Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/406/472/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 14:35:57+00:00

Document:
"from having such responsive answer given by him or such responsive evidence produced by him, or evidence derived therefrom used to expose him to criminal prosecution or penalty or to a forfeiture of his estate. . . ."
Appellant still refused to answer, contending that full transactional immunity was required, that the statutory ban on the use and derivative use of "responsive" answers is unconstitutionally vague, and that the immunity would not protect him from foreign prosecution, of which he has a real and substantial fear. Appellant was adjudged to be in contempt, and the judgment was upheld on appeal. The New Jersey Supreme Court, construing the responsiveness limitation, held that "the statute protects the witness against answers and evidence he in good faith believed were demanded." Commission procedure provides for an advance statement of the subject matter of the questioning, and permits a witness to have counsel present at the hearing.
1. The New Jersey statutory immunity from use and derivative use is coextensive with the scope of the privilege against self-incrimination, and is sufficient to compel testimony. Kastigar v. United States, ante, p. 406 U. S. 441. Pp. 406 U. S. 474-476.
2. In light of the State Supreme Court's construction and the context in which the statute operates, the responsiveness limitation is not violative of due process. Pp. 406 U. S. 476-478.
3. The self-incrimination privilege protects against real dangers, not remote and speculative possibilities, and here there was no showing that appellant was in real danger of being compelled to disclose information that might incriminate him under foreign law. Pp. 406 U. S. 478-481.
55 N.J. 249, 261 A.2d 129, affirmed.
POWELL, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J., and STEWART, WHITE, and BLACKMUN, JJ., joined. DOUGLAS, J., post, p. 406 U. S. 481, and MARSHALL, J., post, p. 406 U. S. 481, filed dissenting statements. BRENNAN and REHNQUIST, JJ., took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
This case, like Kastigar v. United States, ante. p. 406 U. S. 441, raises questions concerning the conditions under which testimony can be compelled from an unwilling witness who invokes the Fifth Amendment privilege against compulsory self-incrimination.
"he shall be immune from having such responsive answer given by him or such responsive evidence produced by him, or evidence derived therefrom used to expose him to criminal prosecution or penalty or to a forfeiture of his estate, except that such person may nevertheless be prosecuted for any perjury committed in such answer or in producing such evidence, or for contempt for failing to give an answer or produce evidence in accordance with the order of the commission. . . ."
N.J.Rev.Stat. § 52:9M-17(b) (1970). This is a comprehensive prohibition on the use and derivative use of testimony compelled under a grant of immunity. [Footnote 4] Appellant contends that only full transactional immunity affords protection commensurate with that afforded by the privilege and suffices to compel testimony over a claim of the privilege. We rejected this argument today in Kastigar, where we held that immunity from use and derivative use is coextensive with the scope of the privilege, and is therefore sufficient to compel testimony. We perceive no difference between the degree of protection afforded by the New Jersey statute and that afforded by the federal statute sustained in Kastigar.
immunity from use and derivative use is commensurate with the protection afforded by the privilege, and rejected the notion that, in our federal system, a jurisdiction seeking to compel testimony must grant protection greater than that afforded by the privilege in order to supplant the privilege and compel testimony. Our holding in Kastigar is controlling here.
"The limitation is intended to prevent a witness from seeking undue protection by volunteering what the State already knows or will likely come upon without the witness's aid. The purpose is not to trap. Fairly construed, the statute protects the witness against answers and evidence he in good faith believed were demanded."
55 N.J. at 270-271, 261 A.2d at 140.
as appellant argues, "so vague that men of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application." Connally v. General Construction Co., 269 U. S. 385, 269 U. S. 391 (1926).
in which the statute operates [Footnote 11] reaffirms our conclusion that the responsiveness limitation does not violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
under foreign law. That question is: "In what geographical area do you have Cosa Nostra responsibilities?"
We think it plain from the context in which the question was asked that it sought an answer concerning geographical areas in New Jersey. The subject of the hearing was law enforcement, organized crime, racketeering, and political corruption in the city of Long Branch, which is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Eleven of the 13 questions preceding the question under consideration related specifically to the city of Long Branch and Monmouth County. [Footnote 18] Of course, neither the fact that the Commission was not seeking information concerning appellant's activities outside the United States, nor the fact that the question was not designed to elicit such information, is dispositive of appellant's claim that an answer to the question would incriminate him under foreign law. When considering whether a claim of the privilege should be sustained, the court focuses inquiry on what a truthful answer might disclose, rather than on what information is expected by the questioner. [Footnote 19] But the context in which a question is asked imparts additional meaning to the question, and clarifies what information is sought. A question to which a claim of the privilege is interposed must be considered "in the setting in which it is asked." Hoffman v. United States, 341 U. S. 479, 341 U. S. 486 (1951).
without disclosing them. Should he have found it necessary to qualify his answer by confining it to domestic responsibilities in order to avoid incrimination under foreign law, he could have done so. To have divulged international responsibilities would have been to volunteer information not sought, and apparently not relevant to the Commission's investigation. We think that, in the circumstances of the questioning, this was clear to appellant and his counsel.
