Opinion ID: 757025
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: New Trial (Ajaj)

Text: 333 Ajaj moves for a new trial based on, inter alia, allegedly newly discovered evidence. 22 334 This motion is before us in an unusual procedural posture. After the initial judgments of conviction (March 24, 1994) and sentences (May 24, 1994) were entered, the appellants filed their respective notices of appeal. Briefing was set, and appellants' briefs were due by June 30, 1995. On June 23, 1995, Abouhalima and Ajaj independently filed motions to remand the proceedings to the district court. One of the grounds for Ajaj's motion was the alleged discovery of new evidence. If the district court ruled favorably on some of the newly raised post-trial claims, it was reasoned, the appeals might be rendered moot. A panel of this court, consisting of (now) Chief Judge Winter, and Judges Calabresi and Cabranes, heard oral argument on the motion July 18, 1995, at which counsel for Ayyad and Salameh were also in attendance (the Remand Motion). 335 At oral argument of the Remand Motion, counsel for Ajaj argued that the fact-dependent nature of Ajaj's new trial motion also militated in favor of resolution of the motion in the first instance by the district court, which was well-versed in the complexity of the case. In addition, counsel made clear that, since she was newly appointed, she required more time to complete the post-trial motion. Based on the consent of all four appellants, we granted the motions to remand, but denied Abouhalima's request for their reassignment to a different district judge. We therefore dismissed the appeals, but made clear that when the district court had decided the post-trial motions, the appeals would be automatically reinstated, without the need to file new notices of appeal. See United States v. Jacobson, 15 F.3d 19, 22 (2d Cir.1994). The order was filed the same day oral argument was heard. 336 Later that month, on July 26, the district court held a conference with respect to the post-trial motions. At this conference, Judge Duffy expressed skepticism with respect to the newly discovered evidence, reiterating that I don't see anything new. Because Judge Duffy apparently believed that the meat of the post-trial motions lay in the ineffective assistance of counsel claims--the arguments that appeared ripe for presentation--he immediately scheduled an August argument date. But this was before Ajaj's counsel had had the opportunity to complete her full motion, which, as she had explained to the Remand Motion panel, would require some time. 337 Disenchanted with the district court's accelerated schedule, Ajaj returned to our court in August seeking a petition for mandamus to order the district court (1) to review and decide the defendant's applications related to preliminary steps necessary to the finalizing of the defendant's motion for a new trial; (2) to then permit the filing of a completed motion for a new trial; and (3) to rule on the propriety of an evidentiary hearing and to issue a decision on the motion for a new trial in a manner susceptible of review by [our] Court. 338 On August 9, 1995, we denied Ajaj's mandamus petition (the Denial of Mandamus Order), but did so with leave to renew if the district court failed: (1) to receive the government's written responses to the post-trial motions; (2) to conduct such an evidentiary hearing as it may determine necessary no earlier than 30 days following the date the responses were received; and (3) to rule specifically on each issue raised by the post-trial motions. 339 Pursuant to this August order, and our original remand instructions, Ajaj's counsel filed her completed post-trial motion that October. The government filed a response on November 16, and the district court scheduled a conference the next day. At this November conference, Judge Duffy inquired whether counsel would be prepared to proceed to a hearing in fewer than thirty days (as specified by our Court's order), given the then-imminent sentencing in one of the related proceedings. Counsel declined, and were told that they would consequently have to wait at least a year to have their post-trial hearing. 340 While the parties waited for a post-trial hearing date, in April of 1996, Ajaj filed a Reply Brief to the government's answer to his post-trial motion. For reasons that are not altogether clear, Ajaj also filed a motion in this Court to reinstate the appeals that had been initially remanded at his request. 341 On April 29, 1996, another motions panel of our Court heard oral argument, and again summoned all parties' counsel (the Reinstatement Motion). Ajaj argued that because one of the original reasons for delaying the direct appeal (inadequate time to prepare) no longer existed, the case should proceed to the Court of Appeals. No mention was made of one of the other arguments originally pressed by Ajaj for remand--that the district court was the appropriate forum for initial resolution of the new trial motion. This Reinstatement Motion was heard by then-Chief Judge Newman, and Judges McLaughlin and Cabranes. In a published opinion, we granted the motion to reinstate the appeals. See United States v. Salameh, 84 F.3d 47, 51 (2d Cir.1996). 342 The Reinstatement Motion panel expressly addressed the issue of the still-unadjudicated post-trial motions, and the ability (and propriety) of passing on them at the appellate level in the first instance. It resolved the issue so as to maximize the flexibility of the panel that would ultimately hear the appeals--this panel: 343 We believe that concern [of the appellate panel's fitness to resolve the fact-dependent post-trial motions in the first instance] can be adequately dealt with by the merits panel to which these appeals will be assigned. In granting the motion to reinstate the appeals, we restore to our jurisdiction only the appeals for which notices of appeal were previously filed, i.e., the appeals from the four judgments of conviction. It will be up to the panel hearing those appeals to determine, upon proper application, whether appellate jurisdiction should be exercised to any additional extent and to what extent, if any, matters inserted into the record after the judgments of conviction should be considered. 344 Id. 345 As a result, the question before us is simply to what extent (if any) our panel should reach out and exercise jurisdiction over the yet-to-be-addressed post-trial motions. After carefully reviewing the claims of the appellants, and the procedural posture of this case, we decline to consider Ajaj's motion for a new trial at this time. 346 As the convoluted procedural history of this case demonstrates, Ajaj's motion for a new trial is grounded largely in newly discovered evidence. Indeed, as was originally argued to the Remand Motion panel, the complexity and fact-sensitivity of the claims require resolution of this motion, in the first instance, by the district court. For example, Ajaj cites such post-trial evidence as an interview with his Texas immigration lawyer and statements that arose at the Abdel Rahman trial. We think that the best solution for a motion that deals with post-trial matters of this sort is that it be addressed, as such motions normally are, by the district court first. 23 347 The parties, on both sides, have spilt much ink over who is using and who is abusing the procedural machinery of the district court and of the Court of Appeals. And we also recognize that several comments made by Judge Duffy, taken out of context, might be read to suggest some hostility toward the newly discovered evidence claims. Some tension is perhaps unavoidable in a case of this difficulty and significance. We are confident, however--now that a large number of previous concerns over timing have been rendered moot--that the district court will be able to schedule proceedings expeditiously, and that the parties will assist that court by clarifying any issues that remain. 24 After that, as we indicated in our order denying mandamus, the district court may issue its order granting or denying some or all of the relief that is sought, and specifying the reasons for its conclusions. At that point, and only after the district court has ruled on the claims, should further application for appellate review be made by the parties.