Federal Circuits, 10th Cir. (May 14, 1982)
Docket number: 79-1464
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Jerome G. Beery, pro se.
Stephen K. Lester, Asst. U. S. Atty., Wichita, Kan. (James P. Buchele, U. S. Atty., Topeka, Kan., was also on the brief), for plaintiff-appellee.Before HOLLOWAY, BARRETT and DOYLE, Circuit Judges.HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judge.Defendant-appellant Jerome G. Beery was charged with three counts of concealing assets from Dan E. Turner, the receiver and later the trustee in the bankruptcy proceeding in which Beery was adjudicated a bankrupt, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 152 (1970). Beery was similarly charged with one count of withholding a document from the receiver/trustee in violation of 18 U.S.C. 152. Beery was also charged with violating 18 U.S.C. 1623, perjury before the grand jury. Beery was tried before a jury and convicted on the concealment and withholding counts and acquitted of perjury. He has brought this timely appeal.The facts surrounding Beery's bankruptcy proceeding are briefly noted.1 Beery originally filed a voluntary petition seeking relief under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act on January 16, 1976. Dan Turner was appointed receiver on January 19. Upon Beery's failure to file the required statements and schedules and his voluntary motion to withdraw the Chapter XI proceeding, the proceeding was converted to one in straight bankruptcy and Beery was adjudicated a bankrupt on April 15, 1976. Dan Turner was appointed trustee at that time.As noted, Beery was charged with and convicted of three counts of concealing assets and one count of withholding assets from Dan Turner, who served as receiver and later as trustee. On appeal Beery claims a number of errors. The arguments meriting discussion are treated below.* Beery argues that the district court erred in not granting his motion to dismiss the indictment based on his assertion that he was forced to testify in the bankruptcy proceeding over his Fifth Amendment objections. Beery points to the immunity granted by 11 U.S.C. § 25(a)(10) (1976),2 which provides in pertinent part:The bankrupt shall ... at the first meeting of his creditors, at the hearing upon objections, if any, to his discharge and at such other times as the court shall order, submit to an examination concerning the conducting of his business, the cause of his bankruptcy, his dealings with his creditors and other persons, the amount, kind and whereabouts of his property, and, in addition, all matters which may affect the administration and settlement of his estate or the granting of his discharge; but no testimony, or any evidence which is directly or indirectly derived from such testimony, given by him shall be offered in evidence against him in any criminal proceeding, except such testimony as may be given by him in the hearing upon objections to his discharge ... (Emphasis added).Beery asserts that these immunity protections were violated in that witnesses against him in the grand jury proceeding and at the criminal trial had been his interrogators when he was compelled to testify in the bankruptcy proceedings; that his compelled testimony at a Rule 205 hearing in February 1976 and a hearing in September 1977 was detailed and covered areas in this criminal case; and that violation of his constitutional rights as protected by the immunity provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 25(a)(10) (1976) requires reversal, citing Kastigar v. United States, 406 U.S. 441, 92 S.Ct. 1653, 32 L.Ed.2d 212, inter alia. (Brief of Appellant at 29-34; Reply Brief at 2-4).* We turn first to the argument that the indictment should have been dismissed because Beery's immunized testimony was used in the grand jury proceeding. At the outset we consider the question whether such a claim may serve as a basis for attacking the indictment.An indictment valid on its face is not subject to challenge on the ground that the grand jury acted on inadequate or incompetent evidence, or even on information obtained in violation of a defendant's privilege against self-incrimination. United States v. Calandra, 414 U.S. 338, 345, 94 S.Ct. 613, 618, 38 L.Ed.2d 561; Lawn v. United States, 355 U.S. 339, 349-50, 78 S.Ct. 311, 317, 2 L.Ed.2d 321; United States v. Nunez, 668 F.2d 1116; 1125-26 (10th Cir.). The Supreme Court, however, has recognized that there may be a different result where what was transpiring before the grand jury would itself violate a constitutional or statutory privilege. See