The Oyez Project: Criminal Procedure Issues - Discovery and Inspection Arguments

Banks v. Dretke - Oral Argument

Mon, 08 Dec 2003 12:00:00 -0500

Delma Banks, Jr. was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in Texas state court in 1980. Sixteen years later Banks learned that one of the witnesses against him, Robert Farr, was a paid informant (a fact not stated during the trial). Charles Cook, another witness against Banks, claimed that he had made up much of his testimony in order to get other criminal charges against him dropped as part of a plea agreement.

In Brady v. Maryland the U.S. Supreme Court held that due process is violated if prosecutors suppress evidence favorable to a defendant that relates to guilt or punishment. Pointing to Brady and evidence the prosecution suppressed information on its ties to the two witnesses, Banks sought a writ of habeas corpus in federal court to overturn his conviction and get a new trial. The district court granted habeas relief with respect to Banks' death sentence based on the state's failure to disclose Farr's informant status. However the district court refused to reverse the guilt verdict, rejecting Banks' Brady claim relating to Cook's testimony and Banks' argument that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(b) allowed the claim to be treated as if it were raised earlier.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court's decision to grant Banks relief as to his death sentence based on his Brady claim relating to Farr's testimony. The Court held that Banks first had to press his claims in state court. The Court upheld the district court's rejection of Banks' claim relating to Cook's testimony, holding that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(b) does not apply to habeas proceedings.

Bracy v. Gramley - Oral Argument

Mon, 14 Apr 1997 12:00:00 -0500

During Thomas J. Maloney's tenure as an Illinois judge, William Bracy was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death before him for a triple murder. Maloney was later convicted on federal charges of taking bribes from criminal defendants. In his federal habeas petition, Bracy argued that, because he had "fixed" other murder cases, Maloney had an interest in a conviction here to deflect suspicion. Bract contended that Maloney's interest violated the fair-trial guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. The District Court denied the claim, concluding that Bracy's allegations contained insufficient specificity or good cause. In affirming, the Court of Appeals also concluded that Bracy had not shown "good cause" for discovery to prove his claim.

Goldberg v. United States - Oral Argument

Wed, 14 Jan 1976 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Illinois v. Abbott & Associates, Inc. - Oral Argument

Mon, 29 Nov 1982 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Kerr v. United States District Court - Oral Argument

Tue, 11 Nov 1975 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Kyles v. Whitley, Warden - Oral Argument

Mon, 07 Nov 1994 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Pennsylvania v. Ritchie - Oral Argument

Wed, 03 Dec 1986 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Swidler & Berlin v. United States - Oral Argument

Mon, 08 Jun 1998 12:00:00 -0500

During the 1993 investigation of the White House Travel Office ("Travelgate"), Deputy White House Counsel Vincent W. Foster, Jr., met with an attorney from Swidler & Berlin's law firm named James Hamilton. Nine days later, Foster committed suicide. During a subsequent investigation into the legalities of Travelgate, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr subpoenaed Hamilton's notes about his meeting with Foster. When Swidler & Berlin challenged Starr's subpoena as a violation of the attorney-client privilege, a district court agreed. On appeal from an appellate court reversal, the Supreme Court granted certiorari.

United States Dept. Of Justice v. Julian - Oral Argument

Tue, 19 Jan 1988 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

United States v. Armstrong - Oral Argument

Mon, 26 Feb 1996 12:00:00 -0500

Christopher Lee Armstrong and others were indicted on federal charges of "conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base (crack) and conspiring to distribute the same." The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms had monitored Armstrong and others prior to their indictment and arrest. Armstrong filed a motion for discovery or dismissal, alleging that he was selected for prosecution because he was black. The District Court granted the discovery order. It ordered the government to provide statistics on similar cases from the last three years. The government indicated it would not comply. Subsequently, the District Court dismissed the case. The government appealed. The Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal. It held that the proof requirements for a selective-prosecution claim do not require a defendant to demonstrate that the government has failed to prosecute others who are similarly situated.

United States v. Bagley - Oral Argument

Wed, 20 Mar 1985 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

United States v. Lasalle National Bank - Oral Argument

Wed, 29 Mar 1978 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

United States v. Nixon - Oral Argument

Mon, 08 Jul 1974 12:00:00 -0500

A grand jury returned indictments against seven of President Richard Nixon's closest aides in the Watergate affair. The special prosecutor appointed by Nixon and the defendants sought audio tapes of conversations recorded by Nixon in the Oval Office. Nixon asserted that he was immune from the subpoena claiming "executive privilege," which is the right to withhold information from other government branches to preserve confidential communications within the executive branch or to secure the national interest. Decided together with Nixon v. United States.

United States v. R. Enterprises, Inc. - Oral Argument

Mon, 29 Oct 1990 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

United States v. Zolin - Oral Argument

Mon, 20 Mar 1989 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.