Opinion ID: 774695
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: January 10, 2001 Hearing

Text: 28 After the December 10 hearing, the Government proposed a written order embodying the Court's oral order. The District Court rejected the order as inaccurate. See Supp. Appx. 32. On January 10, 2001, the District Court held a hearing concerning Scarfo's retention of new counsel and, again, the Court spent much of the hearing discussing the injunction with Manno: 29 The Court: It was brought to my attention that there was an article in the Philadelphia paper... in which you gave an interview... in which you talked about the cyber space, or something, and this was ground- breaking material dealing with the government's intrusion upon defendant's rights, et cetera.... I was unaware of that issue, number one; and number two, had not ruled upon that issue, and had not heard argument upon that issue, and had not read one shred of piece of paper on that.... 30 I was upset because, in my judgment, you were trying that motion in front of the press before you gave this Court an opportunity even to see the matter and to me that is what I restrained. Id. at 34. 31 The Court: I did not put a gag order on the case... I was going to stop [discussions in the press] until I heard the motion. Id. at 34. 32 The Court: I haven't modified [the oral order of 12/6/00] one iota. If I don't have the right to at least retain some decorum in the presentation of matters during the course of the criminal case, without impinging upon the First Amendment rights of the people,... let the Third Circuit Court of Appeals tell you that. I think I have an inherent right to control proceedings before me.... I felt that your actions in speaking to the press was totally inappropriate.... Id. at 37. 33 The Court: When you come up in my land, we do things orderly, we do things nicely, and civilly, and we don't try cases in the press. Id. 34 Manno: [I]t is beyond anything I could imagine that that article in the Philadelphia newspaper affected the decorum or the dignity in this court and certainly none of my comments were meant in any way, shape, or form... to compromise the integrity and dignity of this Court. Id. at 37-38. 35 The Court: I'm not talking about affecting the jury.... You folks are off in left field when you talk about [affecting the jury]. I was concerned whether we talk about how I felt -- orderly presentation of significant and important arguments by counsel... And if you want to say you're affecting someone, or trying to affect someone, you're trying to affect the judiciary.... I don't want to read about something that hasn't even occurred in my court to be placed in a newspaper by one of the counsel who was then counsel for -- who was then counsel for the defendant in the case. Id. at 38-39. 36 Manno: I cannot see how a newspaper article in the Philadelphia Inquirer can affect this Court, that this Court could not effectively disregard this article.... 37 The Court: Your knowledge of this [case] did not come to you because you were an ordinary citizen on the street. The Philadelphia Inquirer did not come to you because they wanted to get an expert opinion. They came to you because you were Mr. Scarfo's lawyer and they thought you were Mr. Scarfo's lawyer until you said I had disqualified you. Your knowledge does not emanate from a source outside of this proceeding, it comes specifically because of this proceeding.... Id. at 41. 38 Manno: Quite frankly, Judge, what relevance does it have, the source of my information? 39 The Court: It has a lot of relevance. You're trying to pretend to be a common person. In fact, your knowledge comes specifically from your involvement in this case.... Don't clothe yourself with the white cloak of being someone in the street who is interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer.... You got to argue [Scarfo's future motion] in the press. Id. at 42.