shorty writ for mandamus to convene a grand jury
TRANSCRIPT
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Pro SeDuane Gerald Davis, Sr.7904 Jody Knoll DriveOwings Mills, MD 21249(443) 831-1188
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MARYLAND
BALTIMORE COUNTY
Duane Gerald Davis, Sr. ))
Plaintiff ))
vs. )
)THE UNITED STATES, ) Case No.
)THE State of Maryland, )
)
Governor Martin OMalley, ) WRIT OF MANDAMUS)
Baltimore County Police Chief )James W. Johnson, )
)
Baltimore City States Attorney )Gregg L. Bernstein, )
)and )
)Baltimore County States Attorney )Scott D. Schellenberger, )
)in their official capacities and )as individuals )
)Defendants )
_______________________________________
WRIT OF MANDAMUS
Pro Se, upon personal knowledge of the facts contained in this complaint and the
contents of the documents referred to herein, and upon information and belief as to all matters
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concerned, hereby brings this corruption and negligence protest action against all Defendants
and the UNITED STATES.
THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adoptingthe Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse
of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added:
And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will bestinsure the beneficent ends of its institution.
1
NOW COMES, Duane Gerald Davis, Sr., Under Duress, All Rights, by Special Appearance,
in accord with all of the Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America, the
Maryland Declaration of Rights and the Maryland Constitution and hereby makes this demand
in the Nature of An Action for Writ of Mandamus, and request a hearing hereon, and as
grounds hereto states the following:
NATURE OF THE ACTION
Plaintiff in proper person, hereby respectfully submits the following, which led to the
theft of Plaintiffs property, as well as his identity.
JURISDICTION & VENUE
.
At all relevant times, Plaintiff has been and is an individual residing in Maryland.
Plaintiff is informed and believes and thereon alleges that at all relevant times, as contained in
this complaint, that Defendants have been and are individuals residing in Baltimore, Maryland.
1 Preamble to the US Constitution Bill of Rights,the First 10 Amendments to the Constitution as Ratifiedby the States December 15, 1791
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Plaintiff is informed and believes and thereon alleges that at all relevant times, as
contained in this complaint, that the City of Baltimore is a municipal corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Maryland.
Plaintiff is a citizen of Maryland who alleges that Defendants violated rights conferred
upon him by the United States Constitution, Maryland State Constitution and other State and
Local Laws. Plaintiff filed a civil claim against the Defendants in the United States District
Court for the District of Maryland, pursuant to 28 USC 1331 upon the raising of a federal
question. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction to hear Plaintiffs claim.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Duane Gerald Davis, Sr. hereby incorporates by reference thereto the Corporate Surety
Bonds of Baltimore County States Attorney Scott D. Schellenberger, Baltimore County Police
Chief James W. Johnson, and Baltimore City States Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein, to this
action required by the Maryland Constitution at Article 5, Section 12 and hereby makes an
official claim against said bonds.
Duane Gerald Davis, Sr. hereby incorporates by reference thereto the Sworn and
Subscribed Oath of Office of Judge Susan Souder, Assistant Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit
Court of Maryland, a copy of which is attached hereto, and any corporate surety bond for
faithful performance to act within the bounds of the law and the discretionary dictates of her
own conscience in favor of her fellow Maryland Bar members.
DEMAND IN THE NATURE OF AN ACTION
FOR THE RETURN OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
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That the Baltimore County Police Department by and through the Office of the States
Attorney of Baltimore County are in unlawful possession of the personal property of Duane
Gerald Davis, Sr. and are under a lawful duty to return said property undamaged and in the
good and proper condition in which it was confiscated by a purported search warrant that was
never served on Duane Gerald Davis, Sr.
The property includes but is not limited to a 1999 Charcoal Grey Chevrolet Suburban;
A Daily Diary from 1986 made of yellow legal papers; Black Legal Briefcase with legal
material, as well as, Private Business Organizational and Tax Papers; a Video Camera; a
Digital Camera; SD Cards; (9) Video Documentaries and Video Film, a book entitled The
Minority Report by Duane Shorty Davis; and various keys. The estimated value of the
above listed property is $250,000.00.
Duane Gerald Davis, Sr. is lawfully entitled to repossession of said property, and that
Scott D. Schellenberger is lawfully accountable to return the aforesaid property or the
monetary value thereof.
