Opinion ID: 789389
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Brady Violations and Newly Discovered Evidence

Text: 31 Jones next argues that evidence regarding misconduct by members of the Murfreesboro Police Department vice unit was not properly disclosed at trial, resulting in a violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), or alternatively, was newly discovered necessitating a new trial. We review the denial of a motion for new trial based on Brady violations or newly discovered evidence under an abuse of discretion standard. See United States v. Ross, 245 F.3d 577, 584 (6th Cir.2001); United States v. O'Dell, 805 F.2d 637, 640 (6th Cir.1986). 32 After remand from this Court and during the second discovery phase in the trial court, the City conducted internal investigations regarding misconduct within the Murfreesboro Police Department vice unit. These investigations determined that the then-head of the vice unit, Officer Mickey McCullough, as well as Spence, had engaged in widespread misconduct that was not racially motivated. With regard to McCullough, such conduct included, among other things: drinking while on duty; use of seized drug funds for personal use; use of seized property for personal use; giving false statements in an internal investigation; and threatening to destroy departmental documents sought in a civil suit against the City. As to Spence, such misconduct included, among other things: inappropriate handling of seized money and drug evidence; inappropriate use of City property for personal use; lying to a judge; cheating on an employment test; and failure to report numerous professional violations by fellow officers, including the planting of drugs on the property of a criminal suspect, and the operation of police vehicles while intoxicated. The government does not dispute these findings. 33 When presented with this evidence, the district court refused to grant a motion for a new trial under Brady. The district court noted that the vast majority of evidence of non-racially motivated misconduct was discovered after trial. Of the evidence that existed at the time of trial, those documents related only to McCullough, who was not a main witness during trial. Given that the evidence of Jones's guilt was overwhelming, 2 the district court held that a new trial was inappropriate. 34 A review of the case law and record clearly indicate the district court did not abuse its discretion regarding Brady. Under Brady and Giglio the prosecution is required to disclose exculpatory evidence, including evidence that may impeach the credibility of a witness. See Giglio, 405 U.S. at 153-54, 92 S.Ct. 763 (extending Brady to nondisclosure of evidence regarding the credibility of material witnesses). However, Brady only requires that the government turn over evidence in its possession to the defense that is both favorable to the accused and material to guilt or punishment. Hicks v. Collins, 384 F.3d 204, 220 (6th Cir.2004); see also United States v. Bhutani, 175 F.3d 572, 577 (7th Cir.1999) (noting that Brady material must be: (1) in the possession of the prosecution; (2) material; and (3) exculpatory). Here, the district court correctly concluded that the vast majority of the evidence of departmental misconduct was discovered by the City after this case was remanded to the district court for discovery relating to selective prosecution. As such evidence did not exist at the time of trial, it was not Brady material. 35 Of those documents that did exist at the time of trial, Brady requires exculpatory evidence to be material, such that there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the outcome would have been different and reasonable probability means a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. Zuern v. Tate, 336 F.3d 478, 484 (6th Cir.2003). Here, evidence impeaching the credibility of McCullough clearly fails this standard. As noted previously, the evidence against Jones at trial was overwhelming. See Jones, 159 F.3d at 974, 979 (We agree with the district court that there was overwhelming evidence that Jones was guilty of the drug offenses.). Given the overwhelming evidence of guilt, a new trial under Brady was inappropriate. 36 Though framing the argument under Brady, Jones also argues that newly discovered evidence of misconduct supports a new trial. The district court did not address these arguments, evidently assuming that since almost all of the evidence was not Brady material, a new trial was inappropriate. 37 The district court, however, could have framed Jones's argument as one for a new trial under FED.R. CRIM.P. 33. Under Rule 33, this Court has held the following elements must be established: 38 (1) the new evidence was discovered after the trial; (2) the evidence could not have been discovered earlier with due diligence; (3) the evidence is material and not merely cumulative or impeaching; and (4) the evidence would likely produce an acquittal. 39 O'Dell, 805 F.2d at 640. However, even under this standard, Jones's argument cannot prevail. Given the overwhelming evidence of Jones's guilt, any evidence impugning the credibility of various members of the Murfreesboro Police Department would not likely produce an acquittal. Accordingly, we affirm the district court's denial of a motion for a new trial.