United States v. Odinga

576 F. Supp. 1038, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11054
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedDecember 7, 1983
DocketSSS 82 Cr. 0312 (KTD)
StatusPublished

This text of 576 F. Supp. 1038 (United States v. Odinga) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Odinga, 576 F. Supp. 1038, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11054 (S.D.N.Y. 1983).

Opinion

*1040 KEVIN THOMAS DUFFY, District Judge:

By order dated October 6, 1983, I directed defendants Joseph, Ferguson, Odinga, and Baraldini to submit to the court a statement of the remaining issues allegedly open for resolution at a “due process violations” hearing examining putative.governmental misconduct. Defendants Joseph and Ferguson contend that the following should be explored at the 'hearing:

1. The question whether Sam Brown’s assertion of his privilege at the suppression hearing and at the trial was the result of government threats.
a) The question of immunity for Brown in order to permit a full search for the truth.
b) A resolution of how much the F.B.I. knew about Brown’s mental problems and when they became aware of it. On this question it would be necessary to reopen the hearing to permit the testimony of officials from Otisville relating to the information they passed on to the F.B.I.
c) The question relating to potential prosecutorial misconduct in connection with Brown’s assertion of the Fifth Amendment before the grand jury.
2. The incorporation of the trial testimony concerning the degree of Yvonne Thomas’ mental instability and the extent of the F.B.I.’s knowledge of her condition prior to the filing of their affidavits in support of the electronic surveillance.
a) Whether the government made full disclosure to the grand jury of the extent of Thomas’ disability.
3. The basis for the references to “Harriet” in Maxwell’s affidavit as the affidavit is directly contradicted in all respects by the trial testimony of Mr. Bayete.
4. A resolution of the question whether the government was aware that Brown was going to invoke his privilege before the grand jury and whether they compelled him to do so. Therefore, whether the use of hearsay testimony before the grand jury was occasioned by government misconduct.

Letter For Defendants Joseph and Ferguson Dated October 25, 1983.

Defendant Baraldini asserts that the following issues remain open:

1. Samuel Brown’s taking of the Fifth Amendment at the hearing and trial. The Court should be aware that in August, 1983, Mr. Brown filed a Federal lawsuit which repeats the allegations that agents Cordier and Maxwell threatened him.
2. The government's refusal to offer Mr. Brown immunity, thus, shielding their own misconduct.
3. The court’s refusal to voir dire jurors who stated that there were discussions amongst the jury pool concerning their fears, re: the anonymous jury. Also, same as to publicity.
4. Government’s failure to turn over all Brady and 3500 material. As the • court may be aware, after the trial was completed, the press reported on certain statements allegedly made to the F.B.I. by Peter Middleton. Even though the statements (concerning Assata Shakur) were made prior to trial, they were never turned over to the defense.
5. The court’s continued refusal to permit evidence of government misconduct, COINTELPRO or other related issues to be presented to the jury.

Letter For Defendant Baraldini Dated October 12, 1983.

The applicable standard of review would appear to be whether the government’s actions were “so outrageous as to offend fundamental ‘canons of decency and fairness.’ ” United States v. Payner, 447 U.S. 727, 737 n. 9, 100 S.Ct. 2439, 2447 n. 9, 65 L.Ed.2d 468 (1980) (citing Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. 165,169, 72 S.Ct. 205, 208, 96 L.Ed. 183 (1952), and Malinski v. New York, 324 U.S. 401, 417, 65 S.Ct. 781, 789, 89 L.Ed. 1029 (1945)). See also United States v. Myers, 527 F.Supp. 1206, 1222 (S.D.N.Y.) (applying “outrageous” standard to review alleged government due process violations), aff'd, 692 F.2d 823, 837 *1041 (2d Cir.1982). I will examine the defendants’ contentions seriatim beginning with Joseph and Ferguson’s contentions:

Whether Sam Brown’s assertion of his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination at the suppression hearing and at trial were the result of government coercion — as stated under number one of defendants’ letter — is a proper subject to be explored at the due process hearing. Defendants have furnished the court with a taped conversation alleged to have been between Mr. Brown and an attorney, William Kunstler, in which Brown stated that he hád- been coerced by the government into asserting his privilege. Furthermore, Brown has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was threatened by F.B.I. agents. Under this general subject, however, defendants Joseph and Ferguson have added three sub-assertions.

Subsection (a), which notes the government’s refusal to grant Brown immunity, is not a relevant issue under the facts of this case. As the Second Circuit recently stated:

Appellants also claim that the government’s refusal to grant Vizzini use immunity regarding his arrest denied them a fair trial. Their argument is unpersuasive. The Sixth Amendment does not compel immunity for defense witnesses and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment is not “a general requirement that defense witness immunity must be ordered whenever it seems fair to grant it.” United States v. Turkish, 623 F.2d 769, 777 (2d Cir.1980), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1077 [101 S.Ct. 856, 66 L.Ed.2d 800] (1981); see also United States v. Burns, 684 F.2d 1066, 1077 (2d Cir.1982), cert. denied, [— U.S. —] 103 S.Ct. 823 [74 L.Ed.2d 1019] (1983). For us to reverse on these grounds, there must be a showing that (1) the government either has engaged in discriminatory use of immunity to gain tactical advantage or has forced the witness through overreaching to invoke the privilege; (2) the witness’ testimony would have been “material, exculpatory and not cumulative;” and (3) the evidence was unobtainable from any other source. Id.

United States v. Cálvente, 722 F.2d 1019, at 1025 (2d Cir.1983) (emphasis added). Likewise, here, defendants have provided an insubstantial basis for requiring the government to have granted immunity or for an inquiry at the Hearing.

Subsection (b) is a matter which was examined sufficiently at the suppression hearing.

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Related

Malinski v. New York
324 U.S. 401 (Supreme Court, 1945)
Rochin v. California
342 U.S. 165 (Supreme Court, 1952)
United States v. Payner
447 U.S. 727 (Supreme Court, 1980)
United States v. Norman Turkish
623 F.2d 769 (Second Circuit, 1980)
United States v. Perry Burns
684 F.2d 1066 (Second Circuit, 1982)
United States v. Shakur
560 F. Supp. 318 (S.D. New York, 1983)
United States v. Shakur
560 F. Supp. 313 (S.D. New York, 1983)
United States v. Myers
527 F. Supp. 1206 (E.D. New York, 1981)
United States v. Calvente
722 F.2d 1019 (Second Circuit, 1983)

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Bluebook (online)
576 F. Supp. 1038, 1983 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11054, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-odinga-nysd-1983.