Pellerito v. United States
Pellerito v. United States
Opinion of the Court
OPINION AND ORDER
On June 7, 1988, the second day of trial, petitioner Giuseppe Pellerito informed the court that he wished to change his plea to guilty. Thereafter, a hearing was held pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 11, at which petitioner plead guilty to one count of a multi-count superseding indictment charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute amounts of cocaine and heroin in excess of one kilogram, in violation of 21 U.S.C.
We first note that we dismiss Pel-lerito’s section 2255 petition without an evi-dentiary hearing. The court must, therefore, find that, accepting petitioner’s allegations as true, he is entitled to no relief; however, the court does not have to accept as true allegations that “are contradicted by the record, inherently incredible, or conclusions rather than statements of fact.” United States v. Michaud, 925 F.2d 37, 39 (1st Cir. 1991) (quoting Dziurgot v. Luther, 897 F.2d 1222, 1225 (1st Cir. 1990) (per cu-riam). “Even if a § 2255 motion is facially adequate, a hearing is not necessary before dismissal if the motion is ‘conclusively refuted as to the alleged facts by the files and records of the case.’ ” Myatt v. United States, 875 F.2d 8, 11 (1st Cir. 1989) (quoting Moran v. Hogan, 494 F.2d 1220, 1222 (1st Cir. 1974)); Perez-Calo v. United States, 757 F.Supp. 1, 2 (D.P.R. 1991). Applying these standards, we find no need for a hearing to rule on petitioner’s motion.
While petitioner asserts five claims based on ineffective assistance,
The other ground argued by Pelleri-to with respect to Fisher is that the latter’s on-going criminal investigation resulted in an actual conflict of interest. Petitioner cites as evidence of the conflict a visit made to Pellerito by Fisher eight days before trial where he offered him the opportunity of testifying in New York against Pasquale Conti. Pellerito seeks to transform this “mere conveyance of offer” into “a blatant attempt to persuade” petitioner’s cooperation in exchange for favorable treatment in Fisher’s own tax evasion investigation. (Petitioner’s Memorandum at 9-10).
First of all, we note that the cited conversation was held a short time before trial and more than one year before the August 1989 criminal information was filed against Fisher. It would seem premature for Fisher to offer such assistance to the government well before any official action had been taken against him. Secondly, other than seeking to impugn Fisher’s motivation for bringing the government’s offer, petitioner once again gives no explanation as to how this pretrial offer adversely affected Fisher’s representation. Presumably the government made the offer in order to further other criminal investigations. Fisher served simply as the messenger. The offer was not accepted. Given these facts, we are not at all convinced that plaintiff has alleged a “conflict” sufficient to implicate sixth amendment concerns.
Even if we were to find that Fisher’s tax evasion problems in New York at the time he was representing Pellerito for federal narcotics law offenses in Puerto Rico represented a potential conflict (which we do not), it would still be insufficient to state a constitutional violation requiring the setting aside of petitioner’s sentence. In Cuyler v. Sullivan, 446 U.S. 335, 350, 100 S.Ct. 1708, 1719, 64 L.Ed.2d 333 (1980), the United States Supreme Court held,
that the possibility of conflict is insufficient to impugn a criminal conviction. In order to demonstrate a violation of his Sixth Amendment rights, a defendant must establish that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected his lawyer’s performance.
We think that the facts presented by petitioner give rise to, at most, a possible conflict of interest. Without further facts to show that there was an actual conflict and how this conflict adversely affected Fisher’s performance in representing Pellerito, petitioner has alleged no sixth amendment violation and therefore is entitled to no relief under section 2255.
First of all, we note that this court examined Moore’s performance at trial and at the change of plea hearing and found it within the standard of reasonable attorney performance. Pellerito, 701 F.Supp. at 292-95. The First Circuit affirmed this decision. Pellerito, 878 F.2d at 1540-41. Normally, when an issue has been decided on direct appeal, it cannot later be resurrected through a section 2255 motion. United States v. Butt, 731 F.2d 75, 76 n. 1 (1st Cir. 1984); Dirring v. United States, 370 F.2d 862, 864 (1st Cir. 1967); Hunnewell v. United States, 738 F.Supp. 582, 585 (D.Me.), aff'd, 923 F.2d 839 (1st Cir. 1990). We find nothing in petitioner’s collateral motion that would mandate departure from this rule.
Also, we think that the Supreme Court’s comments in Strickland on the need for judicial deference in scrutinizing attorney performance apply with equal force to both petitioner’s claim and Moore’s own reconsideration of his prior performance.
[I]t is all too tempting for a defendant to second-guess counsel’s assistance after conviction or adverse sentence, and it is all too easy for a court, examining counsel’s defense after it has proved unsuccessful, to conclude that a particular act or omission of counsel was unreasonable, [cite omitted], A fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel’s challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel’s perspective at the time. Because of the difficulties inherent in making the evaluation, a court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel’s conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance; that is, the defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action “might be considered sound trial strategy.”
Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065 (citation omitted).
In his own affidavit, attorney Moore demonstrates the wisdom of the Supreme Court’s reasoning cited above. He admits that, at the time of trial, he “believed” that he was ready to go forward to try Pelleri-to’s case. (Docket Document No. 1, Exhibit E, at ¶[ 3). ■ Now, more than three years after the plea was accepted, he finds fault with his own prior judgment. Like Pelleri-to’s section 2255 counsel, Moore fails to alert the court as to any prejudice which might have resulted from Fisher’s failure to file a suppression motion or how Moore’s performance at trial and the change of plea hearing fell below the objective standard of reasonableness enunciated in Strickland. As in the case of all competent professionals, hindsight provides the context to review paths not taken; ideas and strategies not developed; and errors committed. Yet, the ineffective assistance focus must remain on the attorney’s performance at the time it was rendered. Reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding Moore’s representation, including his own testimony at the plea withdrawal hearing, we conclude that our prior ruling affirmed on appeal — that Moore’s representation did not fall below Strickland’s objective standard of reasonableness — must stand. Pellerito, 701 F.Supp. at 293; Pellerito, 878 F.2d at 1540-41.
Having reviewed Pellerito’s claims and finding no basis to vacate or set aside the sentence, we deny his motion and dismiss his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 petition.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
. See Docket Document No. 1, Memorandum of Fact and Law, at 3-4.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Giuseppe PELLERITO v. United States
- Status
- Published