United States v. Marasco

• Decision Date: 10 November 1967
• Docket Number: No. 67 Civ. 3983.,67 Civ. 3983.
• Citation: 275 F. Supp. 492
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America ex rel. Mehdi EATESSAMI, Relator, v. Anthony R. MARASCO, United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, Respondent.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York

275 F. Supp. 492

UNITED STATES of America ex rel. Mehdi EATESSAMI, Relator, v. Anthony R. MARASCO, United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, Respondent.

No. 67 Civ. 3983.

United States District Court S. D. New York.

November 10, 1967.

Friend & Reiskind, New York City, for relator.

Lovejoy, Wasson, Lundgren & Ashton, New York City, for the Government of the Confederation of Switzerland.

OPINION

TYLER, District Judge.

This writ of habeas corpus application brings up for review a determination of extradition rendered by a United States Commissioner in this district on October 13, 1967. See 18 U.S.C. § 3184 (1964).

After considering oral arguments in this matter on October 20, 1967 and upon review of the transcript of the record before the Commissioner, I can perceive no legal or factual reason for disturbing his determination that extradition should lie.

These proceedings grow out of an extradition warrant issued by an investigating magistrate in the Canton of Geneva where there have been filed against, among others, the relator charges of embezzlement, fraud, forgery and use of forged documents in violation of Articles 148, 251 and 255 of the Swiss Criminal Code of December 21, 1937. Hearings on the matter were held before Commissioner Bishopp on August 30 and 31, September 1, 5, 6, 7 and 15, and October 9 and 13, 1967. On the last date, the Commissioner rendered his decision that the Swiss government had established probable cause for extradition of the relator and remanded him to the custody of the marshal awaiting a final extradition warrant from the Secretary of State.

Upon these habeas corpus proceedings, counsel for the relator makes a number of arguments, the most significant of which can be fairly summarized as follows:

1. the evidence before the Commissioner failed to establish a prima facie case or probable cause as required by law and the express terms of the governing extradition treaty between the United States and Switzerland;

2. the scope of the treaty in question is insufficient to permit extradition, at least in the factual context of this particular case; and

3. the original complaint before Commissioner Bishopp was insufficient; moreover, the amended complaint filed by the Swiss government was untimely, thereby creating unfair surprise and resultant prejudice to the relator.

Since this matter is before the court on a petition for habeas corpus relief, it is well to remember that such a remedy is available only to inquire whether the Commissioner had jurisdiction, whether the offenses charged are within the treaty between Switzerland and this country and whether or not there was any evidence to support the Commissioner's findings of probable cause. Fernandez v. Phillips, 268 U.S. 311, 312, 45 S.Ct. 541, 69 L.Ed. 970 (1925).

As to the issue of probable cause, I have read the record before the Commissioner and determine that there was ample evidence to support his findings in this area. In brief, the crimes charged against relator are based upon two loans obtained through fraudulent misrepresentations and by the use of forged and counterfeit stock certificates presented to the lender, the Swiss Bank Corporation. In April, 1963, arrangements were made here in New York City to open a numbered bank account in the name of one Motlag at the Swiss Bank Corporation. Counterfeit securities were sent through Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company to the main office of Swiss Bank in Geneva. That office approved a loan of $165,000 to Motlag "secured" by the fraudulent securities which also had been approved by Swiss Bank. A second loan of $135,000 was procured under similar circumstances in the name of Motlag in August 1963. There the bogus securities were submitted through Chemical Bank New York Trust Company; again they were approved by Swiss Bank in Geneva which authorized payment of the loan proceeds through the Chemical here in New York. One Heshmat Kamyar, who is presently in custody in Switzerland after having been extradited from Israel, has testified to the Swiss investigating magistrate by statements and affidavits that he was a close friend and former associate of relator; that under the supervision and direction of relator, he made arrangements here in New York City to secure the loan of $165,000; and that the proceeds of this loan in the form of traveler's checks were turned over to relator and a man named Aadal. There is before the examining magistrate in Switzerland evidence that at least some of these traveler's checks were cashed by Kamyar and Eatessami in Switzerland. Finally, there is evidence before the Swiss magistrate that another individual using the name of Khani has implicated relator as the principal who directed and arranged the obtaining of the loan of $135,000. Kamyar and Khani, significantly, are shown by their admissions and other evidence to have used a forged Iranian passport No. 349902 given to them by Eatessami for purposes of identification in connection with the loan arrangements.

Relator first argues that accepting arguendo all the Swiss government evidence as true, it is legally insufficient because it ties him to the crimes charged only by means of admissions of what he calls agents. Put differently, relator contends that the only proof against him is testimony of aiders and abettors or co-conspirators. From this, Eatessami attempts to develop the argument that under the law of New York, which, of course, is the state in which he was found, there is an evidentiary rule that an admission of a co-conspirator is not admissible unless it is part of the res gestae. Assuming without deciding that relator is correct in so stating the applicable law of New York, I consider the argument irrelevant. The federal courts have always recognized that an extradition magistrate need not be bound by the specific rules of evidence or rules governing the admissibility of evidence in such proceedings as these. Similarly, an extradition magistrate need not be concerned about acting only upon evidence which would be sufficient to convict under the laws of the place where he sits. Hearsay evidence, for example, may be considered by a judge or United States Commissioner sitting as an extradition magistrate. In short, it is the usual rule, at least in this circuit, that the hearsay character of evidence in such proceedings goes to its weight but not to its admissibility. See United States ex rel. Klein v. Mulligan, 50 F.2d 687 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 284 U.S. 665, 52 S.Ct. 41, 76 L.2d 563 (1931). Moreover, there is evidence in the record in addition to the admissions of alleged agents or co-conspirators Khani and Kamyar which serves to tie relator in as a possible offender under the allegations made by the Swiss government....