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Document Filed Electronically
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTDISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : Criminal No. 04-373 (MLC)
v. :STOP HUNTINGDON ANIMAL :CRUELTY USA, INC.,KEVIN KJONAAS, a/k/a :Kevin Jonas, a/k/a SteveShore, a/k/a Jim Fareer, :LAUREN GAZZOLA,a/k/a Angela Jackson, a/k/a :Danielle Matthews,JACOB CONROY, :JOSHUA HARPER,
ANDREW STEPANIAN, :DARIUS FULLMER, andJOHN MCGEE :
MEMORANDUM OF THE UNITED STATES IN OPPOSITIONTO PRELIMINARY MOTIONS OF DEFENDANTS
CHRISTOPHER J. CHRISTIEUnited States Attorney970 Broad StreetNewark, New Jersey 07102(973) 645-2700
On the Memorandum:
Charles B. McKennaRicardo Solano Jr.Assistant U.S. Attorneys
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preliminary Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Statement of Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
I. HAVING ALREADY PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE ANDDETAILED SUMMARY OF THE MOTIONS CHALLENGING
THE SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT THAT HE INTENDS
TO FILE, THIS COURT SHOULD DENY DEFENDANT
KJONAASS REQUEST TO DELAY THE FILING OF
THOSE MOTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
II. THE UNITED STATES HAS COMPLIED WITH ALL OFITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER RULE 16 AND THESTANDING ORDER OF THIS COURT . . . . . . . . . 24
III. THE SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT SHOULD NOT BEDISMISSED AGAINST DEFENDANTS FULLMER ANDHARPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
IV. DEFENDANT FULLMERS REQUEST FOR SEVERANCELACKS FACTUAL AND LEGAL BASIS . . . . . . . . . 34
V. THE DEFENDANTS' REQUEST FOR A BILL OFPARTICULARS LACKS A FACTUAL AND LEGALBASIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
VI. THIS COURT SHOULD REJECT DEFENDANTS REQUESTFOR DISCLOSURE OF GRAND JURY MATERIALS BASED
UPON MERE SPECULATION AND BARE ASSERTIONS . . . 47
VII. THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE DEFENDANTSWITH THE WIRETAP INFORMATION THEY HAVEREQUESTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
VIII. THIS COURT SHOULD DENY DEFENDANT HARPERSSMOTION TO SUPPRESS BECAUSE THE WARRANT TOSEARCH HARPERS RESIDENCE WAS BASED UPONPROBABLE CAUSE AND IT DESCRIBED THE ITEMS
TO BE SEIZED WITH PARTICULARITY . . . . . . . 58
IX. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO OBJECTION TO THEDEFENDANTS' REQUESTS TO JOIN IN THE
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APPLICABLE MOTIONS FILED BY THEIR RESPECTIVECO-DEFENDANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
X. THE DEFENDANTS SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TOFILE ADDITIONAL BRIEFS WITHOUT FIRST OBTAININGLEAVE OF COURT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
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PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
The United States respectfully submits this memorandum of
law in response to preliminary motions submitted by the
defendants in this case. The United States respectfully reserves
its right to supplement its responses by oral argument.
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1 In his memorandum of law, defendant Kjonaas quotes liberally
from SHACs own propaganda material in both touting SHAC as a
grass roots activist organization and besmirching HLS. The
Government will move in limine to suppress defendants attemptsto paint HLS as a company that mistreats animals or violates the
law. Simply put, information of that sort, even were it true
and the Government does not concede that it is is irrelevant as
to whether or not the defendants violated the law. Vigilantism
the best that coud be said of defendants criminal activity
is not a defense to the charges in the Superseding Indictment.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS
The instant action arises from a conspiracy on the part of
the defendants, to force the closing of Huntingdon Life Sciences,
(HLS) an animal testing laboratory that operates a facility in
East Millstone, New Jersey.
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) is a Delaware corporation
engaged in the business of contract animal testing, largely for
pharmaceutical companies. It has testing laboratories in the
United Kingdom and East Millstone, New Jersey. Stop Huntingdon
Animal Cruelty, USA, Inc., (SHAC) is a Delaware corporation
whose avowed purpose is shut down the HLS because it is involved
in the scientific testing of laboratory animals.
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, SHAC was formed
with the specific purpose of interrupting the business of HLS and
to ultimately force it to cease operations altogether thereby
causing a disruption of its business1. SHAC was operated from a
residence at 101 Home Street in Somerset, New Jersey. Defendant
Kjonaas, the then President of SHAC, lived at 101 Home street
with defendants Gazzola, Conroy and others. As is set forth in
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2 Defendant Kjonaas states at page 5 of his memorandum of law
(hereinafter referred to as Kjonaas Mem.) that the Indictment
alleges that SHAC USA is a newsletter and website. The
impression left is that all SHAC USA does is operate these two
means of communication. However, SHAC engages in conduct beyond
the mere supplying of information.
