Professional Documents
Culture Documents
74 Motion To Modify BOP Conditions
74 Motion To Modify BOP Conditions
20
21 I. INTRODUCTION
23 undersigned counsel, Garvey Schubert Barer, hereby submits the following Motion to Modify
24 Defendant’s BOP Conditions of Confinement. For the reasons set forth below, Defendant
25 respectfully requests that the court conduct an evidentiary hearing at the earliest available
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 1 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 2 of 10
1 restrict his ability to confer with his counsel and assist in the preparation of his defense.
2 Defendant further requests that the Court order an evidentiary hearing and require a duly
3 authorized representative of the Warden of the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac (“FDC”) to
4 attend the hearing and explanation the reasons for the Defendant’s present conditions.
6 Upon his arrival at FDC SeaTac on or about August 8, 2014, Mr. Seleznev was placed
7 in the Special Housing Unit (“SHU”). On August 15, 2014, a detention hearing was held, at
8 which time Mr. Seleznev objected to his assignment to the SHU. Following the hearing, the
9 Government filed a “Submission Re: Defendant’s BOP Housing.” The submission contained a
10 brief synopsis of the BOP assessment that Mr. Seleznev posed a “security risk,” would remain
11 in the SHU, and should exhaust his administrative remedies prior to seeking judicial review of
13 Since that filing, Mr. Seleznev has been released from the SHU and transferred to the
14 general population. His attorney-client meetings, however, continue to take place in a no-
15 contact room of the prison’s SHU, meaning that Mr. Seleznev’s ability to communicate with
16 counsel has not improved. As set forth in the attached declaration, communication in the no-
17 contact room has occured via a defective microphone and speaker system that intermittently
18 cuts out, making communication virtually impossible. See Declaration of Anna Goykhman
19 (“Goykhman Decl.”), ¶¶ 7-9; Declaration of David H. Smith (“Smith Decl.”), ¶¶ 3-4. This issue
20 is exacerbated by Mr. Seleznev’s hearing loss, and the need for a Russian speaking interpreter
22 Counsel is also unable to exchange or review documents with their client in the no-
23 contact room. Goykhman Decl., ¶ 9; Smith Decl., ¶¶ 3, 5. Mr. Seleznev is unable to access a
24 computer, making it also impossible for counsel to utilize his assistance in reviewing the
25 massive volume of electronic discovery forthcoming in this case. Smith Decl., ¶¶ 6-8. These
26
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 2 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 3 of 10
1 conditions make it impossible for Mr. Seleznev’s to aid in the preparation of evidence in
3 In addition, Mr. Seleznev has been unable to receive confidential, privileged mail from
5 Seleznev’s former counsel at Fox Rothschild LLP on August 22, 2014 was received by Mr.
6 Seleznev—on September 8, 2014—already opened, and was not opened in his presence.
8 III. DISCUSSION
11 (S.D.N.Y 2008). Here, the Court has jurisdiction to consider Defendant’s objections and the
12 Government is incorrect that Defendant must first exhaust administrative remedies. Because
13 Defendant’s Sixth Amendment rights are at stake, the Prison Litigation Reform Act’s
14 (“PLRA”) exhaustion requirement does not govern Defendant’s instant objections to the
15 conditions of his confinement. United States v. Mikhel, 552 F.3d 961, 963 (9th Cir. 2009).
16 Accordingly, this Court has jurisdiction over Defendant’s challenge to these conditions and
17 must determine whether they are “reasonably related to legitimate penological interests.”
18 Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89, 107 S. Ct. 2254, 2262, 96 L. Ed. 2d 64 (1987).
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 3 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 4 of 10
1 the prisoner to exercise the right at issue;” (iii) “the impact that the desired accommodation will
2 have on guards, other inmates and prison resources;” and (4) “the absence of ready
3 alternatives.” Id. at 87; see also United States v. El Hage, 213 F.3d 74, 81 (2d Cir. 2000);
5 confinement after applying Turner factors, reasoning that additional measures by prison were
7 Here, Mr. Seleznev’s continued inability to confer face-to-face with his counsel, or to
8 review documents either in their presence or otherwise, renders trial preparation virtually
9 impossible. See Smith Decl.; Goykhman Decl. Given these restrictions, the only alternative
10 means for Mr. Seleznev to exercise his right to effective assistance of counsel is to be granted
11 access to his attorneys and to the means necessary to allow him to review the evidence that will
12 be used in his defense. Any impact on prison resources will be minimal, especially given that
13 Mr. Seleznev is already being housed with the general population. Accordingly, Mr. Seleznev
14 simply needs better access to his attorneys (and the documents or other evidence his counsel
15 needs him to review) in order to afford him the opportunity to adequately prepare a defense for
19 that that “[n]o action shall be brought with respect to prison conditions under 1983 of this title,
20 or any other Federal law, by a prisoner confined in any jail, prison or other correctional facility
21 until such administrative remedies as are available are exhausted.” See 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a)
22 (emphasis added).1 If an action is within the purview of the PLRA, a prisoner must follow a
23 1
The PLRA was passed in the wake of a “sharp rise in prisoner litigation,” and the exhaustion
24 requirement was intended to “reduce the quantity and improve the quality of prisoner suits.”
