United States v. Barbera

213 F. Supp. 923, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6882
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 30, 1963
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 213 F. Supp. 923 (United States v. Barbera) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Barbera, 213 F. Supp. 923, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6882 (S.D.N.Y. 1963).

Opinion

FREDERICK van PELT BRYAN, District Judge.

Defendant Barbera was convicted by a jury on two counts of an indictment charging him with possession and concealment with intent to defraud of some $75,000 worth of counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve notes and with conspiring with others named in the indictment to commit this substantive crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 472, 473.

His motions for judgment of acquittal, pursuant to Rule 29, F.R.Cr.P., having been denied, he now moves, pursuant to Rule 33 for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence and has renewed his earlier motion for a new trial on the ground that the Government had failed during the course of the trial to make the witness Gray available to the defense.

I.

The motion based on newly discovered evidence.

It is well settled that a party seeking a new trial on the grounds of newly discovered evidence must satisfy the court: (1) that the evidence has come to his knowledge since the trial; (2) that the failure to produce the evidence at the trial was not due to lack of diligence on defendant’s part; (3) that the evidence is so material that it would probably produce a different verdict if a new trial was granted; (4} that the evidence is not cumulative only, i. e., speaking to facts as to which evidence was adduced at the trial; and (5) that the object of the evidence is not merely to impeach the character or credibility of a witness. United States v. On Lee, 201 F.2d 722 (2 Cir., 1953), cert. den. 345 U.S. 936, 73 S.Ct. 798, 97 L.Ed. 1364 (1953); Ferina v. United States, 302 F.2d 95 (8 Cir., 1962), cert. denied 371 U.S. 819, 83 S.Ct. 35, 9 L.Ed. 2d 59 (1962); Gallegos v. United States, 295 F.2d 879 (9 Cir., 1961), cert. denied 368 U.S. 988, 82 S.Ct. 604, 7 L.Ed.2d 526 (1962); Johnson v. United States, 32 F.2d 127 (8 Cir., 1929); United States v. Mentesana, 203 F.Supp. 63 (E.D.N.Y. 1962), aff’d 305 F.2d 214 (2 Cir., 1962); United States v. Massoulis, 203 F.Supp. 114 (S.D.N.Y.1962); United States v. Stahls, 194 F.Supp. 849 (S.D.Indiana, 1961).

Upon the motion here the evidence upon which defendant relies consists of: (1) an affidavit by one Dave Miller as to certain dealings he had with the co-defendant and witness Max Friedman, and the co-defendant Miseha Weisberg, and certain conversations that he had with them subsequent to the arrests in this case, and (2) the testimony of Chester Gray, the Government informer who-was produced by the Government after the conclusion of the trial, and who testified before me at a hearing on this; motion.

There is also before me a letter from Irwin D. Strauss, Esq., who represented defendant Barbera, before trial, who was present during part of the trial, and who claims that he had certain conversations with Barbera concerning his prospective meeting with Evangelista ira Newark on June 27, 1962.

[925]*925As to the statements in the affidavit of Dave Miller, there is no showing before me that this evidence was newly discovered, or that it could not have been discovered by the defendant in the exercise of reasonable diligence during the course of the trial. It therefore cannot be considered on this motion. United States v. Costello, 255 F.2d 876 (2 Cir., 1958), cert. den. 357 U.S. 937, 78 S.Ct. 1385, 2 L.Ed.2d 1551 (1958); United States v. Forzano, 190 F.2d 687 (2 Cir., 1951); Ferina v. United States, supra.

As to the material contained in the letter of Irwin B. Strauss, which will be made a part of this record, Strauss actually represented Barbera during the pre-trial proceedings in this case and was present in my chambers during a conference concerning the date of trial. He also was present in the courtroom during at least part of the trial. Even if his unverified letter could rise to the dignity of proof which might be considered on this application, it is plain that any evidence which Strauss might supply was not newly discovered and in fact was available to defendant had reasonable diligence been exercised. It is significant, moreover, that when Barbera took the stand he did not mention any such conversations or arrangements with Strauss as are referred to in the Strauss letter.

Finally, as to the testimony of Chester Gray taken before me at a hearing on this motion. As to the transactions charged in the indictment as limited by the bill of particulars, Gray’s testimony would have been of no aid to defendant, and, in fact, tended to confirm the testimony of the co-defendant Friedman and various of the agents who testified for the Government. In this respect it was cumulative, but cumulative in favor of the Government rather than the defendant and plainly could not have aided the defendant.

Gray also testified with respect to the part the co-defendant witness Friedman played in a Canadian transaction in counterfeit money in which he and the co-defendant Weisberg were involved. No claim was made by the Government at the trial that Barbera had anything to do with the Canadian transaction, nor is there any evidence to that effect.

The Canadian transaction was raised upon Friedman’s cross-examination in an effort to discredit him. It was admitted only for that purpose.

While admitting that he knew of Canadian negotiations Friedman originally denied that he himself had had any part in the transaction. It later developed, after the defendant Barbera had been permitted to inquire at length as to what was contained in confidential records of the Secret Service not related to the facts charged in the indictment, that Friedman had sworn falsely with respect to his part in the Canadian transaction. Friedman then was recalled to the stand and admitted that he had sworn falsely. Defense counsel was thus successful in-impeaching Friedman and the fact that Friedman had made false statements under oath with regard to the Canadian-transaction in an attempt to protect himself from feared further prosecution was before the jury. The jury was charged that Friedman had admitted lying under oath, that they could take this fact into account in evaluating his-testimony; and that in the light of this they were entitled to disbelieve all or any part of his testimony if they saw fit.

The testimony of Gray which further contradicted Friedman’s statements as to the Canadian transaction, was, for the purpose of this trial, merely further impeachment of Friedman and cumulative impeachment at that, going to the-extent of his involvement in that deal. For this reason alone it does not furnish the basis for granting a new trial. See-cases cited above.

In any event, it is clear to me that the Gray testimony would not have added materially to such impeachment of Friedman as had already been accomplished by his own admission that he had sworn falsely as to his involvement in the Canadian transaction. Under these cir[926]

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Pena v. LeFerve
419 F. Supp. 112 (E.D. New York, 1976)
Hawkins v. Robinson
367 F. Supp. 1025 (D. Connecticut, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
213 F. Supp. 923, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6882, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-barbera-nysd-1963.