Griffin v. United States of America et al
Filing
17
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER. It is ORDERED that the 12 Report and Recommendations is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED. Plaintiff's Petition for Writ of Error Coram Nobis is DENIED AND DISMISSED. Signed by District Judge Raymond A. Jackson on 9/25/2019. Copies mailed 9/26/2019. (jmey, )
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
SEP 2 6 2019
Norfolk Division
SCOTT TREMAYNE GRIFFIN,
Plaintiff,
V.
CIVIL ACTION NO.2:17-cv-495
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,et al.,
Respondents.
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
This matter is currently before the Court on Scott Tremayne Griffin's ("Plaintiff)pro se
objections to the Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation("R&R"). For the reasons set
forth below, the R&R is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED. Plaintiffs Petition for Writ of Error
Coram Nobis is DENIED AND DISMISSED.
1. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The Magistrate Judge's R&R thoroughly details the factual and procedural history of the
case. See EOF No. 12 at 1-5. On October 2, 1998, Petitioner was pulled over by Virginia Beach
police officers shortly after leaving his hotel room. ECF No. 1 at 1. Police officers arrested
Petitioner, seized his hotel room key, and executed a search of his hotel room. Id. On April 21,
1999, Petitioner was indicted by a federal grand jury on cocaine distribution charges. Id. at 3.
During the suppression hearing. Petitioner's appointed attorney Jon Babineau did not test the
legality of the warrantless search and seizure of Petitioner's hotel room, and Petitioner's
suppression motion was denied. Id. After the suppression hearing. Petitioner was appointed a
new attomey, James Broccoletti. Id. Petitioner informed Mr. Broccoletti about the illegality of
the search, however, Mr. Broccoetti did not make any objection to the evidence. Id. A jury found
Petitioner guilty of the charges. Id.
1
After trial, Plaintiff hired appellate attorney Anthony Mulford to prepare and file his
direct appeal. Id. Petitioner informed Mr. Mulford about Mr. Babineau's and Mr. Broccoletti's
failure to object to the illegality of the search. Id. Petitioner also informed Mr. Mulford about
missing discovery that later came to his attention. Id. Mr. Mulford however, did not raise these
issues on appeal and Petitioner's direct appeal was denied. Id.
On September 15, 2017, Petitioner filed a Complaint against the United States, Jon M.
Babineau, Ronald G. Reel, James Broccoletti, Anthony Mulford, and the Virginia Beach Police
Department. EOF No. 1 at 1. Petitioner challenged his conviction and argued that Defendants
"deliberately violat[ed] Petitioners [sic] 4^^, 5'*^, and 6^^ amendment rights" when they "conspired
to commit fraud on the Court by deliberately omitting the warrantless search and seizure by
police from the record and completely failing to address its legality." Id. at 4. On November 24,
2017, Petitioner amended his Complaint. ECF No. 3. On December 12, 2017, the Court entered
an Order advising Petitioner to submit a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in proper form. ECF
No. 4. Petitioner filed a Memorandum in Support of Error Coram Nobis (hereinafter "Petition")
on March 7, 2018. ECF No. 6. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard issued his R&R on
October 25, 2018 and recommended the Court deny and dismiss the case. ECF No. 12. Plaintiff
filed his written objection to the R&R on November 2, 2018. ECF No. 14.
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
Under Rule 72(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a district judge is required to
"determine de novo any part of the magistrate judge's disposition that has been properly objected
to." The de novo requirement means that a district court judge must give "fresh consideration" to
the objected-to portions of the Magistrate Judge's report and recommendation. See Wilmer v.
Cook, 774 F.2d 68, 73 (4th Cir. 1985); United States v. Raddatz,447 U.S. 667, 675 (1980). "The
districtjudge may accept, reject, or modify the recommended disposition; receive further evidence;
or recommit the matter to the magistrate judge with instructions." Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3).
A district court must review the relevant findings by the Magistrate Judge de novo when a
party properly objects to the Magistrate Judge's report and recommendation. 28 U.S.C. ยง
636(b)(1). Objections made to the report must be made "with sufficient specificity so as
reasonably to alert the district court ofthe true ground of the objection." United States v. Midgette,
478 F.3d 616, 622 (4th Cir. 2007). Objections must also respond to specific errors in the report
and recommendation because general or conclusory objections are not proper. See Orpiano v.
Johnson,687 F.2d 44, 47 (4th Cir. 1982). General or conclusory objections are the equivalent of
a waiver. Id.
III. DISCUSSION
Plaintiff objects with a filing that in no way addresses the Magistrate Judge's conclusions
in the R&R. ECF No. 14. In his objection, Plaintiff argues that the officers illegally searched his
hotel room and that his defense lawyers deliberately failed to question the legality of the search.
Id. These arguments parallel the same arguments Plaintiff made in his Complaint. See ECF Nos.
1,3.
The Court affirms the Magistrate Judge's findings. While an objecting party may re-raise
arguments presented to the magistrate, a mere duplication of the arguments raised in the previous
filings does not constitute an objection for the purposes of district court review. See Nichols v.
Colvin, 100 F. Supp. 3d 487,497(E.D. Va. 2015)(citing Abou-Hussein v. Mabus, No. 2:09-
1998, 2010 WL 4340935, at *1 (D.S.C. Oct. 28, 2010)). Here, Plaintiffs objection to the
Magistrate Judge's R&R fails because it is identical to the arguments made in Plaintiffs initial
Complaint and does not specifically address the Magistrate Judge's conclusions. Therefore, the
Court concludes Plaintiffs filing lacks the specificity necessary to alert the Court of a proper
objection to the Magistrate Judge's R&R.
Based on a de novo review of the filings and the R&R,this Court determines that the
Magistrate Judge's recommendations and findings are proper. Wilmer, 774 F.2d at 73. The
R&R supports all factual findings and the Court finds Plaintiffs objections are without merit.
The Court does not find any legal errors in the Magistrate Judge's findings. Accordingly, the
Court concludes that Plaintiff raises no grounds which warrant this Court's departure from the
recommendations as stated in the Magistrate Judge's R&R.
IV. CONCLUSION
The Court has independently reviewed the filings in this case and Plaintiffs objections
to the R&R. Having done so, the Court finds that there is no meritorious reason to sustain
Plaintiffs objections. The findings and recommendations in the Magistrate Judge's R&R dated
October 25, 2018 are hereby ACCEPTED and ADOPTED. Specifically, Plaintiffs Petition for
Writ of Error Coram Nobis is DENIED AND DISMISSED.
The Court DIRECTS the Clerk to send a copy of this Order to the parties.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Norfolk, Virginia
September^5r2019
Raymond Ar Jackson"
United States District Judge
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