United States v. George

548 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16388, 2008 WL 558209
CourtDistrict Court, D. South Dakota
DecidedFebruary 29, 2008
DocketCR. 07-40055-25
StatusPublished

This text of 548 F. Supp. 2d 713 (United States v. George) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. George, 548 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16388, 2008 WL 558209 (D.S.D. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER ON MOTIONS

JOHN E. SIMKO, United States Magistrate Judge.

Defendant’s Motion for Discovery and Inspection, Doc. 385 Government’s Request for Disclosure, Doc. 388

Defendant’s Motion for Discovery and Inspection seeks various discovery materials pursuant to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, 18 U.S.C. § 3500, and the holdings in Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972). The Government’s Request for Disclosure seeks discovery pursuant to Rule 16(b) and Rule 26.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The parties are required to comply with the various rules, statutes and holdings of case law. Accordingly, Defendant’s Motion for Discovery and Inspection and the Government’s Request for Disclosure are DENIED AS MOOT, subject to leave to reopen if discovery becomes disputed.

Defendant’s Motion for Bill of Particulars, Doc. 541

In this criminal case, Defendant is charged in the Second Superseding Indictment with numerous other defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Defendant moves for a bill of particulars pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 7(f). That rule states:

Rule 7. The Indictment and the Information
(f) Bill of Particulars. The court may direct the government to file a bill of particulars. The defendant may move for a bill of particulars before or within 10 days after arraignment or at a later time if the court permits. The government may amend a bill of particulars subject to such conditions as justice requires.

Defendant requests the bill of particulars contain the following information: (1) the identity of each person with whom it is alleged he entered into the conspiracy to distribute the drugs which are the subject *716 of the indictment; (2) the substance of the agreement in furtherance of the conspiracy between the persons identified as co-conspirators who are actual acquaintances of Defendant, including the dates, the facts establishing the relationships between the parties, the substance and purpose of the agreement, and the location of the parties and the time of the communication; (3) as to persons identified in paragraph (1) who are not acquaintances of Defendant but are alleged to be involved in the conspiracy, facts which establish those individuals were a part of the conspiracy including all factors enumerated in paragraph (2); (4) identities of un-indicted co-conspirators; (5) the amount of cocaine attributable to Defendant’s own actions including the quantity alleged, the date, time and location Defendant is alleged to have possessed such quantity and the parties and witnesses to any alleged sale or distribution of said quantity; (6) the quantity of cocaine attributable to Defendant by the actions of others he aided and abetted and for each such amount the same factors as listed in number (5); (7) as to cocaine attributable to Defendant because of reasonably foreseeable acts of others the same factors listed in paragraph (5).

Defendant’s counsel has indicated several hundred pages of discovery have been provided but most of the discovery is not related to Defendant. Defendant asserts he does not know the identity of the confidential informant(s), whether there are any witnesses to the alleged sale(s) of drugs, the specific nature of the conspiracy, when it was formed, how Defendant is a part of the conspiracy, what acts were perpetrated as part of the conspiracy, where the acts were perpetrated, or when the acts were perpetrated.

Count I of the Second Superseding Indictment alleges:

From on or about late 2005 to the date of this Indictment, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Quadiri Ayodele, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Tokes,” a/k/a “Skits”; Olimedji Ayodele, a/k/a Oladimeji Ayodele, a/k/a “0,” a/k/a “Ola”; Dominique Riggins, a/k/a “G”; Joel Taylor, a/k/a “Fat Boy,” a/k/a “Big Boy”; John Stanford; Quentin Booker, a/k/a “Q”; Herman Motley, a/k/a “Blade”; Michelle Lewis; Frank Baker; Crishawn Bonwell; Eugene Garcia, a/k/a “P,” a/k/a “Nip”; Branyon Dale Pippen-ger, a/k/a “Bam Bam”; Lori Sampson; Stacie Lynn Schroder; Matthew Bernard Weldon; Arlene Tiffany Weldon, a/k/a “Tiffany,” a/k/a “T-Baby”; Susan Ann Hansen; Kayce Lee Lessman; Joshua Lloyd Matlock, a/k/a “J-Rock,” a/k/a “J-Rod,” a/k/a “J”; Angie Graham; Craig Lewis; and Jerry George, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base (commonly referred to as crack cocaine), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.

Under Rule 7(f) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, it is within the sound discretion of the court to determine whether a bill of particulars should be provided, and the court should grant the motion if necessary to prevent unfair surprise at trial. United States v. Maull, 806 F.2d 1340, 1345 (8th Cir.1986). See also, United States v. Butler, 822 F.2d 1191, 1193-94 (D.C.Cir.1987). The court must strike a “prudent balance” between the legitimate interest of the government and the defendant. United States v. MacFarlane, 759 F.Supp. 1163, 1169 (W.D.Pa.1991). A bill of particulars is not *717 a discovery tool or a device for allowing the defense to preview the government’s theories or evidence. United States v. Hester, 917 F.2d 1083, 1084 (8th Cir.1990). A bill of particulars properly includes clarification of the indictment, not the government’s proof of its case. United States v. Smith, 341 F.Supp. 687, 690 (N.D.Ga.1972).

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Related

Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
Giglio v. United States
405 U.S. 150 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Zafiro v. United States
506 U.S. 534 (Supreme Court, 1993)
United States v. Shabani
513 U.S. 10 (Supreme Court, 1994)
United States v. Joanne Graham
548 F.2d 1302 (Eighth Circuit, 1977)
United States v. John Franklin Easom
569 F.2d 457 (Eighth Circuit, 1978)
Aulden E. Thomas v. United States
597 F.2d 656 (Eighth Circuit, 1979)
United States v. Michael U. Dempsey
806 F.2d 766 (Seventh Circuit, 1986)
United States v. Fleet Wallace Maull
806 F.2d 1340 (Eighth Circuit, 1986)
United States v. Rudolph T. Covos
872 F.2d 805 (Eighth Circuit, 1989)
United States v. Dell Hester A/K/A Jerry Smith
917 F.2d 1083 (Eighth Circuit, 1990)
United States v. James William Broyles
37 F.3d 1314 (Eighth Circuit, 1994)
United States v. Rodney L. Shivers
66 F.3d 938 (Eighth Circuit, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
548 F. Supp. 2d 713, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16388, 2008 WL 558209, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-george-sdd-2008.