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the Superseding Indictment, SHAC has, by its own account, used a
multi-pronged attack against HLS targeting its employees and
shareholders as well as companies (and their employees) which
receive services from, or provide services to, HLS. SHAC has
distributed a newsletter and operated a series of websites that
disseminated its animal rights ideology and furthered its mission
by, among other things, posting information relating to
individuals and organizations that SHAC targeted for action2.
Among the websites that SHAC has operated was
www.shacamerica.net. Information that has appeared on the SHAC
website has included names and addresses as well as other
personal information about individuals who were employed by HLS
and other targeted companies. The SHAC website and its other
means of communication were designed to target individuals and
companies for the purpose of direct action in order to force
them from doing business with HLS. Indeed, the purpose of the
SHAC website was to provide information to SHAC sympathizers and
to incite them to cause physical harm to property and emotional
harm to individuals all in furtherance of driving HLS out of
business thereby disrupting its business by forcing it to cease
its operations.
The Superseding Indictment alleges specific postings on the
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3 The Indictment was returned on or about May 20, 2004. The
individual defendants were Kevin Kjonaas, the then-president of
SHAC; Lauren Gazzola; Jacob Conroy; Joshua Harper; Andrew
Stepanian; Darius Fullmer; and John McGhee.
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SHAC website and when those postings were made. The Superseding
Indictment also alleges the date, time and place of specific
attacks that occurred after the SHAC website postings. Further,
the Superseding Indictment alleges the specific dates of postings
on the SHAC website that reported the accounts of attacks that
occurred and alleged the purpose of the postings to bring about
other attacks at the same locations or other locations provided
by the SHAC website. In short, the Superseding Indictment sets
forth a pattern of activity on the part of the defendants that is
specific as to time, place and manner. It fully appraises the
defendants of what they are charged with and permits them
information necessary to mount a defense.
Based upon this and other information, a grand jury sitting
in Newark, New Jersey returned a five Count Indictment against
SHAC and seven individuals3 charging in Count One a conspiracy to
violate Tile 18, United States Code, Section 43, the Animal
Enterprise Terrorism statute, in that the individual defendants
conspired with one another and with others to use a facility in
interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of causing the
physical disruption to the functioning of HLS and to
intentionally damage and cause tho loss of property used by HLS
in an amount exceeding $10,000. Specifically, the defendants
targeted individuals and companies for the purpose of causing the
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4
Defendants argue that only direct harm to HLS can violate 18U.S.C. 43. However, harm to companies doing business with HLS
for the express purpose of disrupting the business of HLS in the
course of the conspiracy is actionable under the statute.
5 The individual defendants were Kevin Kjonaas; Lauren Gazzola;
Jacob Conroy.
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disruption of HLS business.4
Count Two charges SHAC and three of the individual
defendants with conspiring to violate the interstate stalking
statute, 18 U.S.C. 2261A(2), and Counts Three through Five
charged SHAC and the same three defendants5with substantive
counts of stalking. On September 16, 2004, the grand jury
returned a Superseding Indictment which added a sixth count
charging SHAC and four individual defendants with conspiring to
use a telecommunications device to abuse threaten and harass
persons contrary to 47, U.S.C. 223(a)(1)(C), in violation of 18
U.S.C. 371.
The essence of the conspiracy to violate the Animal
Enterprise Terrorism Statute is that the defendants, through the
use of the SHAC corporate entity, embarked on a campaign to
enlist and incite animal rights activists to engage in activity
meant to harm the business of HLS in any manner available --
including violence. SHAC utilized e-mail and web-based
communications to disseminate information and inflame its
constituency and call them to violent action. The defendants
also coordinated the activities of individuals in furtherance of
the campaign to shut down HLS and thereby disrupt its business
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6 Defendant Kjonaas argues that this posting and certain
others, alleged in the Superseding Indictment to have occurred
outside the time frame of the conspiracy, fail in and of
themselves to state a cause of action. See Kjonnas mem at p. 13.
As with other postings which occurred before the time frame forthe conspiracy in the Superseding Indictment, they remained on
the website after the start of the conspiracy and were therefore
adopted by the conspirators. In addition, they had an impact on
the victims who became aware of the activities of SHAC through
the postings that remained on the website when they themselves
became SHAC-targets.
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operations.