United States v. Calandra, 414 U.S. at 346, 94 S.Ct. at 619. Where such a violation is occurring in the grand jury proceeding itself, the violation of the constitutional right or privilege is a proper basis for dismissal of an indictment. United States v. Helstoski, 635 F.2d 200, 203-05 (3d Cir.).Here the claim is that the prosecution violated Beery's statutory right not to have his compelled testimony used against him. Section 25(a)(10) mandates that a bankrupt's testimony given during certain hearings, and evidence derived therefrom, shall not be used against him in any criminal prosecution. A grand jury hearing is clearly a criminal proceeding under this statute. See In re North Am. Inv. Co., 559 F.2d 464, 466 (7th Cir.); United States v. Boyd, 404 F.Supp. 413, 416 (S.D.N.Y.), aff'd, 538 F.2d 314 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 918, 97 S.Ct. 309, 50 L.Ed.2d 283, 430 U.S. 909, 97 S.Ct. 1182, 51 L.Ed.2d 586; United States v. Lawson, 255 F.Supp. 261, 263 (D.Minn.); 1A Collier on Bankruptcy 1023 n.24 (14th ed.); and cases cited in Annot. 22 A.L.R.Fed. 643, 662-63. Thus, as the introduction of immunized testimony or of evidence derived by its use occurs before the grand jury, there would be a direct violation of the bar in § 25(a)(10) against such use or derivative use of evidence by the Government, infringing defendant's immunity. Under such circumstances the indictment must be dismissed. See In re North Am. Inv. Co., 559 F.2d 464, 466 (7th Cir.); cf., United States v. Helstoski, 635 F.2d 200, 205-06 (3d Cir.) (dismissal of indictment held the proper remedy where testimony was presented to grand jury in violation of the Speech or Debate Clause); United States v. Nemes, 555 F.2d 51, 55-56 (2d Cir.) (dismissal of indictment held proper remedy where evidence derived from testimony given under state grant of immunity was introduced to grand jury, but the court refused to decide whether dismissal was invariably required); United States v. McDaniel, 482 F.2d 305, 311-12 (8th Cir.) (remedy held proper where prosecutor had read defendant's state grand jury testimony given under immunity).In sum, we conclude that if defendant's immunity granted by 11 U.S.C. § 25(a) (10) was violated by any use or derivative use before the grand jury of testimony which defendant was compelled to give at bankruptcy proceedings covered by § 25(a)(10), the indictment must be dismissed, unless the error is held harmless, beyond a reasonable doubt.3BAs noted above, defendant Beery argues that his immunity was violated by witnesses testifying, at the grand jury proceeding and at trial, that they were persons who had interrogated him in the bankruptcy proceedings when he was compelled to testify, that his compelled testimony was detailed and covered areas in this criminal case, and that his rights granted by the immunity statute, 11 U.S.C. § 25(a)(10), were violated, citing Kastigar, inter alia. (Brief of Appellant at 29-34; Reply Brief at 2-4). The Government says that Beery made no argument in the trial court complaining of violation of his use immunity rights; that he relied only on a claim of transactional immunity, which lacks merit. (Brief of Appellee at 18-19).We conclude that the claim was presented sufficiently in the trial court so that we must consider the merits of the use and derivative use issue. It will be helpful to outline in some detail the defendant's contentions and the development of the issue in the trial court.Defendant Beery asserts on appeal that some of his bankruptcy testimony was repeated by the trustee, Dan Turner, to the grand jury and refers to three portions of Turner's testimony. First, Beery points to the following statement before the grand jury by the trustee (IV R. 7-8):... (W)hen the arrangement prepared by Beery was presented to the Court ... he was supposed to provide the Court with an itemized list of all his debts and his assets and he refused. His attorney prepared it and he refused to sign that document and verify that this was a complete list of all his assets and liabilities ...Second, Beery complains about the following grand jury testimony of the trustee, Mr. Turner (IV R. 9):Q (W)hen you serve in each position (as receiver or trustee), you take the assets-they must be turned over?A The bankrupt must be candid with you and turn over all his assets.Q In this case, was Mr. Beery candid with you?A No, he never has been, never.Beery further points to that part of the trustee's grand jury testimony where Turner was asked to explain what he knew about some of the money