Opinion ID: 669167
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Denial of Stay

Text: 17 Claimant also contends that the district court abused its discretion by denying her request for a stay of the forfeiture proceedings on the ground that the government planned to indict her. She contends that a stay would have preserved her right to due process of law and her privilege against selfincrimination. 9 Specifically, Claimant contends that she was faced with a dilemma: remain silent and allow the forfeiture, or testify against the forfeitability of her property and expose herself to incriminating admissions that could be used in a subsequent criminal trial against her. We conclude that sufficient reasons underpinned the court's refusal to stay the civil trial. 18 The privilege against compulsory self-incrimination applies in civil forfeiture proceedings. See 6250 Ledge Rd., 943 F.2d at 729. However, [a] blanket assertion of the privilege is no defense to the forfeiture proceeding. United States v. $250,000 in United States Currency, 808 F.2d 895, 901 (1st Cir.1987) (citing Little Al, 712 F.2d at 135-36). Accord 566 Hendrickson Blvd., 986 F.2d at 996. Similarly, a blanket assertion of the privilege is an inadequate basis for the issuance of a stay. See 6250 Ledge Rd., 943 F.2d at 729. Rather, a court must stay a civil proceeding pending resolution of a related criminal prosecution only when special circumstances so require in the interests of justice. United States v. Kordel, 397 U.S. 1, 12 & n. 27, 90 S.Ct. 763, 769-70 & n. 27, 25 L.Ed.2d 1 (1970). See Securities & Exch. Comm'n v. Dresser Indus., 628 F.2d 1368, 1375 (D.C.Cir.) (en banc) (stay of civil proceedings pending outcome of criminal proceedings is not constitutionally required), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 993, 101 S.Ct. 529, 66 L.Ed.2d 289 (1980). The court may deny a stay so long as the privilege's invocation does not compel an adverse judgment against the claimant. United States v. Premises Located at Route 13, 946 F.2d 749, 756 (11th Cir.1991). See Little Al, 712 F.2d at 136 (The very fact of a parallel criminal proceeding, however, d[oes] not alone undercut [a claimant's] privilege against self-incrimination, even though the pendency of the criminal action forced [her] to choose between preserving [her] privilege against self-incrimination and losing the civil suit.). 19 Here, we find no real conflict between the forfeiture and Claimant's Fifth Amendment rights because she has not shown that her invocation of the privilege resulted in the civil forfeiture judgment against her. Once the government met its burden to show probable cause to initiate the forfeiture action, the burden then shifted to Claimant to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the property was not forfeitable. United States v. $121,100.00 in United States Currency, 999 F.2d 1503, 1505 (11th Cir.1993). Claimant, however, stipulated to probable cause and then rested, providing no evidence to support a defense that the forfeiture was improper. Claimant contends that without her own testimony, she could not establish her defense to the forfeiture of her property. We disagree because Claimant provided no explanation as to why she did not use the testimony of other parties to substantiate her defense. See 566 Hendrickson Blvd., 986 F.2d at 996 (citing Little Al, 712 F.2d at 136). 20 Prior to stipulating to probable cause, Claimant put Roosevelt Wims on the witness stand and had plans to call other family members, several of whom were in the courtroom. In particular, Claimant had the option to examine the very persons whose hearsay statements, introduced by Detective Brown and Agent Lee, provided the government probable cause for the forfeiture order. Thus, Claimant's assertion that only her own testimony could vindicate her is groundless; other participants to the illegal acts that gave rise to the forfeiture were available to testify at trial. Claimant's failure to indicate with precision why she did not use other parties' testimony to substantiate her defense was fatal. As a result, Claimant's basis for a stay was nothing more than a blanket assertion of the privilege against self-incrimination, which, as discussed, is an inadequate basis for a stay. See 6250 Ledge Rd., 943 F.2d at 729. Cf. Premises Located at Route 13, 946 F.2d at 756-57 (claimant's failure to present evidence showing how invocation of privilege would result in adverse judgment requires reversal of summary judgment for claimant). 10 In sum, Claimant did not show how she would be prejudiced by the continuation of the forfeiture action while she was a target of a criminal investigation. Accordingly, the court did not abuse its discretion by denying Claimant's motion to stay the forfeiture trial.