the fascinating video about this attempt at this link. An anorexic octopus couldn’t escape through the five-inch-wide window slits at the Spokane County jail].

  Brown’s cellmate, Henrikson, was facing federal charges. When Henrikson went to federal trial, the AUSA tried to admit this attempted escape as evidence of guilt. Id. Brown exonerated his cellie with a handwritten declaration, where Brown took full blame for the attempted escape. Id.

  The feds then spun around and indicted Brown for attempted escape, from a county jail. Id. Brown entered an unconditional plea of guilt to the charges. Id.

Issue(s): “For the first time in this circuit, we address the impact of a writ of habeas corpus ad prosequendum on the question of whether an inmate serving a federal sentence remains under ‘the custody of the Attorney General’ as per 18 U.S.C. § 751(a) when he is held at a state-run institution pursuant to the writ. [ ] Brown appeals the district court’s denial of his pre-plea motion to dismiss, filed, in part, on the ground that he was not in federal custody as a matter of law at the time of the attempted escape.’ Id. at *1.”

Held: “We now hold that Brown remained under the custody of the Attorney General for purposes of § 751(a) despite his incarceration at a state-run jail, and affirm the judgment of the district court in full.” Id.

Of Note: Wait - why did the AUSA bother to charge Brown with federal attempted escape (and from a state jail, to boot?) After all, the federal attempted-escape indictment didn’t come down until five months after the attempt to escape from county jail was thwarted. Id. at *4. (Plus newscasters and jailers couldn't keep a straight face when trying to describe this inane escape attempt). 

  A single, critical fact changed before the AUSA decided indict a federal attempted escape (from a local county jail): Brown’s handwritten confession offered in his cellmate's trial, taking the blame for the attempted escape and exonerating his cellie.

  Despite this troubling history, the Ninth summarily rejects Brown’s prosecutorial vindictiveness claim in five brief paragraphs. Id. at *4. There is not even the solace of dicta, worrying about the impact of this AUSA’s actions on the integrity of federal criminal trials.

  Brown sends a chilling message to witnesses with the temerity to testify for the defense: a federal indictment may be your reward. Use Brown for your Sixth Amendment fight for defense-witness immunity. The Ninth has now documented the very real dangers that await witnesses who dare to speak up for our clients.

How to Use: The silver lining in this opinion is welcome language on the ability to even take up this appeal, despite the fact that Brown did not have a conditional guilty plea. The Ninth helpfully explains that Brown’s core appeal is a jurisdictional claim, “challenging a conviction independently of factual guilt.” Id. at *2. It is therefore not precluded by the Fed. R. Crim. 11(a)(2) bar on appeals after unconditional pleas. Id. Helpfully, the opinion then collects other issues that dodge the appellate bar after unconditional pleas. Id. at *2 & n.2. 

  Most notably, the prosecutorial vindictiveness claim described above is tackled by the Ninth on appeal. Interesting.

  The take-away? With a solid jurisdictional hook to get you in the Ninth’s door, looks like ancillary (but related) arguments can avoid the 11(a)(2) bar – despite an unconditional plea. 

  Very welcome news, in a world where the Feds seem increasingly desperate to shut down all defense appeals.

                                               

For Further Reading: Feeling blue? Senators are, too. 
  The longstanding “blue slip” rule allowed Senators to have a meaningful say in judicial appointments. Last week, Senator Grassley (R-Iowa) announced that confirmation hearings would be going forward for two circuit nominees, despite the absence of blue slips (including one missing from a GOP Senator). See article here.

Image of the Spokane County jail windows and bedclothes-rope from this case, from http://www.krem.com/news/crime/tiny-jail-windows-deny-masterminds-escape/84305621

Steven Kalar, Federal Public Defender Northern District of California. Website at www.ndcalfpd.org

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