United States v. Kaleb Basey ( 2022 )


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  •                            NOT FOR PUBLICATION                           FILED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                        JUL 21 2022
    MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
    U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,                       No. 21-30196
    Plaintiff-Appellee,             D.C. No. 4:14-cr-00028-RRB-1
    v.
    KALEB L. BASEY,                                 MEMORANDUM*
    Defendant-Appellant.
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the District of Alaska
    Ralph R. Beistline, District Judge, Presiding
    Submitted July 12, 2022**
    Before:      SCHROEDER, R. NELSON, and VANDYKE, Circuit Judges.
    Kaleb L. Basey appeals pro se from the district court’s orders granting his
    motion for return of property under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g) and
    denying reconsideration. We have jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
    , and we
    affirm.
    *
    This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
    except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
    **
    The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
    without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). Accordingly, Basey’s
    request for oral argument is denied.
    As an initial matter, we reject Basey’s assertions that the district court’s
    order granting relief was an injunction or “coerced settlement.” The record reflects
    that the district court properly granted Basey’s motion for return of property after
    the government filed a notice of non-opposition conceding that it had no legitimate
    reason to retain the property at issue. See United States v. Martinson, 
    809 F.2d 1364
    , 1369-70 (9th Cir. 1987) (“A district court has both the jurisdiction and the
    duty to return the contested property once the government’s need for it has ended.”
    (internal quotation marks omitted)). Moreover, the court did not abuse its
    discretion in denying Basey’s motions for reconsideration after ordering the
    government to return Basey’s items and delete copies in its possession. See United
    States v. Tapia-Marquez, 
    361 F.3d 535
    , 537 (9th Cir. 2004) (stating standard of
    review). Contrary to Basey’s contentions, the district court was not required to
    treat the government’s notice of non-opposition as a motion to dismiss, and neither
    the district court nor this court need reach Basey’s claim that the property at issue
    was illegally seized. See Martinson, 
    809 F.2d at 1369
     (“[W]hen the property in
    question is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes . . . the legality of the search
    and seizure is no longer an issue.”). Finally, no hearing on the motion was
    required. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 41(g).
    In light of this disposition, we do not reach the government’s remaining
    arguments.
    2                                     21-30196
    We do not consider matters not specifically and distinctly raised and argued
    in the opening brief. See Padgett v. Wright, 
    587 F.3d 983
    , 985 n.2 (9th Cir. 2009).
    Basey’s motion for reassignment to a different district judge is denied as
    moot.
    AFFIRMED.
    3                                   21-30196
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 21-30196

Filed Date: 7/21/2022

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 7/21/2022