STATEMENT OF CLAIM
Plaintiff incorporates the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution as reference
herein and presents that he was unlawfully detained due to prejudice and discrimination alleged
to have been demonstrated by the above named Defendants. Plaintiff was preparing a
documentary pertaining to racism in the American judicial system. The Defendants were fully
aware of the existence of this documentary, as well as were other public and elected officials in
the White House, United States Congress, and in Maryland and Illinois. Chief Justice John
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Roberts, of the United States Supreme Court went as far as instructing Plaintiff on how he
should proceed with his case, in light of his pro se status. Plaintiff further incorporates a
collection of public videos made by him and others, as evidence in this case and provides
detailed information sufficient enough to support the allegations contained in this complaint.2
There are approximately 238 videos available for public review internationally.
AMENDMENT I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.
Plaintiff published a study entitled the Minority Report, which is the result of a social
economic study that applies directly to the issue of racism in the American judicial system and
relevant to the overall topic discussed. As a result of the aforementioned alleged illegal
incarceration of Plaintiff, this personal and intellectual property belonging to Plaintiff is
currently in the possession of the Baltimore County Police Department.
States Attorney Shellenberger had full knowledge of the events detailed in this
complaint since October of 2008, as he was the subject of one of 14 movies Plaintiff made
while researching content for the documentary.
AMENDMENT IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,
against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrantsshall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be
seized.
2http://www.youtube.com/user/ShortysVoice.com
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Plaintiff is missing, among other things, a total of 285 hours of incriminating videotape
associated with this documentary, diary entries written in 1986 and 2008, during Plaintiffs
direct knowledge of unlawful prison conditions and inmate discrimination, letters to President
Barack OBama, the Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Chicago offices of the F.B.I., letters
from Maryland Court Judges Holland, Bell, Pierson, as well as the United States Supreme
Court.
AMENDMENT V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless
on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or
naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger;
nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of lifeor limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself,
nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall
private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
When Plaintiff was indicted for the action giving rise to this complaint, Mr.
Shellenberger did not present the material confiscated as a result of a search warrant conducted
on his residence, which was done to mislead the Grand Jury and obtain an indictment against
Plaintiff. This evidence clearly shows the intent of Plaintiff, in relation to the actions
precipitating his chosen manner of demonstrating his First Amendment right to free speech by
demonstrating his displeasure with the Maryland Judiciary. The Plaintiffs right to Due Process
was violated by Mr. Shellenbergers foregoing of conducting a Preliminary Hearing prior to
the trial occurring, which is required by Maryland Rules of Procedure. Plaintiff immediately
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fired his attorney and motioned for the Court to permit him to represent himself in the
proceedings, which is his Constitutional right.
AMENDMENT VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public
trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have beencommitted, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to beinformed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnessesagainst him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and tohave the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
As Plaintiff has, and is, representing himself in these actions, he has the right to
subpoena the Defendants and call them to testify before the Court, to produce all of the videos
and written material in his possession belonging to Plaintiff. This would demonstrate that
Defendants had prior knowledge of Plaintiffs actions and manner of expression, in relation to
his right to free speech.
In an action brought through the judicial process of Mandamus by William F. Brack
against J. Bernard Wells, State's Attorney of Baltimore City, the plaintiff sought to compel the
State's Attorney to present certain evidence to the grand jury. Generally, whether state's
attorney does or does not institute a particular prosecution is a matter which rests in his
discretion. Code 1939, art. 10, 33; Const. art. 5, 19.
Mandamus does not lie to compel state's attorney to institute a particular prosecution
unless discretion of state's attorney in such matter is grossly abused, or such duty is compelled
by statute, or there is a clear showing that such duty exists. Code 1939, art. 10, 33; Const. art.
5, 9.
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The inquisitorial powers of the grand jury are broad, full and of a plenary character and
are not limited to cases in which there has been a preliminary proceeding before a magistrate or
to cases laid before them by the court or state's attorney, and the grand jury may investigate a
case which state's attorney, in his discretion, has decided not to present to that body. Code
1939, art. 10, 33; Const. art. 5, 9.
The Court further instructs that an individual who unsuccessfully had requested the
state's attorney to present to grand jury a case involving alleged violation of criminal laws, and
who also made a complaint before a magistrate and a warrant was refused, was entitled to an
opportunity to present his complaint to the grand jury for whatever action that body desired to
take.
