United States v. Charles G. Nickels

502 F.2d 1173
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedNovember 1, 1974
Docket74-1153
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 502 F.2d 1173 (United States v. Charles G. Nickels) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Charles G. Nickels, 502 F.2d 1173 (7th Cir. 1974).

Opinion

CUMMINGS, Circuit Judge.

Defendant, a Chicago police officer, was convicted by a jury for making a false declaration before a grand jury in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1623. He received an 18-month sentence.

According to the one-count indictment, defendant told the grand jury in substance that while in the performance of his duties as a Chicago police officer, he had never received any money from any persons, where as in truth he had received money from Joseph Dawson and John Cello between January 1965 and May 1966 while in the performance of such duties.

In 1964, defendant was assigned to the 18th Chicago Police District Vice Squad to conduct wire surveillance. He remained there until the spring of 1966. At the trial, a former Chicago policeman, Joseph Dawson, and suspended policeman John Cello testified that defendant was given a share of monthly payoffs given to Dawson and Cello by gambling interests and tavern keepers. The division of the payoffs took place in secrecy in defendant’s presence at the Olympic Hotel in Chicago on several occasions. The “package” was divided among the sixteen members of the Vice Squad. Martin B. Brody keeper of the Olympic Hotel, testified that he gave a police officer $75 in the defendant’s presence “to keep the vice squad away.” He also testified that he gave defendant $75. on another occasion.

I

Defendant first argues that his grand jury testimony should have been suppressed because it was given under the duress of Rule 51 of the Chicago Police Department prohibiting officers from failing to give evidence before a grand jury. On the basis of prior Supreme Court decisions, we held Rule 51 constitutionally invalid because it denied police officers the privilege against self-incrimination where criminal prosecution may have followed. Confederation of Police v. Conlisk, 489 F.2d 891 (7th Cir. 1973). Subsequently, we held that even in the face of such a rule a *1176 public employee is not privileged to lie before a grand jury, stating:

“We find no reason or justification for extending this umbrella of [Fifth Amendment] protection to shield a witness against prosecution for knowingly giving false testimony.” United States v. Devitt, 499 F.2d 135, 142 (7th Cir. 1974).

To the same effect, see United States v. Pacente, 503 F.2d 543, 548-549 (7th Cir. en banc, 1974); United States ex rel. Annunziato v. Deegan, 440 F.2d 304, 306 (2d Cir. 1971); cf. United States v. Knox, 396 U.S. 77, 90 S.Ct. 363, 24 L. Ed.2d 275; United States v. Cooper, 493 F.2d 473, 474 (5th Cir. 1974).

Defendant complains that no agent of the federal government interviewed him prior to the time he appeared before the grand jury. There is no such requirement.

Defendant urges that the Government was not entitled to propound questions to thé defendant before the grand jury concerning events prior to the five-year statute of limitations. The point is without merit because the grand jury’s scope of inquiry is not limited to events which may result in criminal prosecution. Devitt, supra, 499 F.2d 140; United States v. Cohn, 452 F.2d 881, 883 (2d Cir. 1971), certiorari denied, 405 U.S. 975, 92 S.Ct. 1196, 31 L. Ed.2d 249.

Defendant next contends that before he testified, the prosecutor wrongly advised him that anything he said could be used against him in subsequent criminal proceedings. Although it reflects badly on the Government, such an over-warning is no defense to a perjury charge.- Compare the erroneously required waiver in United States ex rel. Annunziato v. Deegan, 440 F.2d 304, 306 (2d Cir. 1971). The incorrect warning simply restated one horn of the dilemma which Rule 51 would have created if valid. While it probably made that apparent dilemma more salient to the witness, it does not change the nature of the witness’ dilemma. Accordingly, the warning does not distinguish this case from Devitt and Pacente.

Although defendant states that the warnings required by Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 with respect to right to appointed counsel were inadequate, the transcript of the colloquy between the defendant and prosecutor before the grand jury shows that defendant was adequately informed about that right.

The Government’s failure to advise Nickels that he was a potential defendant does not bar a perjury prosecution for false testimony before a grand jury. United States v. Di-Giovanni, 397 F.2d 409, 412 (7th Cir. 1968), certiorari denied, 393 U.S. 924, 89 S.Ct. 256, 21 L.Ed.2d 260. Similarly, it was unnecessary to warn defendant of the potential for perjury. United States v. Winter, 348 F.2d 204, 210 (2d Cir. 1965), certiorari denied, 382 U.S. 955, 86 S.Ct. 429, 15 L.Ed.2d 360.

Defendant also argues that the Government's entire course of conduct discussed in this section of the opinion supports an inference that he was called before the grand jury for the purpose of procuring perjured testimony. Since the questions were material to the grand jury’s investigation, we doubt that we can inquire into the motivation for asking them. Cf. Devitt, 499 F.2d 140; United States v. Lazaros, 480 F.2d 174, 177 (6th Cir. 1973). But even if the questions were asked with the expectation of perjured answers, defendant cannot complain. This is not an entrapment case. Lazaros at 178-179. It was defendant’s predisposition to lie his way out of his difficulties that led to this crime. The Government did not solicit or encourage perjury; at most it created a situation in which perjury appeared expedient. This is not “so outrageous” as to bar prosecution. United States v. Russell, 411 U.S. 423, 431, 93 S.Ct. 1637, 36 L.Ed.2d 366. To the extent United States v. Mandujano, 496 F.2d *1177 1050 (5th Cir. 1974), and United States v. Rangel, 496 F.2d 1059 (5th Cir. 1974), are contra, we respectfully disagree.

II

Defendant offered five exhibits at the opening of his case-in-chief to show that his perjury before the grand jury had been committed under duress. These exhibits consisted of legal matters.

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

Related

United States v. Robert A. Burke
425 F.3d 400 (Seventh Circuit, 2005)
United States v. Veal
153 F.3d 1233 (Eleventh Circuit, 1998)
State v. Basden
429 S.E.2d 740 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1993)
United States v. Algienon Tanner
941 F.2d 574 (Seventh Circuit, 1991)
United States v. Eric Chen
933 F.2d 793 (Ninth Circuit, 1991)
United States v. Gillespie
773 F. Supp. 1154 (N.D. Indiana, 1991)
United States v. Richard A. Nazzaro
889 F.2d 1158 (First Circuit, 1990)
Commonwealth v. Williams
565 A.2d 160 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
United States v. Williams
874 F.2d 968 (Fifth Circuit, 1989)
Nixon v. United States
703 F. Supp. 538 (S.D. Mississippi, 1988)
Ogden-Fairmount, Inc. v. Illinois Racing Board
518 N.E.2d 120 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1987)
United States v. Caputo
633 F. Supp. 1479 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1986)
United States v. Simone
627 F. Supp. 1264 (D. New Jersey, 1986)
United States v. Anthony J. Vesich, Jr.
724 F.2d 451 (Fifth Circuit, 1984)
United States v. Ras
713 F.2d 311 (Seventh Circuit, 1983)
United States v. Vesich
558 F. Supp. 1192 (E.D. Louisiana, 1983)
United States v. John Stanfa
685 F.2d 85 (Third Circuit, 1982)
United States v. Sun Myung Moon
532 F. Supp. 1360 (S.D. New York, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
502 F.2d 1173, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-charles-g-nickels-ca7-1974.