Marinelli v. Beard

• Decision Date: 26 November 2012
• Docket Number: CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:CV-07-0173
• Parties: KEVIN MARINELLI, Petitioner v. JEFFREY BEARD, Commissioner, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections; LOUIS B. FOLINO, Superintendent of the State Correctional Institution at Greene; and FRANKLIN J. TENNIS, Superintendent of the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, Respondents
• Court: U.S. District Court — Middle District of Pennsylvania

KEVIN MARINELLI, Petitioner

v.JEFFREY BEARD, Commissioner, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections; LOUIS B. FOLINO,Superintendent of the State Correctional Institution at Greene; and FRANKLIN J. TENNIS, Superintendent ofthe State Correctional Institution at Rockview, Respondents

CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:CV-07-0173

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Dated: November 26, 2012

(Judge Mariani)

THIS IS A CAPITAL CASE

MEMORANDUM

I.INTRODUCTION

Before the Court is a counseled petition for writ of habeas corpus, filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, on behalf of Petitioner, Kevin Marinelli("Marinelli"), an inmate currently incarcerated in the Greene State Correctional Institution, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.Marinelli challenges his 1997 conviction and sentence in the Court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.For the reasons set forth below, and after careful consideration ofhis petition, this Court concludes that Petitioner's claims are, either procedurally defaulted or, without merit.

II.FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On May 18, 1995, Marinelli was found guilty of first degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and aggravated assault, following a jury trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court summarized the relevant facts as follows:

The testimony at appellant's trial established the following facts.On the evening of April 26, 1994, appellant and his brother, Mark Marinelli(Mark), and Kirchoff met at appellant's apartment to plan a burglary of the residence of Conrad Dumchock(Dumchock), whom Mark knew to have stereo equipment.The three men obtained weapons, disguises, and gloves in preparation for the burglary, and proceeded to Dumchock's home in Kulpmont.

Dumchock was home alone and had just spoken to his sister and brother-in-law on the telephone for forty-five minutes.The Marinelli brothers and Kirchoff arrived at Dumchock's home and initially had difficulty gaining entry.Observing that Dumchock's car was parked outside his house and concerned about the possibility of being discovered, the threesome left Dumchock's residence but returned a few minutes later to again attempt to enter.Eventually, they broke a small window in the kitchen door and entered the residence.

Upon entering Dumchock's residence, appellant immediately proceeded to the second floor, where he encountered Dumchock.When Dumchock requested that appellant leave his home, appellantstruck Dumchock's face with his gun and yelled for assistance from Mark and Kirchoff.

The appellant and Kirchoff continued to beat Dumchock, despite Dumchock's pleading with them to take what they wanted and leave him alone.The three rummaged through Dumchock's home looking for items to take and asking Dumchock where his guns and money were located.When Dumchock would moan or not answer, appellant would hit Dumchock again.

Mark and Kirchoff departed Dumchock's home after they had loaded the items they wished to steal, while appellant remained in the residence with Dumchock.Appellant then shot Dumchock twice in the head, with one shot into Dumchock's eye and the other directly between Dumchock's eyes.Appellant then ran out of Dumchock's house and exclaimed, "Let's get out of here!"

The threesome returned to Kirchoff's home and divided the items stolen from Dumchock.A short while later, the Marinelli brothers returned to Dumchock's house and took a motorcycle from the victim's porch.

Appellant attempted to start the motorcycle on compression, with Mark following in a car.They were observed crossing the main road in Kulpmont heading toward the other side of town.When the motorcycle would not start, appellant abandoned it.

On the morning following the killing, Clyde Metzger, who was waiting for Dumchock to drive him to work, entered the victim's home and discovered Dumchock's stereo equipment had been disarranged and Dumchock's dog was shaking.Metzger called out to Dumchock but received no response.Metzger became concerned and left Dumchock's home, and headed to the police station.On his way there, Metzger encountered a Kulpmont Police Sergeant Detective Robert Muldowney, and related to him the circumstances he had found.

