Opinion ID: 1374773
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was the violation prejudicial?

Text: Once it has been determined that the district court violated Rule 30(b), the question becomes whether the error was prejudicial. We have not had the opportunity to discuss in any detail what kind or quantum of prejudice flowing from a Rule 30(b) violation is sufficient to prompt remand for a new trial. However, circuits that have addressed this issue appear unanimous in holding that the general question is whether the court's failure to rule on requested jury instructions prejudiced or inhibited counsel's ability to argue her theory of the case. E.g. Rommy, 506 F.3d at 125 (Reversal on the basis of a Rule 30 violation is warranted, however, only where the defendant can show that he was substantially misled in formulating his [closing] arguments or otherwise prejudiced.) (internal citations and quotations omitted); United States v. Foppe, 993 F.2d 1444, 1451 (9th Cir.1993) (`Failure to comply with Rule 30 is reversible error, however, only if counsel's closing argument was prejudicially affected thereby.') (quoting United States v. Gaskins, 849 F.2d 454, 458 (9th Cir.1988)). A party suffers prejudice if it `was unfairly prevented from arguing his or her defense to the jury or was substantially misled in formulating and presenting arguments.' Foppe, 993 F.2d at 1451 (quoting Gaskins, 849 F.2d at 458). In this case, the question of whether the Rule 30(b) error was prejudicial to the ability of Algee's counsel to give her closing argument is tied, at least in part, to the issue of the specific unanimity instruction. The rest of the jury instructions, especially with regard to the false statement counts, were relatively boilerplate. Moreover, comparing the government's proposed instructions with the defense's proposed instructions, there are no material differences, save the presence of a specific unanimity instruction. Thus, Algee's counsel should have known that there was no real disagreement about the law and should have thus prepared her remarks accordingly except, of course, for the issue of specific unanimity. [1] The government contends that, because a specific unanimity instruction was not required as a matter of law, the court's failure to rule on the instruction before closing was not prejudicial because the instruction would not have been included anyway. But this is not necessarily true. Even though the court did not include the instruction, and even though we have now found that a specific unanimity instruction was not required as a matter of law, the instruction was still a correct statement of the law. The district court explicitly said it was a correct statement of the law, but did not do so until after defense counsel had given her closing argument. Thus, because it was a correct statement of the law, defense counsel could have argued the point in her closing even if the jury was not specifically instructed on specific unanimity by the court. However, the packet of instructions handed to defense counsel immediately prior to the beginning of closing arguments did not include the requested instruction. An attorney in this situation would be reasonable in assuming that the court did not believe the requested instruction to be a correct statement of the law. We cannot fault counsel for erring on the side of caution by not arguing specific unanimity in light of the risk of the court sustaining an objection from the government. Had the court conferred with counsel in a meaningful manner prior to closing arguments, we assume that the court would have said something similar to what it said after closing argumentsthat even though the specific unanimity instruction was a correct statement of the law, the court did not feel the need to include it in the jury instructions. And had counsel heard this before her closing argument, she could comfortably have argued the need for specific unanimity to the jury. Furthermore, it seems clear, given her repeated insistence on a specific unanimity instruction throughout the trial, that defense counsel would have mentioned to the jury the need for specific unanimity if she felt that she could. So, in one sense, Algee was prejudiced because his counsel was not able to deliver the exact closing argument that Algee might have wished to give. However, as stated above, specific unanimity was not a material aspect of Algee's defense. Algee never took the position that he made the statement to one person but not to another person. Instead, Algee's defense was that he did not intend to steal the money and that all of the statements were made without knowledge of their falsity. Given the extraordinarily minor role of specific unanimity in Algee's overall defense theory, his inability to argue the issue to the jury did not prejudice him sufficiently to warrant a retrial. Jury trials are fluid by nature. The law recognizes this reality and allows for some play in the joints when it comes to reviewing the conduct of a trial to ensure its fundamental fairness. That general approach is also appropriate here. In the case of a Rule 30(b) violation, the question is whether the error prevented the defendant from arguing a material aspect (not just the material aspect, for a defendant is allowed to present multiple material arguments in his defense) of his defense theory to the jury. If it were the case that specific unanimity was a material aspect of Algee's theory of defense, regardless of its obvious weakness, his inability to argue the issue at closing, based on a Rule 30(b) violation, would have prejudiced him severely by leaving him essentially speechless before the jury. But that is not the case here. The record plainly shows that specific unanimity was not material to Algee's defense theory. Algee had a full opportunity to argue all material aspects of his defense theory to the jury. Accordingly, the district court's Rule 30(b) violation did not result in prejudice to Algee sufficient to warrant retrial.