Opinion ID: 775760
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Changes in the Indictment and Bill of Particulars

Text: 8 Defendants contend that the district court erred by allowing the government to expand the time span of the conspiracy and add prejudicial surplusage concerning the violent nature of labor coalitions in its second superceding indictment filed about three weeks before trial. 9 Because the court offered defendants additional time to prepare, which they declined, they cannot establish prejudice from the timing of the amendment. Motions to strike surplusage from an indictment will be granted only where the challenged allegations are not relevant to the crime charged and are inflammatory and prejudicial. United States v. Scarpa, 913 F.2d 993, 1013 (2d Cir. 1990) (internal quotation marks omitted). Because the six challenged paragraphs, which generally described the tactics and purposes of labor coalitions, discussed background evidence that was properly admissible and relevant, 1 the district court did not err by refusing to strike these paragraphs from the indictment. 10 On August 27, 1998, Judge Casey directed the government to give defendants a bill of particulars containing the names of the contractors, construction sites, and projects targeted by the conspiracy. The government did not comply until defendants complained in early October 1998. After furnishing belated particulars, Assistant United States Attorney Mylan Denerstein explained to the court that she had not received its order. Denerstein also explained that she could not always give specific sites because defendants sometimes acted as coordinators for entire sectors of a company's business. 11 On November 9, 1998, during the trial, the government amended its bill of particulars to add specific HHM Construction sites about which Eric Mulder would testify as a result of his November 2, 1998, plea agreement. The government also added Tully Construction Company's Union Street, Queens, site and informed defense counsel that this site was discussed in wiretap tape transcripts given to defendants on October 26, 1998. A November 13, 1998, letter added two additional sites. Defendants requested that the court preclude the government from offering evidence concerning the new sites, but the court denied this request. 12 A bill of particulars may be amended at any time subject to such conditions as justice requires. Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(f). However, the defendants argue that they were prejudiced because the November 9, 1998, amendment allowed the government to present proof of a shoot out at Tully Construction's Union Street site. The first witness concerning the Union Street site testified on December 1, 1998. In addition, defense counsel had access to tapes of conversations concerning the sites as early as February 26, 1998. Because the circumstances of the disclosure and the timing of the subsequent testimony protected defendants against prejudice, Judge Casey did not abuse his discretion by allowing the belated amendment. Cf. United States v. Barnes, 158 F.3d 662, 665-66 (2d Cir. 1998) (approving complete denial of a bill of particulars).