See Woodruff v. Ngo, 548 U.S. 81, 126 S.Ct. 2378, 2382, 165 L.Ed.2d 368 (2006); Porter v.
25 Nussle, 534 U.S. 516, 524, 122 S.Ct. 983, 152 L.Ed.2d 12 (2002). See also 141 Cong. Rec. S
14408-01 (daily ed. Sept. 27, 1995) (statement of Sen. Dole) (“These suits can involve such
26
grievances as insufficient storage locker space, a defective haircut by a prison barber, the
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 4 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 5 of 10
1 multi-step grievance procedure to exhaust his or her administrative remedies prior to seeking
2 relief at the district court level. 28 C.F.R. §§ 542.13-524.15. Mr. Seleznev’s challenge to his
4 First, the Ninth Circuit has held that administrative review is not a prerequisite when a
5 defendant’s Sixth Amendment rights to effective assistance of counsel are at stake. United
6 States v. Mikhel, 552 F.3d 961, 963 (9th Cir. 2009). In Mikhel, the Ninth Circuit instructively
7 reached the merits of a defense motion challenging certain special administrative measures
8 (“SAMs”) without requiring the exhaustion of administrative remedies. Id. at 963. While a
9 challenge to SAMs generally requires the exhaustion of administrative remedies, the challenged
10 SAMs in Mikhel precluded the defendant from communicating fully with his counsel. Id. Citing
11 an “unacceptable burden” on the defendant’s due process and Sixth Amendment rights, the
12 Court ordered modifications of the SAMs. Id., see also Savage, supra, 2012 WL 5866059 at *
14 “directly implicate the court’s ability to fairly and efficiently manage the defendant’s criminal
15 prosecution,” or “directly affect the Court’s ability to ensure that Defendant receives a fair and
16 speedy trial”).
17 Consistently, courts across the country have recognized that a pre-trial detainee’s
18 challenge to the conditions of his confinement, to the extent they interfere with Sixth
20 remedies. See, e.g., United States v. Savage, 2010 WL 4236867 at **6-7 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 21,
21 2010); United States v. Hashmi, 621 F.Supp. 2d 76, 85-86 (S.D.N.Y. 2008). Instead, a district
22 court has jurisdiction over such a challenge ancillary to its jurisdiction over the criminal case,
23 and pursuant to its inherent authority to regulate practice before it. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 57(b);
25
failure of prison officials to invite a prisoner to a pizza party for a departing prison employee,
26
and yes, being served chunky peanut butter instead of the creamy variety.”).
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 5 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 6 of 10
1 Mr. Seleznev is a pre-trial detainee seeking this Court’s consideration of the validity of
2 the ongoing conditions of his confinement, to the extent those conditions infringe upon his
3 Sixth Amendment rights to effective assistance of counsel. The present conditions of Mr.
4 Seleznev’s confinement prejudice his ability to meet with counsel and prepare a trial defense.
5 To date, he has been unable to meet face-to-face with his counsel, but must instead
7 electronically. These limitations, for which the Government has proffered no justifiable
8 explanation, jeopardize Mr. Seleznev’s ability to adequately prepare for and confer with
11 Whether a defendant must exhaust his BOP remedies turns on whether the defendant’s
12 challenge constitutes an “action” within the meaning of the PLRA. See Hashmi, 621 F. Supp.
13 2d at 84. In light of the objectives of the PLRA, courts have recognized that that “action” is
14 best understood as “a civil or criminal judicial proceeding.” Id. at 85 (citing Black’s Law
15 Dictionary 28 (7th ed. 1999)). Actions, described as a “costly process” or involving a “new
16 lawsuit”, are readily distinguished from applications by a pre-trial detainee for a specific ruling
17 or order brought to a court in the contest of a pre-existing criminal case. Id. Accordingly, a
18 pre-trial detainee’s challenge to aspects of his incarceration that directly and necessarily affect
19 the Court’s ability to give him a fair and speedy trial is not an “action” “within the category of
20 lawsuits to which the PLRA was aimed.” Id.; see also Savage, 2010 WL 4236867 at **6-7
21 (holding that defendant’s complaint about insufficient contact visits with his attorneys was not
24 There is nothing in either the language of the PLRA or its legislative history to
suggest that Congress intended to strip district courts of the ability to effectively
25
manage their criminal cases. To require Defendant to spend time pursuing
26
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 6 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 7 of 10
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 7 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 8 of 10
1 release of the person, in the custody of a United States marshal or another appropriate person,
2 to the extent that the judicial officer determines such release to be necessary for preparation of
3 the person's defense.” 18 U.S.C. § 3142(i)(4). Pursuant to the Act, a defendant must “be
4 afforded reasonable opportunity for private consultation with counsel.” 18 U.S.C. § 3142(i)(3).