A citizen desiring to bring to grand jury's attention alleged violations of criminal laws
should exhaust his remedy before the magistrate and state's attorney, and if relief cannot be had
there, citizen then may ask foreman of grand jury for permission to appear before that body.
By the Constitution of Maryland, Article 5, Section 9, the State's Attorney shall
perform such duties as may be law be prescribed. By section 33 of Article 10 of the Code, that
officer is required to prosecute and defend, on the part of the State, all cases in which the
State may be interested. In such prosecutions of persons accused of crime, he must exercise a
sound discretion to distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. He must be trusted with
broad official discretion to institute and prosecute criminal causes, subject generally to judicial
control.
The office is one not purely ministerial, but involves the exercise of learning and
discretion 42 American Jurisprudence, p. 245. As a general rule, whether the State's Attorney
does or does not institute a particular prosecution is a matter which rests in his discretion.
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Unless that discretion is grossly abused or such duty compelled by statute or there is a
clear showing that such duty exists, mandamus will not lie. 38 Corpus Juris, p. 623; Boyne v.
Ryan, 100 Cal. 265, 34 P. 707; McLaughlin v. Burroughs, 90 Mich. 311, 51 N.W. 283; State v.
Talty, 166 Mo. 529, 66 S.W. 361.
Maryland law dictates that the adequate remedy to which a petitioner is entitled to is
that of personally presenting his case to the grand jury of Baltimore City. Whether the
petitioner should without formality present himself at the door of the grand jury room and ask
to state his case or whether he should communicate with the foreman of the grand jury and ask
for an opportunity to appear before that body is not for this Court to say. The members of the
grand jury in their oath prescribed by the common law, in addition to other things, swore that
they would diligently inquire and true presentment make of all such matters and things as shall
be given them in charge or shall otherwise come to their knowledge.
The inquisitorial powers of the grand jury are not limited to cases in which there has
been a preliminary proceeding before a magistrate nor to cases laid before them by the Court or
State's Attorney. Whatever may be the duties and powers of that important body in other
jurisdictions, in Maryland those inquisitorial powers are broad, full and of a plenary character.
The Court, speaking through Judge McSherry in the case of Blaney v. State, 74 Md.
153, 156, 21 A. 547, 548, said: However restricted the functions of grand juries may be
elsewhere, we holdthat in this state they have plenary inquisitorial powers, and may lawfully
themselves, and upon their own motion, originate charges against offenders, though no
preliminary proceedings have been had before a magistrate, and though neither the court nor
the state'sattorney has laid the matter before them.
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The peace, the government, and the dignity of the state, the well-being of society, and
the security of the individual demand that this ancient and important attribute of a grand jury
should not be narrowed or interfered with when legitimately exerted. In that same case and at
the same reference is contained a very pertinent quotation as to the duties of the grand jury in
language which cannot be improved upon here: To them is committed the preservation of the
peace of the county; the care of bringing to light for examination, trial, and punishment, all
violence, outrage, indecency, and terror; everything that may occasion danger, disturbance, or
dismay to the citizen. They are watchmen, stationed by the laws to survey the conduct of their
fellow-citizens, and inquire where and by whom public authority has been violated or the laws
infringed.
These broad inquisitorial powers of the grand jury in this State have been further
affirmed in many other cases among which are: In re Report of Grand Jury, 152 Md. 616, 621,
137 A. 370; Coblentz v. State, 164 Md. 558, 566, 166 A. 45, 88 A.L.R. 886; Hitzelberger v.
State, 173 Md. 435, 440, 196 A.288. Under these broad inquisitorial powers the grand jury
may, of course, investigate a case which the State's Attorney, in his discretion, has decided not
to present to that body.
Upon the proper functioning of the grand jury the lives, security, and property of the
people largely depend in the case of In re Lester, Mayor, 1886, 77 Ga. 143, at page 148: It is
the right of any citizen or any individual of lawful age to come forward and prosecute for
offenses against the state, or when he does not wish to become the prosecutor, he may give
information of the fact to the grand jury, or any member of the body, and in either case, it will
become their duty to investigate the matter thus communicated to them, or made known to one
of them, whose obligation it would be to lay his information before that body. And further in
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the case of State v. Stewart, 45 La.Ann. 1164, 14 So. at page 145, supra: It is complained by
the defendant that one S. A. Morgan, the leading state witness, went without summons or
request before the grand jury, and gave his own version of the case against defendant, and
instituted this prosecution. The witness had the undoubted right to go before the grand jury
voluntarily, and disclose his knowledge of the case. As a good citizen, it was his duty to do so.
