Opinion ID: 856073
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Milkovich’s Recantation

Text: Throughout the government’s investigation and prosecution, Milkovich stated that when Westmoreland was 2 Westmoreland also argues that the district court erred by rejecting the Wade and Schmidt affidavits because they lacked “any foundation as to how the affiants may have been able to identify the individual allegedly involved with Bronnie as Milkovich.” Westmoreland, 2010 WL 5141770, at . Without such a showing, the district court found that the affidavits would have been inadmissible. Given our resolution of the question of whether the affidavits warrant a new trial, their admissibility is moot. No. 10-3961 13 arrested, he said he did not know anything about a “murder-for-hire” scheme. The evidence was important because no one had said anything to Westmoreland at that point about a murder. See Dkt. 904 Ex. D (Milkovich Jan. 6, 1998 investigative report) (“WESTMORELAND told agents he didn’t know anything about any murder, especially a murder for hire, but did admit to selling drugs for RICHARD ABELN.”); Dkt. 904 Ex. F (Milkovich grand jury testimony). Milkovich repeated this testimony in Westmoreland I, Dkt. 904 Ex. H (Milkovich trial testimony), but Milkovich did not testify in Westmoreland II. Westmoreland argues in this appeal — which again, is an appeal from the district court’s denial of his motion for a new murder trial in Westmoreland II — that Milkovich later recanted these statements and that his recantation is new evidence warranting a new trial on the murder charges. We disagree.3 3 The district court considered this evidence under the standard used to consider the impact of recanted trial testimony. Under that standard, the court must consider whether: (1) it is reasonably well satisfied that testimony given by the witness was false; (2) the jury might have reached a different conclusion absent the false testimony or if it had known that the testimony was false; and (3) the defendant was taken by surprise and was unable to meet the false testimony or did not know of its falsity until after trial. See United States v. Taylor, 600 F.3d 863, 870 (7th Cir. 2010). Westmoreland argues that the district court erred when it considered Milkovich’s recantation under this standard. Milkovich did not testify in Westmoreland II, so whatever Milkovich might have recanted (continued...) 14 No. 10-3961 In support of his motion for a new trial, Westmoreland presented the affidavits of his friend, Steve Korris, and his sister, Renee Westmoreland. They stated that they met with Milkovich on January 8, 2004, and that at the meeting he recanted his earlier statements, telling Korris and Renee Westmoreland that Westmoreland made no statement to police whatsoever upon his arrest and instead “lawyered up.” See Dkt. 904, Ex. B (3/11/2004 Korris Affidavit) (Milkovich told Korris that “Guy Westmoreland made no statement whatsoever to police when arrested in connection with the murder of Debra Abeln.”); id. at Ex. C (3/10/2004 R. Westmoreland Affidavit) (“Marty said that on the morning of Guy Westmoreland’s arrest, he or Kale Jackson, a FBI agent, had NOT gotten any type of statement from Guy Westmoreland, in fact he ‘lawyered up.’ They couldn’t get him to talk to them at all.”). Again, to satisfy the standard for newly discovered evidence, Westmoreland must show that the evidence: (1) was discovered after trial; (2) could not have been discovered sooner with due diligence; (3) was material and not simply impeaching or cumulative; and (4) if presented at a new trial, would probably result in 3 (...continued) was not trial testimony in that case. Westmoreland argues that the district court should have considered the evidence under the test for newly discovered evidence. The government does not argue otherwise. We review the district court’s decision under the test for newly discovered evidence, but Westmoreland’s claim fails under either test. No. 10-3961 15 Westmoreland’s acquittal. See Hagler, 700 F.3d at 1101. The Korris and Renee Westmoreland affidavits fail every prong of this test. First, even if the evidence of what Milkovich said might have been new, Westmoreland’s own statements at the time of his arrest could not have been “newly discovered” to Westmoreland. He was there and knew what he said or did not say at the time. Second, the evidence must be admissible to be material, and Milkovich’s statements to Korris and Renee Westmoreland about what Westmoreland said would be inadmissible hearsay as proof of what Westmoreland said or did not say. Third, even if admitted, the statements would have served at most only to impeach the testimony of Master Sergeant Calvin Dye of the Illinois State Police, who did testify at Westmoreland’s murder trial. Sergeant Dye was with Milkovich when Westmoreland was arrested, and he testified consistently with Milkovich’s original statement. Fourth, it is unlikely that this evidence, had it been admitted, would have led to Westmoreland’s acquittal. The case against Westmoreland was very strong, and the new evidence was weak. By the time of the murder trial, Milkovich’s credibility was non-existent, and Dye’s testimony was directly contrary on the subject. We reject Westmoreland’s argument that the Korris and Renee Westmoreland affidavits amount to newly discovered evidence entitling him to a new trial.