Opinion ID: 1038522
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: District Court's Failure to Delay Trial

Text: -14- Finally, on the day the court was to consider jury instructions, it learned that Washburn was in the hospital, suffering from a self-inflicted nail gun injury that Washburn claims he endured accidentally while trying to affix molding during a remodel project at home, early on the morning of trial. The court sought specific information from those closer to Washburn and his treating doctors and heard testimony from the supervising probation officer that spoke with one of Washburn's physicians, the hospital social worker, and the deputy that had responded to the 911 call. Based upon the information gleaned from these individuals, the district court determined that Washburn's absence at trial that day was voluntary and thus Washburn waived his Rule 43 and constitutional rights to be present at every trial stage. The court further concluded that the public interest in proceeding outweighed any delay to accommodate Washburn's absence. The parties, without Washburn, conducted the jury instructions conference and the government gave its closing argument. Washburn returned to court after his release from the hospital in time to be present for his own closing argument. This court reviews the lower court's finding of voluntary absence for clear error, and the decision to continue with the trial in absentia for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Wallingford, 82 F.3d 278, 280 (8th Cir. 1996); United States v. Novaton, 271 F.3d 968, 996 (11th Cir. 2001). In deciding whether to proceed with trial in absentia, a district court must determine and make appropriate findings (1) whether the defendant's absence is knowing and voluntary, and (2) if so, whether the public interest in the need to proceed clearly outweighs that of the voluntarily absent defendant in attending the trial. Wallingford, 82 F.3d at 280 (internal quotation omitted). However, it is clear that 'a violation of Rule 43 may in some circumstances be harmless error.' Id. (quoting Rogers v. United States, 422 U.S. 35, 40 (1975)). It seems as though, especially in this instance, the district court was in the best position to discern whether Washburn's brief absence was voluntary or not. Having made that determination, it was likewise not an abuse of discretion to conclude that -15- the public interest in the need to proceed outweighed Washburn's interest in attending the final parts of his trial. And, in this instance, even if it were error, it was harmless because Washburn attended the entire trial through the close of evidence and was even able to return to witness his defense counsel's closing arguments. Most importantly, Washburn does not articulate any prejudice suffered by this brief absence, other than it violated his constitutional right to be present. Peterson v. United States, 411 F.2d 1074, 1080 (8th Cir. 1969) ([I]f no prejudice to a defendant's substantial rights resulted from his absence at a stage of the proceedings, the courts will not overturn his conviction.). The district court's conclusion is thorough and telling: In this case, the court held a hearing to determine whether Defendant was voluntarily absent. . . . Following the hearing, the court made the factual finding that Defendant intentionally injured himself. The court based this finding on the improbability of accidental injury given the safety features of the nail gun. In addition, the court was skeptical of Defendant's story that he was installing trim in his laundry room very early in the morning and just hours before he was due in court, particularly in light of the fact that only a week earlier he claimed that he was in such poor health that he required twenty-four hour supervision. Adding to the court's skepticism was the fact that the nail with which Defendant injured himself was not appropriate for securing trim to drywall and the door frame. Finally, the court relied on Defendant's history of malingering, both in this case and in his prior 2005 case. After reviewing the evidence, the court affirms its prior ruling that Defendant voluntarily absented himself and, consequently, waived his right to be present at trial. We affirm the district court's decision to continue with trial despite Washburn's brief absence.