Opinion ID: 693400
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Veras's Motion for a New Trial

Text: 20 Following Veras's conviction, the district court denied the defendant's motion for a new trial, the subject of an additional appeal. United States v. Veras, 860 F.Supp. 471 (N.D.Ill.1994). Veras's motion was based on the government's failure to disclose prior to trial the allegations of wrongdoing by one of its primary witnesses allegedly in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972). 5 The defendant asserts that because Officer Granias himself was under investigation, his credibility was at issue, and therefore the information about that investigation should have been disclosed. 21 In December 1992, approximately one year after Veras's trial, the Assistant United States Attorneys who tried this case were informed by a supervisor that an investigation was pending involving allegations against Officer Granias. In February 1993, when the information had become available to them, the Assistant United States Attorneys sent a letter to defense counsel informing them of this investigation concerning Officer Granias. The letter stated an informant had claimed that he had not provided search warrant information on as many occasions as was indicated in police department records. It was alleged that in two specific warrants, dated April and June 1989, false information had been provided. One of these warrants involved a defendant name Canezaro, who had been convicted of several felony offenses. The letter stated that Officer Granias, through his counsel, denied the allegations and would assert his privilege under the Fifth Amendment if subjected to questioning on these topics. 22 Because this issue involves a different set of facts from the ones previously discussed, it is necessary to summarize the procedural history of the investigation. In July 1990, an agent from the public integrity squad and an Assistant United States Attorney from the Criminal Division of the Chicago Office formally interviewed Canezaro regarding the allegations he made during his probation revocation hearing. Canezaro had alleged that Granias was one of several officers who failed to inventory $15,000 in cash that was taken during the search of his home. Following this interview, the FBI for approximately a year questioned other individuals who had been arrested by Officer Granias. As of July 1991, the FBI's investigation had not revealed any new or corroborating evidence, nothing but the claims of Canezaro. 23 Officer Granias had been on the DEA task force since March 1990 and working on cases being prosecuted by the Chicago Office. The Chicago Office then recused itself, and the matter was transferred to the United States Attorney's Office in Milwaukee. When the investigation was transferred, the Chicago Office considered whether it was necessary to make a Brady disclosure. The Office determined that there were no disclosure obligations required at that time for two reasons: (1) Granias was unaware of the investigation, and therefore could not be said to be trying to ingratiate himself to the United States Attorney's Office by providing favorable testimony; and (2) the allegations at that time consisted solely of the word of a convicted drug dealer and perjurer who had much to gain by fabricating the allegations. The government believed that in light of the fact there was no corroboration for the allegations, the charges appeared to be speculative and preliminary. 24 The government acknowledged that disclosure might be necessary after further investigation by the Milwaukee Office, and therefore asked that the Office inform them if corroborating evidence was revealed. In December 1992, after Veras had been convicted, the Chicago Office received word that corroborating evidence had been discovered. The evidence was the testimony of a confidential informant, who allegedly provided information for the Canezaro search. That information is what prompted the February 1993 letter to defense counsel. On April 27, 1993, Veras moved for a new trial under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 33 based upon newly discovered evidence. Subsequent to this filing, Cook County Circuit Judge Toomin held a hearing on Canezaro's post-conviction petition. Officer Granias, Canezaro, and the informant all testified under oath at that hearing. Officer Granias denied each allegation of wrongdoing before Judge Toomin. Judge Toomin held that Canezaro had not proven by clear and convincing evidence that Officer Granias had perjured himself and denied Canezaro's petition. 25 An evidentiary hearing was held and, in its own thorough analysis, the district court reviewed Veras's motion for a new trial. The court initially determined that the evidence was favorable to Veras because of the seriousness in the allegations against Officer Granias. Veras, 860 F.Supp. at 476. The court also found that despite the government's insistence, the evidence was wrongfully suppressed. Id. at 477. Finding that favorable evidence was suppressed, the court proceeded to determine whether the evidence was material. Id. The court concluded that because Officer Granias denied each allegation and was not biased due to the fact he was unaware of the impending investigation at the time of Veras's trial, the ruling on the motion to suppress would not have changed. Id. at 478-79. Further, the court found the outcome of the trial would not have been affected. Id. Following the Seventh Circuit's Brady analysis in United States v. Dimas, 3 F.3d 1015 (1993), the court determined that under Rule 608(b) defense counsel would have been precluded from impeaching Officer Granias or showing bias with extrinsic evidence supporting the Canezaro allegations. Id. at 478. The district court found there had been no violation of Veras's due process rights. Id. at 478-79. 26 It is within the sound discretion of the district court to decide whether a new trial should be granted. United States v. Johnson, 26 F.3d 669, 683 (7th Cir.1994); United States v. Kaufmann, 803 F.2d 289, 291 (7th Cir.1986). Because the trial judge is in a better position to evaluate the motion for a new trial, the standard of appellate review is a highly deferential one. United States v. Morales, 902 F.2d 604, 605 (7th Cir.1990). The heavy burden placed on the appellant in this type of motion has been repeatedly noted by this court. See Kaufmann, 803 F.2d at 291; United States v. Davis, 604 F.2d 474, 484 (7th Cir.1979). 27 Veras challenges the district court's determination on the grounds that it denied the defense its opportunity to make its own investigation into the credibility of Officer Granias. The government contends, without conceding the evidence was suppressed, that the evidence withheld was not material to Veras's case. It argues that because the evidence would not have produced a different result in the outcome of the trial, it was not material. 28 The crux of the issue begins with Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), in which the Supreme Court held that due process requires the prosecution to provide the defense, upon request, with any evidence favorable to the accused which is material either to guilt or punishment. Id. at 87-88, 83 S.Ct. at 1197. The Supreme Court subsequently held that the government's Brady obligation includes evidence affecting a government witness's credibility. Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 154, 92 S.Ct. 763, 766, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972). In Giglio, the petitioner filed a motion for a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence contending that the government failed to disclose an alleged promise of leniency made to its key witness in return for his testimony. Id. at 150, 92 S.Ct. at 764. The Court held that when the reliability of a witness may be determinative of guilt or innocence, a suppression of such material evidence constitutes a violation of due process and requires a new trial. More recently in United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985), the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Brady rule does apply to impeachment evidence, but the government's failure to disclose does not require automatic reversal. Id. at 678, 105 S.Ct. at 3381. A constitutional error occurs, and the conviction must be reversed, only if the evidence is material in the sense that its suppression undermines confidence in the outcome of the trial. Id. In determining the materiality of the evidence, the Supreme Court stated: 29 The evidence is material only if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. 30 Id. at 682, 105 S.Ct. at 3383. 31 Therefore, to obtain a new trial under a Brady claim, the defendant must show the evidence was favorable, suppressed, and material to his case. United States v. Dimas, 3 F.3d 1015, 1017 (7th Cir.1993) (citations omitted). The preliminary issue here is whether the evidence was actually favorable to Veras. As the district court noted, the allegations involved are unquestionably serious and of value for impeachment purposes. Officer Granias is alleged to have taken money belonging to government informants, lying on search warrant applications, and stealing money during police searches. The allegations were serious enough that the United States Attorney's Office felt the need to investigate the officer. We find that due to the seriousness of these allegations, the evidence was valuable to Veras for impeachment purposes. See United States v. Douglas, 874 F.2d 1145, 1163-64 (7th Cir.1989). 32 Next the government argues that at the initial point in the investigation there was no corroborating evidence; therefore, the information was only speculative and disclosure was not necessary. The district court, however, believed the Canezaro information should have been disclosed prior to trial under the discovery procedures in the United States Attorney's Office and Local Criminal Rule 2.04. 6 While the government disagrees with this aspect of the district court's ruling and does not concede its correctness, we find that the government had an obligation to disclose the evidence of the investigation. The government relies on Tate v. Wood, 963 F.2d 20, 25 (2d Cir.1992), and United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 109 & n. 16, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 2400 & n. 16, 49 L.Ed.2d 342 (1976), in support of its argument that speculative and preliminary information need not be disclosed under Brady. Carefully read, Agurs and Tate do suggest that purely speculative and preliminary information may be withheld; however, the information available at the time the Chicago Office recused itself was not mere speculation. The Chicago Office thought enough of its involvement with Officer Granias in pending future cases to recuse itself from proceeding further with its own investigation and transferred the investigation to the Milwaukee Office. Further, the information had some grounds and was of a serious enough nature that the investigation proceeded for well over two years. The need for disclosure under Brady and Local Rule 2.04 was warranted. 33 Since favorable evidence was not disclosed by the government, the primary issue is whether the evidence was material to Veras's case. The starting point is to determine what evidence would technically be admissible and what portion of that evidence [the court] would allow in under the discretion granted to it by Rule 608(b). 7 Dimas, 3 F.3d at 1019. We find that the district court's analysis under Dimas could not be more correctly stated. Although the government should have disclosed the investigation of Officer Granias, the information would not have made a difference in the result of the trial. The district court stated: 34 Given Officer Granias's denial of each and every allegation at the hearing, the court would not have changed its ruling denying the motion to suppress. The outcome of the trial would also have not been affected. In light of Officer Granias's denial, defense counsel would have been unable to elicit any admissible evidence, much less material evidence, impacting the officer's credibility. Rule 608(b) would have precluded defense counsel from impeaching Officer Granias with extrinsic evidence supporting the Canezaro allegations. Any such extrinsic evidence would also have been inadmissible to show bias. Defense counsel would have been prevented from arguing the impermissible inference created by the mere asking of accusatory questions relating to Officer Granias's alleged misconduct. Because the suppressed evidence would not have affected the outcome of the suppression hearing or the trial, defendant's due process rights were not violated and his motion for a new trial pursuant to Brady and Giglio is denied. 35 Veras, 860 F.Supp. at 478-79. 36 We find no fault with the district court's holding. 37 Further, the post-trial testimony of the confidential informant, who provided information for the Canezaro search warrant, is irrelevant to a motion for a new trial under Brady. In Dimas, the Brady analysis was limited to the evidence known at the time of the trial. Dimas, 3 F.3d at 1019. We explained that later developments in the investigation, if any, are irrelevant because the question is whether the result would have changed if the prosecutors disclosed the evidence at the time, not whether the outcome would differ if the case were tried today. Id. The confidential informant's testimony would only be relevant to a claim of newly discovered evidence. In meeting the requirements for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence, the defendant must show that the evidence (1) came to their knowledge only after the trial; (2) could not have been discovered sooner had the defendants exercised due diligence; (3) is material, and not merely impeaching or cumulative; and (4) would probably lead to an acquittal in the event of a retrial. United States v. Oliver, 683 F.2d 224, 228 (7th Cir.1982); see also United States v. Fruth, 36 F.3d 649, 651 (7th Cir.1994); United States v. Gonzalez, 933 F.2d 417, 447 (7th Cir.1991). For the same reasons as previously stated under the Brady- Giglio analysis, the defendant cannot show that the evidence is material or would result in an acquittal given the limited cross-examination of Officer Granias permitted under Rule 608(b). In light of the proper deference given to the district court and the strength of the evidence in this case, we find that through the court's correct application of the law in its well-reasoned memorandum, the defendant's motion for a new trial was correctly denied. 38 We AFFIRM.