Appellant is, of course, free to purge himself of contempt by answering the Commission's questions. Should the Commission inquire into matters that might incriminate him under foreign law and pose a substantial risk of foreign prosecution, and should such inquiry be sustained over a relevancy objection, [Footnote 20] then a constitutional question will be squarely presented. We do not believe that the record in this case presents such a question.
The New Jersey Legislature created the Commission primarily to investigate organized crime; racketeering, and political corruption in New Jersey. N.J.Rev.Stat. §§ 52:9M-1 and 52:9M-2 (1970 and Supp. 1971-1972).
The New Jersey Code of Fair Procedure requires that persons summoned to testify before the Commission be served prior to the time they are required to appear with a statement of the subject of the investigation. N.J.Rev.Stat. § 52:132 (1970). The subpoena served on appellant contained this statement. App. 3a.
See In re Zicarelli, 55 N.J. 249, 270, 261 A.2d 129, 140 (1970).
See 3 J. Wigmore, Evidence § 785, pp. 200-202 (J. Chadbourn rev.1970).
Cf. Malloy v. Hogan, 378 U. S. 1, 378 U. S. 12 (1964); Hoffman v. United States, 341 U. S. 479, 341 U. S. 487 (1951).
Appellant does not contend that counsel, although present, is so limited in his role that he cannot obtain clarification of any questions that the witness does not understand fully. Counsel for the Commission states that a witness may even object to questions on the ground that they are not relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry, and obtain a court ruling on relevancy before being required to answer. Appellee's brief 81-82.
In re Zicarelli, 55 N.J. at 270-271, 261 A.2d at 140. See generally Comment, The Federal Witness Immunity Acts in Theory and Practice: Treading the Constitutional Tightrope, 72 Yale L.J. 1568, 1572 (1963).
Appellant refused to answer 100 questions. None of these questions is pointed to as an example of a question that is so vague that an ordinary man could not determine what information the question seeks.
E.g., Mason v. United States, 244 U. S. 362 (1917); Heike v. United States, 227 U. S. 131, 227 U. S. 144 (1913); Brown v. Walker, 161 U. S. 591, 161 U. S. 599-600 (1896); Queen v. Boyes, 1 B. & S. 311, 329-331, 121 Eng.Rep. 730, 738 (Q.B. 1861).
Cf. Hoffman v. United States, 341 U.S. at 341 U. S. 489.
Life, Sept. 8, 1967, p. 101.
Life, Aug. 9, 1968, p. 24.
Life, Sept. 8, 1967, p. 101. Appellant also alleges that these articles support his claim of a real and substantial danger of prosecution by Venezuela. The only reference to Venezuela, however, is a statement that appellant "has holdings in Venezuela." Life, Sept. 1, 1967, at 45.
"Q. Are you a member of any secret organization that is dedicated to or whose principle is to pursue crime and protect those of its members who do commit crime?"
"Q. Do you know that organization by the name Cosa Nostra?"
"Q. Are you a member of the organization known as Cosa Nostra?"
"Q. In whose family of Cosa Nostra are you a member?"
"Q. Do you know Joseph Bonanno?"
These questions do not seek answers concerning foreign involvements or foreign criminal activity. Indeed, they do not relate to criminal acts. Nor is it even remotely likely that their answers could afford "a link in the chain of evidence" needed to prosecute appellant in a foreign jurisdiction. Cf. Blau v. United States, 340 U. S. 159, 340 U. S. 161 (1950). For if appellant identified himself as a member of the Cosa Nostra in the "family" of Joseph Bonanno, he would only confirm an assumption widely held by law enforcement authorities. See, e.g., S.Rep. No. 91-617, p. 38 (1969). To confirm the operating assumption of law enforcement authorities hardly provides a new "link" to evidence that could be used in a foreign prosecution.
The question under consideration was followed by the question: "Is Monmouth County within that geographical area?"
See Hoffman v. United States, 341 U. S. 479 (1951).

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