Opinion ID: 2630385
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Derivative-Use Immunity

Text: Shortly after Clark's death, Carapezza appeared at an inquisition into the murder. She received use and derivative-use immunity for her testimony. She argues on appeal that the State violated her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination by using her immunized inquisition testimony against her. Although the State did not attempt to admit any of Carapezza's inquisition testimony during the trial, she argues that the State used her inquisition testimony in violation of her grant of immunity to further its investigation and to prepare for trial and plan its trial strategy. Carapezza objected to the use of her immunized inquisition testimony before trial, and the district court held a hearing to determine whether the State had violated her rights. After hearing evidence from two police officers and Paico's attorney, the district court concluded that no evidence was offered during Carapezza's inquisition that had not otherwise been obtained from her own statements to law enforcement officers prior to her inquisition. In addition, the district court found that no additional witnesses were made known to the police as a result of Carapezza's inquisition testimony. In order to establish that its evidence is not tainted by the use of a defendant's immunized testimony, the State has the burden of proving it had a legitimate, independent source for the disputed evidence. The burden of proof on the State is an affirmative duty to prove that the evidence it plans to use is derived from a legitimate source wholly independent of the compelled testimony. Kastigar v. United States, 406 U.S. 441, 460, 92 S.Ct. 1653, 32 L.Ed.2d 212 (1972). A by-product of the Fifth Amendment is that Kastigar may require a trial within a trial  or a trial before, during, or after the trial  if such a proceeding is necessary for the court to determine whether the State has in any fashion used compelled testimony to indict or convict a defendant. See United States v. North, 910 F.2d 843, 861 (D.C.Cir.1990). When asked to review the violation of a defendant's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, this court reviews the district court's factual findings using a substantial competent evidence standard, but the ultimate legal conclusion is reviewed as a question of law using an unlimited standard of review. State v. Bell, 280 Kan. 358, 362, 121 P.3d 972 (2005). Because this court is remanding the case for new trial, it serves little purpose to reexamine the State's evidence presented in the first trial to determine whether it was the product of immunized testimony. The district court is directed to conduct a renewed hearing or hearings with respect to the use of such testimony. At any such hearing, the burden will be on the State to demonstrate that no part of its case was or will be derived from the immunized testimony. In conducting this hearing, the district court is to be mindful of certain principles. [Use immunity] prohibits the prosecutorial authorities from using the compelled testimony in any respect. Kastigar, 406 U.S. at 453, 92 S.Ct. 1653. At the hearing, the State must demonstrate that it obtained all of the evidence it proposes to use from sources independent of the compelled testimony. See North, 910 F.2d at 854. The district court must make specific findings on the independent nature of the proposed evidence. 910 F.2d at 855-56. No use at all may be made of the immunized testimony. 910 F.2d at 862. The fact that other witnesses were exposed to immunized testimony may suffice to taint their testimony. See 910 F.2d at 863-64. Although such tight restrictions on the use of immunized testimony may jeopardize the State's case, this court notes the caveat of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in recommending caution in conducting immunized hearings: The government must occasionally decide which it values more: immunization (perhaps to discharge institutional duties, such as congressional fact-finding and information-dissemination) or prosecution. If the government chooses immunization, then it must understand that the Fifth Amendment and Kastigar mean that it is taking a great chance that the witness cannot constitutionally be indicted or prosecuted. 910 F.2d at 862.