joe cleary & monica foster july 2014
DESCRIPTION
Brady, Jencks & Rule 16. Joe cleary & monica foster july 2014. Rule 16. Upon request, requires disclosure of:. Items obtained from or belonging to D Reports of examinations & tests Written summary of expert testimony. D’s stmt , whether oral, written or recorded D’s prior record - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
JOE CLEARY & MONICA FOSTERJULY 2014
Brady, Jencks & Rule 16
Rule 16Upon request, requires disclosure of:
D’s stmt, whether oral, written or recorded
D’s prior recordDocs & objects
relevant to defense or to be used by G in case in chief
Items obtained from or belonging to D
Reports of examinations & tests
Written summary of expert testimony
Jencks Act 18 USC §3500
Stmts & reports of G witnesses need not be produced until after W testifies
Prior stmts of Ws will be ordered produced on request of D after the W testifies if the testimony relates to the subject matter of stmt
Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87 (1963)
“The suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to the accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or punishment.”
What is “material” evidence?Suppressed evidence is “material” if it
reasonably undermines confidence in the outcome of the trial Need not show by preponderance that
undisclosed evidence would have produced different result
Not sufficiency of the evidence Merely a “reasonable probability” of a different
result – does it “undermine confidence”?• Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S. 419 (1995)
USA v. Bagley, 473 US 667 (1985)
Favorable evidence includes impeachment evidence
There is Brady in every case
David Hammer v. USA
2 go in; 1 comes out D confesses to FBI D confesses to cellmates D pleads guilty during
trial D waives direct appeal
arguing pro se to CA3 that he is guilty & DP must be administered quickly to be effective
G. Paul Howes, AUSA
Misuse of witness vouchers in handling murder cases
Concealment of improper payments
Falsely assured judges and defense lawyers that all voucher payments had been disclosed
DISBARRED
Senator Ted StevensAUSA’s intentionally
concealed exculpatory evidence, including prior inconsistent statements of their “star witness”
Stevens loses reelection due largely to conviction and is killed in plane accident before he is exonerated
Bickel
Are we getting everything we are entitled to receive?Prosecutors
frequently do not know what they have
Prosecutors frequently do not know the law in this area
It does not matter what the reason is for nondisclosure
Prosecutor is responsible for what the police know, even if prosecutor personally is unaware
“[T]he individual prosecutor has a duty to learn of favorable evidence known to others, including police.” Strickler v. Greene, 527 U.S. 263, 281 (1999)
Suppressed evidence is assessed collectively, not item by item
Must be assessed by the best use competent counsel could make of the evidence
Fertile areas for mining Brady claims
Money or other consideration given to snitches
Criminal histories of government witnessesStatements inconsistent with trial testimony
(multiple proffer sessions?)Witnesses who were listed but not calledExpert credentialsCrime lab issuesAnd a million other things
How do we discover Brady violations?
Making suppressed evidence material
Making suppressed evidence material
Continue to investigate: suppressed evidence must be assessed in the best light competent counsel could have made of it at trial
What witnesses and themes are spawned from discovery of suppressed material?
Be willing to reassess your case & defense(s) in light of recently disclosed evidence
Making a Record
Making a recordMust set forth the evidence that was late
discovered/suppressedMust explain why it is exculpatoryMust ask for a continuance if it is late
discoveredMust explain why the continuance the court
has in mind is not adequateIf possible, present evidence to demonstrate
late discovery/suppression is a pattern.Expert testimony?
Brainstorm with your team & other lawyers!