SHAC espoused and encouraged others to engage in what it
termed direct action. The SHAC website described direct action
as activities which operate outside the confines of the legal
system. For instance, the SHAC website posted what it termed
the top 20 terror tactics which described various types of
direct actions that could be taken against individuals6. These
tactics included:
demonstrations at ones home using a loudspeaker;abusive graffiti, posters and stickers on ones car andhouse;
invading offices and, damaging property and stealingdocuments;
chaining gates shut, and blocking gates;
physical assault including spraying cleaning fluid intoones eyes;
smashing the windows of ones house while the individualsfamily was at home;
flooding ones home while the individual was away;
vandalizing ones car;
firebombing ones car;
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bomb hoaxes;
threatening telephone calls and letters including threats tokill or injure ones partner or children . . . . . . ;
e-mail bombs in an attempt to crash computers;
sending continuous black faxes causing fax machines to burnout;
telephone blockades by repeated dialing to prevent the useof the telephone; and
arranging for an undertaker to call to collect ones body.
SHAC also coordinated telephone and e-mail blitzes as well
as computer blockades of HLS and companies that it targeted for
direct action. In order to facilitate these activities, the SHAC
website would list telephone numbers, facsimile numbers and
computer downloads which assisted individuals in sending massive
amounts of e-mails to targeted addresses. SHAC and the
defendants, through the use of the SHAC website, coordinated the
days that certain companies would be acted against in order to
maximize the damage caused by various methods of attack.
Perhaps the most insidious aspect of the SHAC campaign to
shut down HLS was the posting of personal information of people
who either worked for HLS or for companies that did business with
HLS. This information included home addresses, home telephone
numbers, the names of spouses and children of the employees and
other information such as the types of vehicles they owned, where
they went to church and where their children attended school.
Postings on the website encouraged and incited direct acting
against these people and very often acts of vandalism were
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perpetrated on the homes and personal property of the individuals
whose personal information appeared on the website.
Once direct action was carried out against these
individuals, the SHAC website reported on the vandalism in a
manner designed to foster additional acts of terror against those
employees as well as others whose information had been posted on
the SHAC website. For instance, the SHAC website posted
information on or about April 15, 2001 which stated in part that
well be at their offices, at their doorsteps and on their
computers. There will be no rest for the wicked.
As set forth in the Superseding Indictment, on or about
March 31, 2001, the SHAC website listed the name and address of
an HLS employee and within days, rocks were thrown through the
individuals home windows. One of his cars was overturned in his
driveway and a second car was vandalized. When the individual
ultimately left the employ of the HLS, the SHAC website touted
that he had resigned after months of pressure, including
protests property destruction, [and] home blockades at home and
work. This message was designed not only to spur others on to
similar actions but to warn other HLS employees that they too
were in harms way and could be targeted at any moment. Indeed,
as is set forth in the Superseding Indictment, other HLS
employees have also had information posted on the website about
them which led to acts of vandalism and destruction at their
homes. The end game of this conspiracy of terror was the
destruction of HLS.
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7 SHAC and the defendants believed that if they could force the
insurance broker from providing insurance services to HLS, it
would be forced to shut down its operations due to a lack of
liability and other insurance.
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This pattern of personal information being posted on the
SHAC website about employees of companies along with language
inciting violence against them; followed by attacks upon their
homes and personal property due to the incitement; followed by
SHAC website postings touting the attacks that occurred in a
manner designed to spur individuals on to additional direct
action; continued time and again over the years since 2001. Not
only were homes vandalized but clubs that employees belonged to
were also vandalized or harassed. For instance, as is set forth
in the Superseding Indictment, after posting the name of the golf
club where an employee of a company that provided insurance
services for HLS was to be,7the golf green of the golf course
were vandalized. That employees home was also vandalized.
These acts of violence, as set forth in the Superseding
Indictment, were then reported on the SHAC website. Indeed, in
one posting on the SHAC website, it boasted that [d]amages from
this action may in fact exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars
between the damage to the well maintained golf course, the
disruption to the PGA event and to the club itself. In yet
another instance set forth in the Superseding Indictment an
employee of a company that SHAC targeted because SHAC believed it
did business with HLS had information about an orienteering club
that she belonged posted on the SHAC website stating in part:
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8 In order to ensure the anonymity of the callers and senders
of faxes, as is set forth in the Superseding Indictment, the SHAC
website instructed its followers to utilize the *67 function to
successfully block caller identifications systems from divining
the callers telephone number.
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groups dressed in menacing garb. These individuals, and the
activities which occurred to cause the emotional distress they
live with, are set forth in the Superseding Indictment and borne
out in the discovery provided to the defendants. Indeed, various
videotapes chronicling the stalking activity has been turned over
during discovery.
