United States v. Storey

956 F. Supp. 934, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2377, 1997 WL 93301
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedFebruary 24, 1997
DocketCriminal Action 96-40018-01-DES
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 956 F. Supp. 934 (United States v. Storey) 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. Storey, 956 F. Supp. 934, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2377, 1997 WL 93301 (D. Kan. 1997).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

SAFFELS, District Judge.

On March 14, 1996, a grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Gregory Storey. Count 1 charged that the defendant, with premeditation and malice aforethought, did unlawfully Hll Charles Leger, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1111. Count 2 charged that the defendant, while unlawfully and knowingly in possession of a dangerous weapon within the confines of a federal facility, did intentionally and unlawfully kill Charles Leger, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 930(c). Count 3 charged that the defendant, while an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, did knowingly and unlawfully possess a prohibited object, to wit: a sharpened instrument made of metal, approximately ten inches in length, intended to be used as a weapon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1791(a)(2), (d)(1)(B), and (b)(3).

On October 17, 1996, the United States Attorney General authorized the United States Attorney for the District of Kansas to seek the death penalty.

On January 8, 1997, the grand jury returned a three-count superseding indictment against Mr. Storey. The language in Count 1 was changed from “did unlawfully kill Charles Leger” to “did unlawfully, willfully and deliberately, murder Charles Leger.” Count 2 of the superseding indictment contains the charge previously contained in Count 3. Count 3 is new. It charges that beginning on or about the 1st day of July, 1995, and continuing until on or about the 25th day of August, 1995, the defendant knowingly, willfully, and unlawfully combined, conspired, confederated and agreed, with Michael MeElhinney, David SahaHan, Steven Ritter, Troy Tancredi, Michael Eye-selle, George Pratt, and others, to willfully, deliberately, with malice aforethought and premeditation, murder Charles Leger. Count 2 of the original indictment has been deleted.

The court heard arguments on a number of the defendant’s pretrial motions on January 22, 1997. The court has reviewed the parties’ briefs and arguments and is now ready to rule.

A. Gregory Storey’s Motion Concerning Voir Dire Procedures (Doc. 102)

The defendant has proposed a procedure for jury selection in this ease which would include the use of a jury questionnaire and attorney-conducted voir dire. The defendant also seeks the opportunity to conduct individual sequestered voir dire in the court’s jury deliberation room. The government has no objection to the general procedure outlined by the defendant, but argues that individual voir dire should be open to the public and conducted in the courtroom.

The United States Supreme Court has held that the guarantee of open public proceedings in criminal trials extends to the voir dire examination of potential jurors. Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court, 464 U.S. 501, 508, 104 S.Ct. 819, 823, 78 L.Ed.2d 629 (1984). “The presumption of openness [in jury selection] may be overcome only by an overriding interest based on findings that closure is essential to preserve higher values *938 and is narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” Id. at 510, 104 S.Ct. at 824. In Press-Enterprise, the California Superior Court opened general voir dire in a capital murder case to the public, but conducted sequestered individual voir dire. Id. at 503, 104 S.Ct. at 821. The Supreme Court held that the state court’s closure of voir dire was unconstitutional, in that the trial judge had failed to consider alternatives. Id. at 511, 104 S.Ct. at 824-25; see also In Re Memphis Publishing Co., 887 F.2d 646, 648 (6th Cir.1989) (error to close voir dire to public).

Here, the defendant seeks to conduct sequestered individual voir dire in order to “put prospective jurors at their ease, and encourage more open responses.” The court finds that the defendant’s interest in closing voir dire is insufficient to overcome the presumption of openness. Querying jurors individually, outside the presence of the rest of the venire, should ensure that the jurors are forthcoming in their answers.

With the exception of his request for sequestered voir dire, the court generally adopts the defendant’s recommendations for jury selection as set out in his motion. Defense counsel shall provide government counsel with a proposed jury questionnaire by March 24, 1997. The government shall provide defense counsel with suggested changes to the questionnaire by March 31, 1997. The parties shall meet with the court, if necessary, at 9:00 a.m., April 3, 1997, to resolve any differences regarding the questionnaire. The questionnaire shall be administered to prospective jurors at 1:00 p.m., April 14, 1997, at White Concert Hall on the Washburn University campus, Topeka, Kansas. The completed questionnaires shall be distributed to counsel April 21, 1997. The court shall conduct a hearing on challenges for cause and requests to be excused based on questionnaire responses May 5, 1997. General voir dire shall commence May 19, 1997, with individual voir dire commencing upon the completion of general voir dire. The parties shall be allowed to question jurors during both general and individual voir dire. The individual voir dire shall be conducted in courtroom 403.

Due to an anticipated trial length of six weeks, the court shall impanel four alternate jurors. Fed.R.Crim.P. 24(b) provides that when an offense charged is punishable by death, each side is entitled to twenty peremptory challenges. Each side will be entitled to an additional two peremptory challenges against the alternate jurors. A total of sixty qualified venirepersons will therefore be required. Individual voir dire can cease once sixty jurors have been qualified.

B. Gregory Storey’s Motion for the Early and/or Automatic Production of Jencks/Rule 26.2 Statements (Doc. 103)

The defendant moves the court to direct the prosecution to provide him with all statements contemplated by 18 U.S.C. § 3500 or Fed.R.Crim.P. 26.2 [hereinafter “Jencks statements”] sixty days prior to trial. The defense moves in the alternative that the court order the automatic production of Jencks statements of all government witnesses after their direct examination without the necessity of the defense making repeated requests.

The United States asserts that because this ease involves the alleged murder of one inmate by another, the potential for violence necessitates the protection of witnesses’ statements and identities. The government wishes to wait until seven days before trial to disclose Jencks statements.

The Jencks Act, 18 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
956 F. Supp. 934, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2377, 1997 WL 93301, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-storey-ksd-1997.