United States v. Penix

516 F. Supp. 248, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12801
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Oklahoma
DecidedApril 1, 1981
DocketCR-81-29-D
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 516 F. Supp. 248 (United States v. Penix) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Penix, 516 F. Supp. 248, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12801 (W.D. Okla. 1981).

Opinion

ORDER

DAUGHERTY, Chief Judge.

On February 6, 1981, the grand jury returned an Indictment against the above named Defendants wherein Defendant Roy W. Pilling (hereinafter “Movant”) is charged with one count of violating 21 U.S.C. § 963 by conspiring to import cocaine HCL, a schedule II controlled substance, into the United States from Peru in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 952 and with one count of violating 21 U.S.C. § 843(b) by using a telephone to facilitate said conspiracy. Presently before the Court are numerous pretrial Motions filed by Movant to which the government has responded. The Court will consider the pending Motions seriatim. 1

*251 MOTION FOR INDIVIDUAL SEQUESTERED VOIR DIRE

In this Motion, Movant asks that his attorney be allowed to conduct an individual sequestered voir dire of prospective jurors in this case in order to determine whether the jury will be fair and impartial. Movant contends that such a procedure is necessary in this case due to possibly prejudicial pretrial publicity that Movant has received. The government opposes the instant Motion on the grounds that the procedure suggested by Movant would unduly waste the Court’s time and contends that Movant has not shown that the publicity has been so extensive as to justify the relief sought.

The Court agrees with the government. Other than his conclusory allegations, Movant has made no showing that the relief he seeks in this Motion is necessary. Furthermore, the Court is of the opinion that the examination of prospective jurors conducted by the Court pursuant to Rule 24, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, will adequately develop any knowledge or prejudice concerning this case that a prospective juror may have as a result of pretrial publicity about this case. If it appears that supplemental questions are in order at voir dire, the Court will entertain defense counsel’s request for the same at that time. Therefore, the Court finds and concludes in its discretion under Rule 24, supra, that the instant Motion should be overruled.

MOTION FOR DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION COMPILED ON PROSPECTIVE JURORS

In this Motion, Movant seeks all information compiled by the government on prospective jurors. In its response, the government indicates that it does not have the information sought by Movant in this Motion. On this basis, the Court determines that the instant Motion should be overruled.

MOTION FOR INSPECTION OF JURY LIST

In this Motion, Movant seeks an Order allowing defense counsel to inspect, reproduce and copy all records and papers used during the selection of the panel of prospective members of the petit jury to be used in this case. Movant contends that the information he seeks in this Motion is necessary in order to permit his attorney to determine whether the selection of the jury panel in this case was in accordance with law. The government does not oppose this Motion insofar as the same seeks examination of records kept by the Clerk.

In Test v. United States, 420 U.S. 28, 95 S.Ct. 749, 42 L.Ed.2d 786 (1975) (per curiam), the United States Supreme Court held that 28 U.S.C. § 1867(f), which is part of the Jury Selection and Service Act of 1968, as amended, 28 U.S.C. § 1861 et seq., gives a litigant an unqualified right to inspect jury lists in order to aid parties in the preparation of motions challenging jury selection procedures. Therefore, the Court determines that- Movant is entitled to disclosure of the items he seeks in the instant Motion. Accordingly, the instant Motion should be granted and this Order is authority for the Clerk to allow Movant or his attorney to inspect the records or papers used by the Clerk in connection with the petit jury selection process in this case as set out in Local Court Rule 30, as amended on January 30, 1981. 2

MOTION FOR JUROR INFORMATION SHEET

In this Motion, Movant asks the Court to submit an information sheet to *252 each potential juror prior to commencement of the voir dire proceedings in this case. A copy of the proposed information sheet is attached to the instant Motion. The government opposes the instant Motion.

Examination of the proposed information sheet reveals that most of the questions contained therein involve areas of inquiry normally developed by the Court in its voir dire procedure. Supplemental questions concerning any areas not covered by the Court may be requested by defense counsel at voir dire. Therefore, the Court determines in its discretion that the instant Motion should be overruled.

MOTION IN LIMINE (PRIOR BAD ACTS)

In this Motion, Movant moves the Court to instruct government counsel and her representatives and witnesses to refrain from making any reference at trial to any alleged crime or misconduct by Movant or any other defense witness, other than those acts specifically set out in the Indictment herein, until such time as a hearing can be conducted outside the presence of the jury to determine the admissibility of said alleged crime or misconduct. The government responds that it does have evidence of uncharged illegal acts by the Movant which the government believes will be necessary to introduce at trial. The government further states that it agrees to instruct its witnesses not to testify to such acts until the Court has ruled on admissibility and that the government will advise the Court and seek a ruling prior to eliciting such testimony. However, the government opposes the instant Motion in its present timing and contends that the matters presented in this Motion are properly handled during trial.

The Court agrees with the government. Therefore, the instant Motion should be overruled at this time subject to reconsideration upon presentation to the trial judge should the need for the requested determination of admissibility arise during the course of the trial in this case.

MOTION FOR DISCOVERY: WAIVER OF WORK PRODUCT

In this Motion, Movant asks the Court to order the government to turn over its case file in this matter to Movant for the reason that there has been a disclosure of the prosecution’s work product to third parties which waives any work product privilege. The government opposes the instant Motion on the grounds that Movant has presented no authority which requires the government to turn over its entire case file to Movant.

At the outset, the Court notes that Rule 16(a)(2), Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

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Related

United States v. Mann
Fifth Circuit, 1995
State v. Cunningham
423 S.E.2d 802 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1992)
United States v. Hill
799 F. Supp. 86 (D. Kansas, 1992)
United States v. Diggs
801 F. Supp. 441 (D. Kansas, 1992)
United States v. Moreno-Rodrigez
744 F. Supp. 1040 (D. Kansas, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
516 F. Supp. 248, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12801, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-penix-okwd-1981.