Opinion ID: 762536
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Parties' Stipulations

Text: 107 As indicated in our opinion, after the denial of Kiyuyung's motion to suppress the parties agreed to waive a jury trial and stipulated that the trial evidence as to the finding of the guns would consist of the evidence that had been presented at the suppressing hearing. In light of our decision to vacate the denial of the motion to suppress and the judgment of conviction, we stated that the parties are relieved of their evidentiary and jury-waiver stipulations, though they are of course free to enter into new agreements. Slip op. 1515. The government requests that we not relieve the parties of those stipulations, urging that if the district court allows a reopening of the suppression hearing and again denies the motion to suppress, Kiyuyung's conviction should simply be reinstated. Kiyuyung opposes the government's motion, arguing that he entered into the stipulations in order to save time and effort for the parties and the court while preserving his right to make what he (correctly) believed would be a meritorious challenge to the denial of his suppression motion. He argues that had the government presented sufficient evidence as to Quiles's discovery of the guns, he would not have insisted on going to trial but would have pleaded guilty in order to secure the maximum downward sentencing adjustment for acceptance of responsibility. 108 We deny the government's motion for rescission of our ruling that the parties are relieved of their stipulations. In light of the gap in the government's evidence at the suppression hearing, Kiyuyung's motion to suppress should have been granted. Had it been granted, there would likely have been no trial, since the guns that Kiyuyung was charged with possessing would not have been admissible in evidence. Alternatively, if the government had called Quiles as a witness and the district court had denied the motion on the basis of sufficient evidence as to the initial discovery of the guns, it is entirely possible that Kiyuyung would, as he now asserts, have pleaded guilty in order to qualify for a more lenient sentence. To the extent that there is any uncertainty as to what motivated Kiyuyung to proceed to trial and to do so without a jury, and what course he would have chosen had the government's proof at the suppression hearing not been flawed, the onus of that uncertainty should be borne by the government, which had gained an unearned victory. As indicated in our opinion, the parties remain free to enter into the same or other stipulations. 109 Finally, we reject the government's suggestion that the parties should be held to their evidentiary stipulations. We would think it entirely inappropriate to rule that a party who has stipulated that evidence that was presented at a hearing may constitute part of the trial record, is bound either to concede the admission of belatedly-produced evidence that had not been presented at the time of the stipulation, or to forgo introducing later evidence that he might consider to be favorable to him. 110 The government's motion for modification is granted to the extent indicated above and is in all other respects denied.