Opinion ID: 447993
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Motion to Disclose Grand Jury Proceedings

Text: 58 The defendants contend that their motion to disclose grand jury proceedings should have been granted because there was no threat to the lives of the grand jury witnesses. This argument is irrelevant. Grand jury proceedings may only be disclosed in accordance with Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e)(3). The record does not reveal an abuse of discretion.
59 The defendants argue that the Government violated a court order requiring it to produce original FBI notes. The record does not support this contention. Moreover, the defendants have not shown prejudice. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 52(a). J. Eyeballing the Jury 60 The defendants make the following assertion: 61 During every day of trial, two government prosecutors and one FBI agent sat at Plaintiffs [sic] table. Their backs were to the defendants. Their backs and right sides were to the Court. They directly faced the jury from a distance of less than three feet. They eyeballed and smiled at each member of the jury on a minute by minute basis. In time the jury and the prosecution became as one. 62 The defendants' argument that this constitutes reversible error is without legal support. Moreover, the defendants failed to object at trial. 63 K. Constitutionality of the Grand Jury System 64 The defendants argue that the grand jury system denies them equal protection because they have no right to a postindictment preliminary hearing. We reject that argument. See, e.g., United States v. Anderson, 481 F.2d 685, 691 (4th Cir.1973), aff'd, 417 U.S. 211, 94 S.Ct. 2253, 41 L.Ed.2d 20 (1974).L. Effective Assistance of Counsel 65 Utz claims that his counsel's failure to call a particular rebuttal witness deprived Utz of effective assistance of counsel. Utz's claim is inadequate in light of the standards set forth in Strickland v. Washington, --- U.S. ----, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2064, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). 66 M. Interference with Right to Interview Witnesses 67 The defendants claim that the district court barred them from interviewing the Government's witnesses. In fact, the district court merely required counsel to seek the court's permission before interviewing a witness who had already started to testify. The defendants do not allege that they were harmed in any way by that ruling.