Opinion ID: 683513
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Post-Conviction Motions

Text: 24 After the verdict, the prosecution learned that one of the jurors at Shaoul's trial was the uncle of the wife of an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the same prosecutorial district. That AUSA had not been involved in Shaoul's case. The prosecution reported that the juror did not disclose his relationship to the AUSA during voir dire because he did not at the time recall that his nephew-in-law was an Assistant United States Attorney nor even consider how his nephew-in-law was employed. (J.A. at 229). The prosecuting attorney promptly notified the court and defense counsel. 25 Shaoul then moved for a new trial based upon (1) the juror's nondisclosure of his family relationship to an AUSA; and (2) the purported inadequacy of the district court's unanimity instructions to the jury. 26 At the government's request, the juror appeared at Shaoul's sentencing hearing. Defense counsel began the hearing, however, by waiving his opportunity to examine the juror, based on his belief that the juror's subjective intent was irrelevant to determining whether a new trial must be ordered. Counsel stated: I don't believe it necessary for us to inquire of the juror for the following reason: Under the McDonough case ... as well as the Langford case ... it seems that the rule of law with reference to a failure to disclose is not whether ... it is intentional. Because I don't suggest that for a [moment]. I have no basis to make such a suggestion. I am not impu[g]ning the integrity of the juror in any way. (S.A. at 4-5). After confirming that defense counsel was waiving his opportunity to examine the juror, Judge DiCarlo excused the juror and proceeded to hear argument on the motion for new trial based solely on the record before the court. 27 The district court concluded that the juror's relationship to an AUSA not involved in Shaoul's case was insufficient to support a challenge for cause--even if the relationship had been disclosed during voir dire. In addition, the district court rejected Shaoul's argument that the unanimity instructions to the jury were plainly erroneous. Accordingly, the district court rejected Shaoul's motion for a new trial on both grounds. 28 Having denied Shaoul's motion for a new trial, the district court proceeded to sentence Shaoul to forty months of imprisonment on each count of the indictment, to run concurrently, followed by two years of supervised release. The court required Shaoul to pay a fine of $50,000, plus the cost of his imprisonment and supervised release, as well as restitution in the amount of $13,356.90. This appeal followed.