Sergeant Muldowney entered Dumchock's home, noting that the storm door was open, the inside door was propped open with a chair, and the glass had been broken from a window in the door.Inside the house, Sergeant Muldowney discovered that telephone cords had been cut.Upstairs, Sergeant Muldowney discovered the victim's cold body lying at the top of the stairway landing.Sergeant Muldowney noted that Dumchock's bedroom was disheveled, with drawers removed from the dresser and various items strewn on the victim's bed.Pennsylvania State Police and County CoronerRichard Ulrich were called to the scene.The victim's sister also arrived at his house and noted that Dumchock's motorcycle was missing.The motorcycle was later recovered hidden in some brush where it had been abandoned.Dumchock's brother-in-law informed police that guns, tools, and electronic equipment were also missing from Dumchock's residence.One of Dumchock's friends, David Dormer, was brought to Dumchock's residence to assist police in determining which stereo equipment, as well as liquor, was missing.

On May 25, 1994, Mark Marinelli's girlfriend, Deeann Chamberlain, turned over to Coal Township Police certain weapons which Mark had brought to her home.These weapons were later identified as having belonged to the victim.County Coroner Ulrich was at the Coal Township police station when Ms. Chamberlain turned over these weapons.The coroner connected the items with the Dumchock killing, and notified the District Attorney and State Police.Further, Ms. Chamberlain allowed Shamokin Police to come to her home and remove other items Mark had left there, including a telephone answering machine.Coroner Ulrich recognized the telephone answering machine as being of the type reported missing from Dumchock's house, and he notified the State Police.

Additionally, a friend of appellant, Nathan Reigle, was questioned by police about the Dumchock murder.Reigle stated to police that appellant had bragged about how he had killed Dumchock.A search of appellant's residence by police recovered a number of items, including stereo equipment, later identified as property belonging to the victim.After being questioned by police, appellant gave policeboth an oral and a taped confession as to his involvement in the Dumchock killing.

SeeCommonwealth v. Marinelli, 547 Pa. 294, 306-308690A.2d 203, 209-210(1997)("Marinelli-1").The penalty phase commenced the following day, May 19, 1995.During the penalty phase, the jury found two aggravating circumstances: (1) Marinelli committed the killing while in the perpetration of a felony, see42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 9711(d)(6); and (2) Marinelli committed the offense by means of torture, see42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 9711(d)(8).The jury also found two mitigating circumstances: (1) Marinelli had no significant history of prior convictions, see42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 9711(e)(1); and (2) other evidence in mitigation concerning the character and record of Marinelli, see42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 9711(e)(8).The jury concluded that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstances and returned a verdict of death, see42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 9711(c)(1)(iv).

On August 11, 1995, the trial court formally imposed a sentence of death for first degree murder.Additionally, Marinelli was sentenced to consecutive terms of imprisonment of ten (10) to twenty (20) years on the robbery conviction; five (5) to ten (10) years on the conspiracy to commit robbery conviction; and ten (10) to twenty (20) years on the burglary conviction.No post sentence motions were filed.

Represented by Attorney James.J. Rosini, Petitioner filed a timely direct appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court¹, raising four (4) claims for relief.Specifically, Petitioner presented the following issues for review:

I.Is the verdict contrary to the evidence?

II.Is the verdict contrary to the weight of the evidence?

III.Is the verdict as to the sentence of death invalid due to the Commonwealth's failure to prove torture?

IV.Did the trial court commit error when it:

1.Improperly granted Commonwealth's motion to consolidate?

2.Improperly denied defendant's motion to sever?

3.Improperly denied defendant's motion for changes of venue and/or venire said motion made both before and after co-defendantMark Marinelli's plea of guilty?

4.Improperly denied defendant's motion to suppress statements made by defendant to police in violation of constitutional right to a speedy arraignment?

5.Improperly denied defendant's motion to suppress statements made by defendant to police in violation of right to counsel?

6.Failed to sustain defense counsel's objection to a death qualified jury?

7.Improperly permitted color and black and white photographs of the victim to be admitted when the prejudicial impact outweighed any probative or evidentiary value?

8.Improperly permitted a videotape depicting the body of the victim to be admitted when the prejudicial impact outweighed any probative or evidentiary value?

9.Improperly permitted a floor plan depicting the body of the victim to be admitted when the prejudicial impact outweighed any probative or evidentiary value?

10.Improperly permitted greatly enlarged photographic slides depicting the body of the victim to be admitted when the prejudicial impact outweighed any probative or evidentiary value?

11.Improperly denied defendant's motion for mistrial after counsel for co-defendant referred to defendant by name in his opening statement?

12.Improperly denied defendant's motion for severance after counsel for co-defendant referred to defendant by name in his opening statement?

13.

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