No one can be excused for withholding knowledge of a crime from the public until he is
summoned to give his testimony of its commission. Hott v. Yarborough, 112 Tex. 179, 245
S.W. 676, supra.
It seems, therefore, from the cases herein cited, which might not be all on that subject,
that the right of a private person to appear before the grand jury to make a complaint has been
affirmed in the states of Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Georgia and denied in the state of
Pennsylvania and also denied in Tennessee where the witness was not under oath. The Illinois
Court seems to hold that there is adequate remedy before a magistrate and redress must be first
sought there.
The Federal decisions are not controlling, as there is a Federal statute on the subject.
The broad common law inquisitorial powers of the grand jury never have been curtailed by
statute in this state but have been reaffirmed as set out in the opinion in this case. As stated in
the opinion upon which this motion is based, this Court said in the case of Blaney v. State,
supra, 74 Md. At page 156, 21 A. at page 548: However restricted the functions of grand
juries may be elsewhere, we hold that in this state they have plenary inquisitorial powers, and
may lawfully themselves, and upon their own motion, originate charges against offenders,
though no preliminary proceedings have been had before a magistrate, and though neither the
court nor the state's attorney has laid the matter before them. This Court further said in the
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case of In re Report of Grand Jury, 152 Md. 616, at page 622, 137, A. 370, at page 372:
Presentments are accusations of crime made by the grand jury from their own knowledge or
from evidence furnished them by witnesses or one or more of their members. If the
presentation of cases before the grand jury in Baltimore City is controlled entirely by the
State's attorney as the appellant contends in his brief, the question naturally arises as to why
thereshould be a grand jury. It has been the custom in many of the counties of this State for
private persons to make complaints to the grand juries. In this State no action has been taken to
do away with that important body.
CONCLUSION
While prosecutorial discretion is admittedly broad, the court has recognized that it is subject
to some judicial oversight. What the court has said on the subject in Brackv. Wells, is worth
repeating: By the Constitution of Maryland, Article 5, Section 9, the States Attorney shall
perform such duties as may by law be prescribed. By Section [34] of Article 10 of the [current]
Code, that officer is required to prosecute and defend, on the part of the State, all cases in which
the State may be interested. In such prosecutions of persons accused of crime, he must exercise
a sound discretion to distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. He must be trusted with
broad official discretion to institute and prosecute criminal causes, subject generally to judicial
control. 184 Md. 86, 90, 40 A.2d 319, 321 (1944) (emphasis added) (citation omitted) While, as the
court has recognized, that prosecutorial discretion is broad, see Evans v. State, 396 Md. 256, 298,
914 A.2d 25, 49 (2006)(States attorneys retain the broad discretion . . . in determining which
cases to prosecute, which offenses to charge, and how to prosecute the cases they bring.); see
also Beverly v. State, 349 Md. 106, 121, 707 A.2d 91, 98 (1998) (It is well-settled that the
determination of which criminal charges, if any, to bring is a matter of prosecutorial
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discretion.); Sinclair v. State, 278 Md. 243, 252, 363 A.2d 468, 474 (1976) Because it is clear
that the states attorneys in this State have very wide and largely unreviewable discretion as to
whether or not to pursue the prosecution of criminal offenses, an independent investigation by
the Grand Jury should be commenced to ensure that justice and fairness is upheld in this case.
Respectfully Submitted,
Duane G. Davis7904 Jody Knoll DriveWindsor Mill, MD 21249(443) 831-118821st day of January 2013.
AFFIDAVIT
I, Duane G. Davis, state that I have read the Verified Complaint and that the same is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief this 8 th day of August 2013.
Duane G. Davis7904 Jody Knoll DriveWindsor Mill, MD 21249(443) 831-1188
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I, Duane G. Davis, Plaintiff in proper person in the above captioned matter do hereby solemnly
affirm that the contents of the enclosed Complaint has been forwarded on to the defendants by US mail on
the 8thday of August 2013., first class, postage prepaid.
Respectfully,
Duane G. Davis
7904 Jody Knoll DriveWindsor Mill, MD 21249(443) 831-1188
Dated this [Date]___________________________
[Attorneys' address]
[Attorneys' names]
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