Beery had allegedly concealed. Turner responded (IV R. 12):We don't know what became of that money, whether he gambled it away, whether he took it or what, but that money has been lost or we have no idea what he did with it. I know we have questioned him on several occasions about it. His first response was, "You show me what I've did with it or where we took it and then I'll tell you if you're right," and then after we traced it out and we showed him that he had the money, he took the Fifth Amendment and he wouldn't testify to it in Court, so we've never been able to make a determination what he did with it. (Emphasis added).It is true, of course, that the statute confers use and derivative use immunity only. Moreover the clear holding in Kastigar v. United States, supra, 406 U.S. at 458-62, 92 S.Ct. at 1663-1665, was that a statute granting use and derivative use immunity is coextensive with the Fifth Amendment privilege and may constitutionally supplant it. See also Zicarelli v. New Jersey Investigation Commission, 406 U.S. 472, 92 S.Ct. 1670, 32 L.Ed.2d 234. We must examine the record to determine whether defendant's claim and the circumstances of its presentation call on us to consider on appeal the use and derivative use question. Issues not raised in the district court are usually considered on appeal only under exceptional circumstances or to prevent manifest injustice. See United States v. Oakes, 564 F.2d 384, 387 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 926, 98 S.Ct. 1493, 55 L.Ed.2d 521.Defendant Beery filed three pre-trial motions below claiming that he had been compelled to testify over his Fifth Amendment objections in the bankruptcy proceeding. (See I R. 40, 41, 64). The Government is correct in saying that Beery moved to dismiss or quash the indictment as the relief sought from his compelled earlier testimony. Nevertheless the fact of his being compelled to testify was clearly alleged with respect to the earlier bankruptcy proceedings, even if the proper remedy was not sought. In fact, the third motion, a motion to quash the indictment, alleged, "defendant has been forced to testify against his will concerning his financial affairs a number of times over the last 21/2 years." (Id. at 64). These pre-trial motions were all denied.The question concerning the compelled testimony was raised again when the case was called for trial. At that point Beery was placed under oath by the trial judge near the beginning of the proceedings to take statements about his indigency, but the record shows no termination of Beery's statements being under oath during the remainder of that hearing. In his subsequent representations, which we treat as sworn statements, defendant made several references to his compelled testimony. He referred to remaking, at a proper time, a motion regarding the fact that one cannot be tried for a criminal matter if he had been compelled to testify about it, and requested a transcript for that purpose. (V R. 25). The transcript sought was that of the September 1977 hearing before the district judge in the bankruptcy case on the issue whether Beery was a farmer and thus exempt from being adjudicated a bankrupt without his consent.4Moreover, the fact that the trial judge and the prosecuting attorney were alerted to the use and derivative use immunity problem is shown by the record. When Beery's claim of having been compelled to testify at the September 1977 hearing was made, the Assistant United States Attorney made a statement to the court that he was "unfamiliar with what transpired at the hearing that Mr. Beery refers to. I have made an effort to not learn of what went on in those hearings because of the immunity which would attach to those hearings." (Id. at 27). The court questioned defendant Beery further about the September 1977 hearing and whether he had testified there, and defendant advised the court that he had, over his objections. (Id. at 32). The court then inquired of the prosecuting attorney whether this was the testimony which he claimed had nothing to do with the misstatements before the grand jury charged in the criminal case, and whether the Government would prove the perjury charge "from other evidence that you have?" (Id. at 33). The prosecuting attorney answered in the affirmative and stated he had several witnesses who would testify with respect to defendant's statements. (Id.).Defendant later made reference at this hearing when the case was called for trial to his motions on which he had desired an evidentiary hearing, citing his objections on