United States v. Noetzel

124 F.R.D. 518, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13934, 1989 WL 22813
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedMarch 15, 1989
DocketCrim. A. No. 88-0301-F
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 124 F.R.D. 518 (United States v. Noetzel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Noetzel, 124 F.R.D. 518, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13934, 1989 WL 22813 (D. Mass. 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER REGARDING PRETRIAL MOTIONS OF DEFENDANTS NOETZEL AND MORAN

MICHAEL A. PONSOR, United States Magistrate.

Of the four defendants in the above-entitled case one, Petro, is still at large. A second, Mack, has filed no motions. Defendant Moran filed a number of motions; his attorney has waived argument on these motions and the rulings are set forth below. Defendant Noetzel filed motions, appeared for argument and filed a supplemental affidavit. The Government has also filed an affidavit in camera. Rulings on defendant Noetzel’s motions are also set forth below.

A. Motions of Defendant Moran.

1. Motion for Bill of Particulars.

This motion is DENIED. As the defendant and Government agree, the purpose of a Bill of Particulars is to prevent unfair surprise to the defendant at trial and to ensure that he does not risk double jeopardy. The recitation of overt acts with regard to this defendant indicates the approximate time of month, the year, the state, the city and the place within the city where the defendant is alleged to have performed overt acts in support of the conspiracy. The absence of a precise date in the recitation of overt acts—at least on the facts of this case, where no specific need for the precise date has been shown—is not unfairly prejudicial and does not justify an [520]*520order requiring the Government to produce a Bill of Particulars.

2. Motion for Disclosure of All Evidence Favorable to the Defendant.

This motion focuses on certain statements made by the codefendant Noetzel which might, at a stretch, be considered exculpatory. The motion is DENIED, except for a small portion, for the following reasons. First, the defendant possesses the statement of the co-defendant Noetzel. It is quoted at length in his memorandum. Second, the Government does not have an “exact statement” or Noetzel’s oral comments, but only has knowledge of the “substance of the statement,” which has already been provided to the defendant.

In minor respects the motion will be ALLOWED. The motion seeks three other pieces of information which clearly may be exculpatory. The first of these is the name of the “Cuban male,” if known to the Government, who, according to Noetzel’s statement, was his source of cocaine. The second is the address of “Red Feather Imports,” the business which was allegedly owned by the “Cuban male.” The third is the name of the relative of the co-defendant Noetzel who allegedly introduced the Cuban male supplier to the co-defendant Noetzel. The items of information are ordered to be produced to the defendant within ten (10) days of the date of this order, if known to the Government. All of this information would tend to show that an individual other than the defendant Moran was Noetzel’s supplier. Of course, it is conceivable that the information contained in the co-defendant Noetzel’s statement was an invention of the moment and that none of the persons or places actually exist. If this is so, obviously, the Government cannot be ordered to produce them and may simple confirm it does not have the information, within the 10-day period set forth above.

3. Motion for Change of Venue or Payment of Transportation and Hotel Expenses.

This is a significant motion raising somewhat difficult issues.

The defendant is alleged to be the Florida end of a Massachusetts-Florida co- ■ caine distribution network. According to counsel, he has a substantial business in Florida that depends on his presence, and the witnesses he would offer in his own defense all live in Florida. Defense counsel himself lives in Florida. Although these “facts” are recited in defendant’s counsel’s memo, it is significant, as will be seen, that none of these averments is supported by any affidavit setting forth specifics as to (for example) defendant’s finances, potential witnesses and the nature of his employment demands.

Fed.R.Crim.P. 21(b) gives the district court discretion to transfer a case to another district “in the interest of justice____” The Supreme Court in Platt v. Minnesota Mining Co., 376 U.S. 240, 84 S.Ct. 769, 11 L.Ed.2d 674 (1964), listed nine factors to be considered in determining whether justice would be served in permitting a transfer. Viewing these factors strictly from the perspective of the single co-defendant raising the issue here, the court must conclude that they cut substantially in his favor. This defendant is located in Florida, his possible witnesses live there, the location of the events involving him is Florida, documents and records relating to him are to be found in Florida, trial in Massachusetts will be disruptive and expensive to him and his attorney is located in Florida. The other factors, relative accessibility and the docket condition of each district, are neutral. Thus, were this defendant the only one going to trial, a transfer to the Southern District of Florida would appear strongly indicated.

The problem is the co-defendants. At least oné, Noetzel, has ties as strong to the Western Massachusetts area as Moran has to Southern Florida. He would suffer the same disabilities in a trial in the Miami area. Moreover, he is presently incarcerated in Western Massachusetts.

If this defendant’s case is transferred, in order to be fair to both defendants, a severance would probably be necessary. In general, a defendant seeking a severance bears a heavy burden, since separate trials, dou[521]*521ble (at a minimum) the expense to the Government and the inconvenience and disruption to its witnesses, some of whom are private persons. The conduct of two trials would constitute a severe burden upon the Government.

Under these circumstances, where various defendants occupy conflicting positions, the court concludes that it must consider the position of all defendants in applying the factors set forth in the Platt decision. Moreover, where a transfer would necessitate severance, the court must also consider the impact upon the Government and the administration of justice as one variable in the equation.

Taking these considerations together, the court concludes that—at least absent some more specific showing of prejudice from the defendant—the transfer should be denied. Although the inconvenience to defendant is obvious, the degree of prejudice is not. Defendant apparently has the resources to retain private counsel. Moreover, no detailed showing of his financial situation, of facts pertaining to the witnesses he would need to call, or of the impact upon his business has been made. If appropriate, this showing could be made in camera. Right now, as noted, defendant has not even submitted an affidavit in support of his motion. For these reasons, the motion is hereby DENIED.

4. Motion to Compel Disclosure of Existence and Substance of Promises of Immunity, Leniency or Preferential Treatment.

This motion is hereby DENIED, with the understanding that all promises, rewards and inducements will be disclosed to defendants no later than three (3) working days prior to trial. The Government has made an in camera

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

Related

United States v. Hess
302 F.R.D. 283 (D. Massachusetts, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
124 F.R.D. 518, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13934, 1989 WL 22813, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-noetzel-mad-1989.