Court Opinion

ID: 9482853
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 09:02:40.296329+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:49:14.802835
License: Public Domain

McWILLIAMS, Senior Circuit Judge
dissents:
After his conviction on count two, Beal filed a motion for judgment of acquittal and a motion for a new trial. Following hearing, the district court granted the motion for judgment of acquittal, set aside the jury’s verdict, and entered a judgment of acquittal. The district court did not rule on Beal’s motion for a new trial.
Fed.R.Crim.P. 29 reads as follows:
Rule 29. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal
(d) Same: Conditional Ruling on Grant of Motion. If a motion for judgment of acquittal after verdict of guilty under this Rule is granted, the court shall also determine whether any motion for a new trial should be granted if the judgment of acquittal is thereafter vacated or reversed, specifying the grounds for such determination. If the motion for a new trial is granted conditionally, the order thereon does not affect the finality of the judgment. If the motion for a new trial has been granted conditionally and the judgment is reversed on appeal, the new trial shall proceed unless the appellate court has otherwise ordered. If such motion has been denied conditionally, the appellee on appeal may assert error in that denial, and if the judgment is reversed on appeal, subsequent proceedings shall be in accordance with the order of the appellate court. (As amended Feb. 28, 1966, eff. July 1, 1966; Nov. 10, 1986, Pub.L. 99-646 § 54(a), 100 Stat. 3607.)
In view of Rule 29(d), Beal sent a letter to the district court pointing out the necessity for a ruling on his motion for a new trial. We are advised the district court has not ruled on the matter.
In this court, Beal moved to dismiss the present appeal as being premature, contending that this court does not have jurisdiction because the district did not rule on his motion for a new trial. There has not been compliance with Rule 29(d), and accordingly I agree with Beal that this court does not have jurisdiction since a final judgment has not yet been entered by the district court. I would dismiss the appeal as being premature.
The majority agrees with the district court that the evidence showed entrapment as a matter of law on both counts one and two. I disagree and would hold that the question of entrapment posed an issue of fact as to both counts, a fact matter to be decided by the jury. I reject any suggestion that because the jury acquitted Beal on count one, the district court was compelled to grant a motion for judgment of acquittal on count two.