5 Because Mr. Seleznev’s present conditions of confinement not afford him a reasonable
6 opportunity to confer with counsel, this Court has jurisdiction to permit his temporary release
7 to the extent this Court determines it necessary for his defense. See, e.g., United States v. Bolze,
8 2010 WL 199978 (E.D. Tenn. Jan. 13, 2010) (entertaining defendant’s argument that he should
10 IV. CONCLUSION
11 The conditions of Defendant’s confinement have infringed upon his fundamental Sixth
13 guarantee,” a district court must discharge its duty to protect an inmate’s constitutional rights.
14 Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 84 107 S. Ct. 2254, 2262, 96 L. Ed. 2d 64 (1987); see also
15 United States v. Mikhel, 552 F.3d 961, 963 (9th Cir. 2009). “Prison walls do not form a barrier
16 separating prison inmates from the protections of the Constitution.” Turner, 482 U.S. at 84.
17 Accordingly, the defendant Roman Seleznev requests that this Court conduct an evidentiary
18 hearing at the earliest available opportunity to ascertain the validity of the conditions of his
19 confinement pending trial and require a duly authorized representative of the Warden of the
20 Federal Detention Center at SeaTac (“FDC”) to attend the hearing and explanation the reasons
22
23
24
25
26
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 8 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 9 of 10
6 By /s David H. Smith
David H. Smith, WSBA #10721
7 Laurence B. Finegold, WSBA #1971
1191 2nd Avenue, Suite 1800
8 Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 464-3939
9 Facsimile: (206) 464-0125
dsmith@gsblaw.com
10 lfinegold@gsblaw.com
Attorneys for Defendant
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
MOTION TO MODIFY DEFENDANT’S BOP CONDITIONS OF A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
eighteenth floor
CONFINEMENT AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING - 9 1191 second avenue
seattle, washington 98101-2939
206 464 3939
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74 Filed 09/26/14 Page 10 of 10
1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
2 I hereby certify that on September 26, 2014, I electronically filed the foregoing with the
3
Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing to the
4
attorney of record for every party.
5
6 s/Patricia Shillington
Patricia Shillington, Legal Assistant
7 GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
8 1191 Second Avenue, 18th Floor
Seattle, WA 98101-2939
9 Phone: (206) 464-3939
Fax: (206) 464-0125
10 Email: pshillington@gsblaw.com
11 SEA_DOCS:1162360.1
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
20 Defendant.
21
THIS MATTER having come before the Court on Motion to Modify Defendant’s BOP
22
Conditions of Confinement, and the Court having considered the materials submitted in support
23
and in opposition, and being otherwise fully informed, now,
24
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the above-named parties are hereby ordered to appear
25
26 before the Court, located at 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310, Seattle, WA 98101, on the _____ day
SEA_DOCS:1162423.1
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74-1 Filed 09/26/14 Page 2 of 3
1 regarding the Defendant’s BOP conditions of confinement in order that the Court may ascertain
2 the legality thereof; AND
3
IT IS HEREBY FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff United States of America will
4
present testimony at the above ordered hearing by an authorized representative of the Warden of
5
the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac regarding Defendant’s BOP conditions of confinement.
6
7
8 DATED this _____ day of _______________, 2014.
9
10
11 Magistrate Judge James P. Donahue
12
13
Presented By:
14
GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
15
16
By: s/ David H. Smith
17 David H. Smith, WSBA # 10721
18 Laurence B. Finegold, WSBA # 1971
1191 Second Avenue, 18th Floor
19 Seattle, WA 98101-2939
Phone: (206) 464-3939
20 Fax: (206) 464-0125
Email: dsmith@gsblaw.com
21 Email: lfinegold@gsblaw.com
Attorneys for Defendant
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 [PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
TO MODIFY BOP CONDITIONS AND REQUEST eighteenth floor
1191 second avenue
FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING- 2 seattle, washington 98101-2939
(206) 464-3939
SEA_DOCS:1162423.1
Case 2:11-cr-00070-RAJ Document 74-1 Filed 09/26/14 Page 3 of 3
1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
2
I hereby certify that on September 26, 2014, I electronically filed the foregoing with the
3
Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing to the
4
5 attorney of record for every party.
6
s/Patricia Shillington
7 Patricia Shillington, Legal Assistant
8 GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
1191 Second Avenue, 18th Floor
9 Seattle, WA 98101-2939
Phone: (206) 464-3939
10
Fax: (206) 464-0125
11 Email: pshillington@gsblaw.com
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 [PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION GARVEY SCHUBERT BARER
A PARTNERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
TO MODIFY BOP CONDITIONS AND REQUEST eighteenth floor
1191 second avenue
FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING- 3 seattle, washington 98101-2939
(206) 464-3939
SEA_DOCS:1162423.1