United States v. Lacey

827 F. Supp. 1540, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10913, 1993 WL 294468
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJuly 20, 1993
DocketNo. 89-10054-01-SAC
StatusPublished

This text of 827 F. Supp. 1540 (United States v. Lacey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Lacey, 827 F. Supp. 1540, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10913, 1993 WL 294468 (D. Kan. 1993).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

CROW, District Judge.

On July 27, 1989, Richard Lacey was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine. On February 6, 1990, Lacey failed to appear at trial as ordered; Lacey was tried in absentia. The jury returned a guilty verdict on March 26, 1990. Lacey remained a fugitive until February 1991, when he was apprehended by Federal Marshals. On March 13,1991, Lacey was sentenced on the instant drug charge and on a failure to appear charge. Lacey appealed to the Tenth Circuit, which affirmed his conviction. United States v. Lacey, 969 F.2d 926 (10th Cir.1992).

On July 28, 1992, Lacey was called before the Grand Jury pursuant to a grant of immunity under 18 U.S.C. § 6001, et seq. On October 7, 1992, Lacey filed a petition for Writ of Certiorari. On February 23, 1993, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case to the Tenth Circuit for further consideration in light of Crosby v. United States, 506 U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 748, 122 L.Ed.2d 25 (1993).1 On April 16, 1993, the Tenth Circuit vacated Lacey’s conviction and remanded for a new trial. United States v. Lacey, 990 F.2d 586 (10th Cir.1993). Trial is set for August 9, 1993.2

This case comes before the court upon Lacey’s motion to dismiss the pending action against him for the reason that he was granted immunity and that testimony compelled from him while testifying before the grand jury has impermissibly tainted future prosecutions. The motion also requests an evidentiary hearing to determine the extent and existence of tainted evidence prior to trial.

Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss

On July 28, 1992, Lacey was questioned before the grand jury. Lacey’s testimony was compelled pursuant to a grant of immunity pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 6001 et seq. The court understands that Lacey’s testimony concerned, inter alia, his own involvement in the crimes for which he is currently being tried. The court has not reviewed the grand jury transcript.

Lacey argues that because he has demonstrated that he previously testified before the grand jury, it is incumbent upon the government to demonstrate that its evidence is not tainted and that its evidence comes from a legitimate source. Lacey contends that each witness must be questioned to determine whether their testimony has been tainted by exposure to his immunized testimony. Lacey requests an evidentiary hearing pretrial.

The government responds that this case is unique in that the testimony of each of its witnesses has previously testified against the defendant in his first trial. More importantly, the government argues that none of the witnesses it intends to call have been ex[1542]*1542posed to the immunized testimony. Only certain DEA personnel have seen the immunized testimony, and none of those witness will testify against Lacey. The government also argues that because each witnesses’ version of the facts has been recorded under oath in the first trial, Lacey bears the burden of challenging each witness’s testimony. The government contends that a lengthy evidentiary hearing is unnecessary as Lacey has not pointed to any evidence which has been tainted. Moreover, the government argues that Lacey can cross-examine witnesses at trial if discrepancies exist between the testimony given at Lacey’s first trial and the instant case.

On June 25, 1993, the court heard oral argument on the pending motion. Having considered the arguments of counsel, the facts and circumstances of this case, and the applicable law, the court is now prepared to rule.

Use of Immunized Testimony

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “No per-' son ... shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself ...” The rule against self incrimination has been established in England since 1641. United States v. North, 910 F.2d 843, 853 (D.C.Cir.) (“North I”), modified, 920 F.2d 940 (D.C.1990) (‘North II”), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 111 S.Ct. 2235, 114 L.Ed.2d 477 (1991). The prohibition against compelled testimony is, however, not absolute. In Kastigar v. United States, 406 U.S. 441, 92 S.Ct. 1653, 32 L.Ed.2d 212 (1972), the Court held that a grant of use immunity under 18 U.S.C. § 6002 enables the government to compel a witness’s self-incriminating testimony.3

Section 6002 provides in pertinent part:

Whenever a witness refuses, on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or provide other information in a proceeding before or ancillary to—
(1) a court or grand jury of the United States,
and the person presiding over the proceeding communicates to the witness an order issued under this part, the witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination; but no testimony or other information compelled under the order (or any information directly or indirectly derived from such testimony or other information) may be used against the witness in any criminal ease, except a prosecution for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the order.

“The scope of immunity provided by § 6002 is coextensive with the scope of the Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination.” United States v. Poindexter, 951 F.2d 369, 373 (D.C.Cir.1991) (citing Kastigar v. United States, 406 U.S. 441, 462, 92 S.Ct. 1653, 1665, 32 L.Ed.2d 212 (1972)), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 656, 121 L.Ed.2d 583 (1992). “Testimony obtained pursuant to a grant of statutory use immunity may be used neither directly or derivatively.” Braswell v. United States, 487 U.S. 99, 117, 108 S.Ct. 2284, 2295, 101 L.Ed.2d 98 (1988). The statute “prohibits the prosecutorial authorities from using the compelled testimony in any respect, and it therefore cannot lead to the infliction of criminal penalties on the witness.” Kastigar, 406 U.S. at 453, 92 S.Ct. at 1661.

“One raising a claim under this statute need only show that he testified under a grant of immunity in order to shift to the government the heavy burden of proving all of the evidence it proposes to use was derived from legitimate independent sources.” 406 U.S. at 461-462, 92 S.Ct. at 1665.4 [1543]

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Related

Kastigar v. United States
406 U.S. 441 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Braswell v. United States
487 U.S. 99 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Crosby v. United States
506 U.S. 255 (Supreme Court, 1993)
United States v. Felipe De Diego
511 F.2d 818 (D.C. Circuit, 1975)
United States v. Bryant L. Hampton
775 F.2d 1479 (Eleventh Circuit, 1985)
United States v. R. Michael Crowson
828 F.2d 1427 (Ninth Circuit, 1987)
United States v. Oliver L. North
910 F.2d 843 (D.C. Circuit, 1990)
United States v. Oliver L. North
920 F.2d 940 (D.C. Circuit, 1990)
United States v. John M. Poindexter
951 F.2d 369 (D.C. Circuit, 1992)
United States v. Richard Lacey
969 F.2d 926 (Tenth Circuit, 1992)
United States v. Kathleen Harris
973 F.2d 333 (Fourth Circuit, 1992)
United States v. Richard Lacey
990 F.2d 586 (Tenth Circuit, 1993)
Sea-Land Service, Inc. v. United States
500 U.S. 941 (Supreme Court, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
827 F. Supp. 1540, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10913, 1993 WL 294468, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-lacey-ksd-1993.