Court Opinion

ID: 9474189
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 04:50:16.863496+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:43:56.989657
License: Public Domain

SEYMOUR, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I concur fully in the majority’s persuasive analysis of the voluntariness of Fountain’s confession. However, I would not reach the question of immunity from prosecution because I do not believe that it was properly raised.
A prosecutor retains the discretion to promise transactional immunity to secure testimony evidence, or other cooperation from a potential defendant, United States v. Brimberry, 744 F.2d 580, 586 (7th Cir.1984); Rowe v. Griffin, 676 F.2d 524, 527 (11th Cir.1982), and due process may require the enforcement of such an agree*887ment under certain circumstances, see Brimberry, 744 F.2d at 586 & n. 6; Plaster v. United States, 720 F.2d 340, 352 (4th Cir.1983); Rowe, 676 F.2d at 528; cf. Mabry v. Johnson, 467 U.S. 504, 104 S.Ct. 2543, 2547, 81 L.Ed.2d 437 (1984); Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 261-62, 92 S.Ct. 495, 498-99, 30 L.Ed.2d 427 (1971). However, a motion to dismiss the indictment is the proper method of raising the issue. Brimberry, 744 F.2d at 586; United States v. McDaniel, 449 F.2d 832, 835 (8th Cir.1971), cert. denied, 405 U.S. 992, 92 S.Ct. 1264, 31 L.Ed.2d 460 (1972); see also United States v. Strawser, 739 F.2d 1226, 1228 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, - U.S. -, 105 S.Ct. 518, 83 L.Ed.2d 407 (1984). Fountain never filed a motion to dismiss the indictment; nor did he raise the issue at the suppression hearing. Accordingly, I would not decide whether due process requires the enforcement of Fountain’s executory immunity agreement.