Fifth Amendment grounds. (Id. at 44-45). The defendant referred again to his testimony at the September 1977 hearing and the prosecuting attorney made a further statement in response (V R. 45):I was just going to say that goes to abuse (sic) of immunity only and I wanted to get it on the record, I have not seen that transcript or know anything about that hearing.It is true that defendant requested dismissal and quashing of the indictment and argued transactional immunity. (E.g., I R. 40, 64). Nevertheless, the facts and circumstances were developed before the trial court, by defendant's sworn statements and motions, that he had been compelled to testify and that this was over his Fifth Amendment objections. Moreover, the trial judge and the prosecuting attorney were obviously considering the use and derivative use immunity problem. The prosecuting attorney clearly made his representations, cited above, in response to the requirements of Kastigar and the heavy burden cast on the Government in such circumstances.The Supreme Court laid down this strict rule which applies where the constitutional privilege is supplanted by an immunity grant:One raising a claim under this statute need only show that he testified under a grant of immunity in order to shift to the government the heavy burden of proving that all of the evidence it proposes to use was derived from legitimate independent sources.Kastigar, supra, 406 U.S. 460-61, 92 S.Ct. at 1664.We are convinced that defendant's motions and statements before the trial court sufficiently raised the claim under the statute. It was also developed to the extent that the trial judge and the prosecuting attorney were alerted to the use and derivative use problem. See United States v. Nemes, 555 F.2d 51, 54 (2d Cir.). We are dealing with a sensitive constitutional claim presented by a layman himself. We conclude we must treat the merits of the use and derivative use issue.CWe conclude that the issue must be remanded. The defendant's pretrial motions were all denied, and the trial judge declined to hear any further motions to dismiss on the day before trial when the statements cited above were made. (V R. 45). Thus the defendant's claims on the immunity issue were rejected, expressly or implicitly.The need for remand is shown by several circumstances in the record. The trustee, Dan Turner, was a witness at the grand jury proceeding and at trial. He had attended bankruptcy hearings and knew of Beery's testimony at them. Testimony by the trustee at the grand jury proceeding was presented through questioning by the prosecuting attorney. (Government Exhibit 60, IV R. 2-15, admitted at trial, VI R. 380). These circumstances, together with Beery's motions and representations about his being compelled to testify at the bankruptcy hearings, made necessary a determination under Kastigar concerning Beery's bankruptcy testimony and whether the Government's case was derived from legitimate independent sources.Moreover, the Government made no showing which could support a ruling in its favor on the issue. The conclusory assertions by the prosecuting attorney were insufficient to meet the heavy burden of the Government. United States v. Nemes, supra, 555 F.2d at 54-55. The Government bears a "heavy burden" in making the required proof. Kastigar, supra, 406 U.S. at 461, 92 S.Ct. at 1665. While the prosecuting attorney made general denials, "(t)hese conclusory statements are simply not enough to carry the burden." United States v. Seiffert, 463 F.2d 1089, 1092 (5th Cir.).5There was not a sufficient showing or findings addressing the problem. Thus this issue must be remanded. The district court should first require Beery to demonstrate that he was required to submit to an examination at bankruptcy proceedings covered by § 25(a)(10) concerning matters relating to the federal prosecution. If such a showing is not made by defendant, the convictions should be reinstated.If such a showing is made, the district court should then afford the Government an opportunity to meet its burden of proof as to its sources of its evidence presented to the grand jury and at trial, with any response the defendant may have. If the evidence presented to the grand jury is not found to have been properly "derived from legitimate independent sources," Kastigar, supra 406 U.S. at 461-62, 92 S.Ct. at 1665, then the indictment must be dismissed, unless the error is held harmless, beyond a reasonable doubt; if only evidence presented at trial is not found to have been properly derived, then a new trial must be