Opinion ID: 373802
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Grand Jury Secrecy

Text: 11 The district court order requires the Government to produce a summary of the facts that may be pertinent to the decision to seek an indictment. If the Government were to comply with this order, it would most probably have to disclose some of the facts developed in the grand jury investigation. Such a disclosure, however, would violate the long-established policy that maintains the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings in the federal courts. United States v. Procter & Gamble Co., 356 U.S. 677, 681, 78 S.Ct. 983, 986, 2 L.Ed.2d 1077 (1958) (footnote omitted). Disclosure, even indirectly, of testimony given before the grand jury would likely discourage witnesses from freely testifying before the grand jury. This is especially true in antitrust cases in which the witnesses are customers or competitors of the targets who might fear economic retaliation if their testimony were disclosed. Id. at 682, 78 S.Ct. at 986; In re Grand Jury Investigation (General Motors Corp.), 32 F.R.D. 175, 180 (S.D.N.Y.1963). We note also that the grand jury's investigation is still in process and that the reasons for grand jury secrecy therefore apply with particular emphasis. See generally In re Disclosure of Testimony Before a Grand Jury, 580 F.2d 281, 287 (8th Cir. 1978). 12 This Court recognizes that compelling necessity can justify breaking the otherwise indispensable secrecy of grand jury proceedings. Procter & Gamble Co., 356 U.S. at 682, 78 S.Ct. at 986; Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. v. City of Fort Pierce, 323 F.2d 233, 238 (5th Cir. 1963). Here, however, there is no indication of compelling necessity. The brokers have no constitutional right to a pre-indictment conference; they simply argue that they need disclosure so they will have a better opportunity to persuade the Government not to indict. This interest is far too weak to justify a breach of grand jury secrecy, particularly while the grand jury investigation is still in process. In re Grand Jury Proceeding, Grand Jury 79-01, (N.D.Ga. January 15, 1980) (denying other targets of the same Grand Jury that is investigating the brokers in this case a motion to produce seeking an order similar to that entered by the district court in this case).