Opinion ID: 346934
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Superseding Indictments

Text: 30 On February 18, 1975, a four-count indictment was returned charging Drebin and Budget Films with copyright infringement. On April 3, 1975, a superseding ten count indictment was returned, based on newly received evidence, 9 and adding Fine and Venezia as defendants. The indictment was again superseded on May 29, 1975, to cure a pleading defect in counts two, three and four by adding the sentence, knowing the same to have been stolen, converted, and taken by fraud. 10 Appellants contend that this uncontrolled use of superseding indictments violated due process of law and prejudiced their ability to prepare adequately for trial. Specifically, they argue that this procedure caused the grand jury to consider the evidence in piecemeal fashion rather than in total, was used as a judge-shopping device, was used to avoid the time constraints of a prior court order, 11 allowed the Government to present an entirely new case under the guise of a superseding indictment, and deprived appellants of adequate notice of the charges in sufficient time to prepare a defense. We find no merit in any of these contentions. 31 The second and third indictments obviously increased the scope of the prosecution initiated by the first indictment, but this does not constitute a violation of due process unless appellants were prejudiced. The only allegation of prejudice is that appellants were not afforded sufficient time to prepare a defense. The record does not support this contention. Appellants were apprised of the Government's intention to supersede on March 24, 1975 and they were arraigned on the superseding indictment on April 7. Counsel for appellants was advised on April 21 that a second superseding indictment would be returned to amend the technical defects in counts two through four. Trial on the final indictment began on August 26, 1975. Thus, appellants were fully informed of the charges against them over four months before their trial.