Opinion ID: 562065
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motive argument.

Text: 66 The district court appears to have been concerned that the government improperly argued a financial motive for the violations--saving money--without having adequately established it at trial. The government argued that Baytank attempted to save money in the construction and operation of its facility at the expense of the environment. The government contends that although it was not required to prove motive, it was entitled to argue it based on the evidence. 67 We agree. The district court focused on Baytank's decision to forego its original plans to construct a pipeline to transport the wastes, relying instead on transportation by truck. The court concluded that a pipeline would ultimately have been less expensive, and that consequently Baytank's action did not support the government's motive argument. The court neglected two considerations, however: first, the cost of operating the pipeline, as well as the cost of building it, and second, that construction of the pipeline, unlike transportation by truck, requires a substantial up-front capital expenditure. Taking those considerations into account, Baytank's failure to construct the pipeline certainly does not so undercut the government's motive theory as to render it an improper subject for argument. The defendants did not object to the government's motive argument or make it a basis for their new trial motion (nor did the court question it when made). Thus, the error perceived post-trial by the district court was in fact not an error at all and did not prejudice the defendants in their defense. Moreover, the district court did not grant Baytank a new trial as to either of counts 32 or 33, and the motive argument had at least as much relevance to those counts as to the others (and the district court expressed no contrary view). Accordingly, the grant of a new trial to Baytank will not be sustained on this ground. 30 Logan, 861 F.2d at 864-65 (trial court abused its discretion in granting new trial on basis of ineffective assistance of counsel where it failed properly to apply the prejudice prong of the Strickland test). 68