Opinion ID: 769682
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Denial of Motion for New Trial: Newly Discovered Evidence.

Text: 23 Stephens next argues that she was entitled to a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence. First, Jack Dempsey (Dempsey), a former Rheem employee, disclosed that Roberson had openly expressed his intention to actively pursue Stephens from the start of her employment with Rheem. Second, an anonymous individual revealed that his relative had seen Roberson in a compromising position with another Rheem employee. 24 A district court's denial of a motion for new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence will be disturbed only upon a finding of a clear abuse of discretion. See Baxter Int'l, Inc. v. Morris, 11 F.3d 90, 92 (8 th Cir. 1993). In order to qualify for a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence, the movant must establish that: 1) the evidence in question was discovered after trial; 2) she exercised due diligence to discover the evidence before the end of trial; 3) the evidence is material and not merely cumulative or impeaching; and 4) a new trial at which the evidence is introduced would result in a verdict for the movant. See id. 25 The District Court held, and we agree, that the Dempsey evidence does not mandate a new trial. Dempsey's statement merely confirms Roberson's undisputed longstanding infatuation with Stephens, something not really in issue at trial. Additionally, because the case turned upon Roberson's conduct and its effect on Stephens rather than on Roberson's subjective intent, the evidence is of questionable relevance. Even if Dempsey's statement could somehow be classified as material and non-cumulative, the District Court's failure to make such a finding was certainly not an abuse of discretion. 26 Stephens' reliance on the information provided by the anonymous caller is similarly unavailing. First, putting aside the obvious problems given the anonymity of the caller, the vagueness of the information he provided, and the fact that the statement is pure hearsay, the evidence is of questionable relevance. It establishes only that Roberson engaged in a consensual affair with another adult, not that Stephens' work environment was impermissibly hostile. Second, because the District Court expressly excluded testimony regarding intra-office affairs, the evidence would have been inadmissible even if known at the time of trial. Third, even if the statement could be used for impeachment purposes, merely impeaching evidence cannot serve as the basis for a new trial. See id. 27 Finally, Stephens contends that the information provided by the anonymous caller would have established that her decision to wait three years before reporting Roberson was reasonable. This argument quite clearly bears on Rheem's Faragher defense. As previously noted, however, the jury based its decision on Stephens' failure to establish an unwelcome hostile work environment, not on Rheem's Faragher defense. Therefore, evidence explaining Stephens' hesitation in reporting Roberson would not have affected the verdict, and cannot now serve as the basis for a new trial.