United States v. Bacon

Appellant Michael Bacon appeals the district court’s denial of his post-conviction motion under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g) for the return of seized property that allegedly went missing from the physical custody of state officials while federal charges were pending. State officials seized property in Appellant’s possession at the time of his arrest, including a fake mustache; a black wig; numerous items of clothing; a bank robbery demand note; multiple wallets, knives, lighters, bags, and keys; the title to a vehicle; and a small container with a crystalline substance within it that tested positive for meth. While Appellant’s state charges were still pending, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of bank robbery. Federal officials asked the state officials to hold Appellant’s seized property for use as evidence in the federal case. Thereafter, Appellant entered a guilty plea in the state prosecution that resolved all of the state charges against him. State officials allegedly released some of the property seized from Appellant, specifically, a wallet and the keys and title to a van, to his ex-wife. Following the expiration of Appellant’s time for appeal, defense counsel went to the Salt Lake City Police Department to retrieve Appellant’s property for him. Several items were returned to him. However, Appellant alleged there was a major discrepancy between what had been seized and what was turned over to counsel by state officials. Following a hearing, the court denied the Rule 41(g) motion for two reasons: (1) Appellant had other adequate remedies at law, including state causes of action and a pending federal section 1983 civil action Appellant had already filed regarding the disposition of his seized property; and (2) the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to grant monetary relief for any missing property. Finding no reversible error in the district court decision, the Tenth Circuit affirmed. View "United States v. Bacon" on Justia Law