United States v. Marachowsky

15 F.R.D. 130, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3789
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Wisconsin
DecidedNovember 3, 1953
DocketCrim. No. 13111
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 15 F.R.D. 130 (United States v. Marachowsky) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Marachowsky, 15 F.R.D. 130, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3789 (W.D. Wis. 1953).

Opinion

TEHAN, District Judge.

Plaintiff, United States . of America, has filed a motion to supplement the rec[131]*131ord in this criminal action. The motion has been made under the provisions of Rule 75, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A., which governs by reason of Rule 39(b) (1) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S. C.A., which provides that the rules governing preparation of the record on appeal in civil actions shall apply to the record on appeal in criminal proceedings.

The defendants have appealed from an order of this court denying their motions for arrest of judgment and for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence, which motions were made when the case was remanded to this court following affirmance of the sentence and judgment of this court by the Court of Appeals of the Seventh Circuit, 201 F. 2d 5 and denial of certiorari by the Supreme Court of the United States. 345 U.S. 965, 73 S.Ct. 949.

The appellants on June 19, 1953, filed a “Request for Record on Appeal” and designated therein as the appellate record, “all papers filed, petitions, motions, affidavits, exhibits in support of motion for a new trial and motion in arrest of judgment and any and all orders entered thereon.” In response thereto, the Clerk of Court certified the following record:

1. Motion to reconsider the order denying probation.

2. Motion in arrest of judgment.

3. Motion for new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence.

4. Notice of appeal.

5. Request for record on appeal.

6. Notice of hearing on motions. Extract of docket entry of June 19.

Rule 75(d), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, provides that if the appellant does not designate for inclusion in the record the complete record and all the proceedings and evidence in the action, he shall then serve with his designation a concise statement of the points on which he intends to rely on appeal. The Government claims that this was never accomplished by the appellants in this case even though the complete record and all the proceedings were not designated, and that it had no knowledge of what the defendants intended to claim constituted error by the Court, in ruling on the motions, until the brief of defendants was received on October 17, 1953. It is the contention of the Government that upon learning for the first time the nature of the points relied on, it immediately moved to supplement the record by motion addressed to the trial court under Rule 75(h). Specifically, the United States asks for the inclusion of the following in the record on appeal:

(a) Transcript of testimony in the matter entitled United States of America v. Belle Marachowsky, also known as Belle Blitz and Belle Canel, and J. H. Marachowsky, also known as Jake Marachowsky, Criminal No. 13,111, United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin;

(b) Exhibit 179, Exhibit 4, Exhibit 5, Exhibit 329, Exhibit 319, Exhibit 324, from the action set out in (a) above;

(c) The transcript of the oral argument before the court on June 19, 1953, on defendants’ Motion to Reconsider Order Denying Probation, Motion in Arrest of Judgment, and Motion for a New Trial;

(d) Motion to Supplement the Record and the accompanying affidavit.

The Government contends that the Court of Appeals will not be able to properly weigh and evaluate the affidavits in support of a new trial unless it has these parts of the record before it.

It might be helpful at this juncture to allude briefly to the history of this case. The defendants, Belle Marachowsky and J. H. Marachowsky were indicted in fourteen counts charging the making of false oaths in a bankruptcy proceeding, and in one, the fifteenth, with conspiracy. The trial lasted approximately five weeks, and a voluminous record was built up around the black market transactions of the defendants with numerous produce dealers and brokers during the time that price [132]*132control was in effect. The defendants were found guilty on all counts, adjudged guilty, and sentenced to fine and imprisonment. As heretofore stated, defendants appealed, the Court of Appeals affirmed except as to one count and the Supreme Court denied certiorari. Upon the remanding of the case to this court, defendants moved under Rule 35 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure for reduction of sentence, and at that time by order of this court the sentence of Belle Marachowsky was reduced from two years to eighteen months. The motion of J. H. Marachowsky for reduction of sentence was denied. About one week thereafter, the defendants moved for a rehearing on the motion and also moved for arrest of judgment and for a new trial on the grounds of newly discovered evidence. The Government filed no counter-affidavits to those of the defendants, but upon the oral argument to the court, the United States Attorney made repeated reference to the transcript of testimony of the trial, in that manner directing the attention of the court to his reasons why the affidavits supporting defendants’ motion for a new trial were not newly discovered and were not of such sufficient weight that on a new trial a jury would probably acquit if the proffered evidence were used. Upon the completion of the oral argument this court pointed out its reasons for denying the motions. The court then granted a short stay of execution and the instant appeal was taken. The motion to supplement the record which is now before this court was argued on Saturday last, October 31, 1953. At the conclusion of the argument, this court expressed its opinion, which it now re-affirms, that the record of the proceedings on the main trial would be absolutely essential in determining the weight of the affidavits offered in support of a new trial, and that the other parts of the record asked to be included would be very helpful to the appellate court.

It is my opinion that it is so clear that the ends of substantial justice and that the best interests of the defendants themselves on their motion for a new trial require the additional record, that I can account for their failure to so stipulate only on a hope that the Court of Appeals will take a technical position of holding the Government in default, and allowing defendants’ affidavits to stand uncontroverted in the case. Whatever their reason may be, it cannot be the matter of expense or delay as far as the transcripts of testimony are concerned. They have already been prepared and can be filed without delay or cost to the defendants.

Counsel for the defendants, however, argues that this court has no jurisdiction to hear the plaintiff’s motion in that this cause is now on appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and that upon the filing of the notice of appeal, the request for record and the proceedings had in the Court of Appeals, this court no longer has jurisdiction of this cause.

Rule 75(h) provides:

“(h) Power of Court to Correct or Modify Record.

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

Related

Nahodil v. Rodman
432 F. Supp. 105 (S.D. New York, 1977)
In Re WT Grant Co.
432 F. Supp. 105 (S.D. New York, 1977)
Franceschi v. Rivera Echevarría
94 P.R. 558 (Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
15 F.R.D. 130, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3789, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-marachowsky-wiwd-1953.