Opinion ID: 788373
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Fourth Berry Factor: materiality

Text: 53 The district court candidly found that Ristau and Hartwig's testimony was not material in and of itself. Rather, it was only by virtue of the prosecution's rebuttal argument that the testimony became material. The new evidence does bear on whether Wall participated in a conspiratorial meeting in Chicago, which if it had been presented during the trial could have been considered by the jury. 54 The district court relied on the alleged testimony of both Ristau and Hartwig when it analyzed the Berry test. Although Ristau provided an affidavit, Hartwig refused to provide a statement. In evaluating Hartwig's proposed testimony, the district court had before it only representations from defense counsel repeating statements that Hartwig had made to counsel. Other circuits have held that a motion for new trial may not be based on inadmissible evidence. See United States v. Parker, 903 F.2d 91, 102-03 (2d Cir.1990); United States v. MacDonald, 779 F.2d 962, 964 (4th Cir.1985). Thus far, Wall has submitted only inadmissible hearsay from Hartwig. We conclude that the district court's reliance on Hartwig's hearsay testimony was erroneous. 55 Ristau's affidavit is of marginal value to Wall's defense. Ristau's affidavit actually makes no reference to whether Wall did or did not participate in a meeting in Chicago, only that Ristau himself did not participate in a meeting in which he knowing that the State of Louisiana's specifications required the name of the laminator to appear in the stenciling on the product, agreed to have the product produced in violations [sic] of those specifications and did not disclose that to the State. Ristau's statement is very carefully and narrowly worded. Ristau does not say that a meeting was not held by these same participants in Chicago, or elsewhere, in which this very topic was discussed. He does not even deny that a meeting or discussion took place in which these same participants agreed to change the stencils at Caldwell's request. He merely denies that such a meeting took place at a time when Ristau knew that Louisiana required the name of the laminator to appear on the stenciled product and that he agreed to the change without notifying the State of Louisiana. The affidavit denies Ristau's culpability, but touches only indirectly on Wall's participation in the conspiracy. The district court erred in concluding that Ristau's statement was material. 56