ordered, unless the error is held harmless, beyond a reasonable doubt. If the Government sustains its burden of proof, or if errors found are held harmless, beyond a reasonable doubt, then the convictions should be reinstated. See United States v. Nemes, supra, 555 F.2d at 55.IIDefendant Beery challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the convictions, arguing that his motions for acquittal were erroneously denied. We will discuss his major contentions attacking the Government's case.The question when reviewing the convictions is whether "considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, there is substantial evidence from which a jury might reasonably find that an accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." United States v. Jorgenson, 451 F.2d 516, 521 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 405 U.S. 922, 92 S.Ct. 959, 30 L.Ed.2d 793; see Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 860. Considering the record in this light as we must on the appeal from the guilty verdict, there was evidence tending to show the circumstances outlined below.Counts I and II charged Beery with concealing the sums of $19,200 and $40,000 from Dan Turner, the receiver/trustee. Beery filed his petition in bankruptcy on January 16, 1976. Dan Turner was appointed receiver on January 19, and later appointed trustee. (V R. 145-46). Beery was not at the hearing where the receiver was appointed but his counsel was there. (VII R. 693-94). Thus Beery's counsel was notified on January 19 that the receiver was taking control of the assets, although Beery was not separately given notice. (VII R. 697-98). Beery learned of the appointment, however, no later than February 5, 1976, on which date he appeared for a Rule 205 examination and was there questioned by the receiver.On January 6, 1976, Beery had been sent a check for $40,000 by Stolter and Company, a commodity broker with whom Beery had a trading account. The check was deposited into Beery's account at the First National Bank in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 9, 1976. (II R. 231, 235; V R. 272-73). On January 14, 1976, Stolter and Company wired $19,200 to the same bank account. (II R. 232, 233; V R. 273-74).On January 19, 1976, Beery wrote an $18,607.24 check to the First National Bank in Albuquerque and the bank issued two cashier's checks; one check for the sum of $3506.74 payable to the American Express Co., and the other payable to Beery in the sum of $15,100. (II R. 238, 243, 244; V R. 284).On January 20, 1976, Beery wrote a $40,000 check to the First National Bank in Albuquerque and the bank issued two more cashier's checks. One in the amount of $11,500 was made payable to Beery. The second in the amount of $28,500 was made payable to Stolter and Company. The latter check was returned to the bank by Beery on January 23, and the bank issued another cashier's check in the same amount payable to Beery. (II R. 240, 245, 246, 247; V R. 284-86).There was also evidence tending to show that Beery took the three cashier's checks that were payable to him to Las Vegas. On January 29, Beery submitted $67,400 including $55,100 in the form of cashier's "check" to the cashier at the Dunes Hotel and Country Club, and he similarly submitted $5,000 on January 30. (VI R. 299-300). The record does not clearly disclose when Beery left the Dunes, but he was in Kansas on February 5, 1976, for his Rule 205 examination, during which he did not disclose the $59,000 he was alleged to have concealed. (VII R. 696-97). Beery returned to the Dunes and was there on February 15-16. (II R. 260). According to a Dunes' accountant, the records of the hotel show that Beery gambled against the money at the Dunes and lost it.6 On February 15, 1976, the three cashier's checks payable to Beery and bearing the endorsements of Beery and the Dunes Hotel (for $15,000, $11,500 and $28,500, described above) were deposited in the Valley Bank of Nevada, which is the bank of the Dunes Hotel. (VI R. 303).Based on these facts we believe there was sufficient evidence to support the guilty verdicts as to Counts I and II. Beery argues that the evidence showed that he was not aware that a receiver had been appointed until well after the alleged offenses occurred. (Brief of Appellant at 44). While there is authority that an offense under 18 U.S.C. 152 cannot be committed until the accused has knowledge that a receiver or trustee has been appointed,7 see United States v. Yasser,Try vLex for FREE for 3 days
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