Finally, as is set forth in the Superseding Indictment,
certain of the defendants conspired to use a telecommunications
device to abuse, threaten and harass persons without disclosing
their identity in violation of 47 U.S.C. 223(a)(1)(c). The
defendants caused the flooding of business with telephone calls,
caused individuals to be harassed at their homes with telephone
calls and caused black faxes to be sent to companies all with the
purpose of abusing and harassing the recipients of the calls and
faxes8. Any doubt about the intent of the defendants is
dispelled by a review of the SHAC web postings as well as the
statements of the defendants themselves. Indeed, defendant
Harper, in a tape that was provided to the defendants in
discovery stated:
as I explained earlier, how to use black faxes, ifyouve got access to a fax machine, boy, I cant tellya how great it is. Like uh, ya hit star six seven, yadial the fax number and you feed it about three sheetsof those and ya tape em end to end to end and I - itknocks out the entire line of communication. And Ive
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worked for-for like, the dumb corporations like Horusbefore well not exactly Corus, but I know that doinglike secretarial work at places like that, it you hadto deal with that sort of thing coming through all thetime, it would definitely, uh, raise a siege mentalitylevel, in uh, the workplace.
Unfortunately for the victims of SHACs campaign, defendant
Harper was correct.
Following the arraignment of the defendants on June 15,
2004, the Court entered its Standing Order for Discovery and
Inspection. The Standing Order was augmented with a Complex Case
Order entered by this Court on August 3, 2004 which set forth an
amended schedule for pretrial motions and trial. Consistent with
Courts orders and Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Criminal
Procedure, the United States made voluminous discovery available
to the defendants including:
1. Statements of the defendants;
2. The defendants' criminal records to the extentapplicable;
3. FBI Reports (302's);
4. Wiretap and electronic surveillance applications,affidavits and orders;
5. A large amount of electronic media, including,over 50 floppy disks, zip drives, nine computerhard drives, and various CD ROMS;
6. Approximately 72 videocassette tapes;
7. More than 500 cassette tapes;
8. Transcripts for most of the cassette tapes.
In addition, the Government has made available for defendants and
their attorneys to view, the large amount of items seized from
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9 Save for a few hours, counsel for the defendants have largely
ignored this material.
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the search of 101 Home Street9 as well as the items seized form
Joshua Harper during a Court-authorized search. It should be
noted that while the discovery is large in volume, it deals
mostly (save for the wiretap material) with information
peculiarly within the possession and knowledge of the defendants.
Indeed, all of the electronic media belonged to the defendants.
They understand how it was created, how it was organized, how it
was encrypted and what it means. Accordingly, the defendants are
in a far better position than to Government to quickly assess the
information and its meaning. The defendants would have this
Court believe that the information is alien to them when in fact,
save for the Title III information, it all belongs to or was
created by them. Hence their claims that they are overwhelmed by
the material ring somewhat hollow.
The United States also informed defendants on June 25, 2004
that it was not then aware of any exculpatory evidence within the
purview of Brady v. Maryland, except to the extent that the
statements included in the aforementioned discovery list
represented such evidence.
Notwithstanding all of the discovery already provided, the
defendants, now claim that the lack sufficient information to
understand and prepare a defense. Defendants have made the
following motions:
1. Seeking an Order dismissing The Indictment against
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defendant Fullmer for failure to set forth a cause of
action against him;
2. Seeking an Order dismissing the Indictment against
defendant Harper because the Superseding Indictment is
vague and lacks probable cause as to him;
3. Seeking a Bill of Particulars;
4. Seeking an Order compelling the Government to turn over
grand jury transcripts and texts of any charge
instructions provided by the United States Attorneys
Office foe use by the grand jury:
5. Seeking on order compelling the Government to present
in camera to the Court an Affidavit setting forth
information about the grand jury that heard the case;
6. Compelling discovery of information cited as the basis
for the wiretap intercept surveillance and search
orders issued by federal courts in this case;
7. Seeking an Order suppressing evidence obtained during a
Court-authorized search of the residence of defendant
Harper;
8. Seeking an Order severing defendant Fullmers case from
the other defendants;
9. Seeking an adjournment of later motions; and
10. Permitting defendants to join in the applicable motions
filed by their co-defendants.
For the reasons set forth below, the United States asserts
that each of the motions, with the exception of number 8, should
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be denied.
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ARGUMENT
I. HAVING ALREADY PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE AND DETAILED SUMMARY
OF THE MOTIONS CHALLENGING THE SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT THAT
HE INTENDS TO FILE, THIS COURT SHOULD DENY DEFENDANT
KJONAASS REQUEST TO DELAY THE FILING OF THOSE MOTIONS.
In Point I of his memorandum, defendant Kjonaas lays out a
comprehensive, 25-page preview of the motions he intends to file
challenging the Superseding Indictment in this case.
Notwithstanding this detailed and lengthy exercise, Kjonaas
concludes that he cannot file his motions to dismiss the
Superseding Indictment because he needs additional discovery, and
asks this Court to adjourn the date for filing those motions.
Kjonaas Mem. at 61. Kjonaass assertion that an adjournment is
necessary is contradicted by his own discourse in Point I.
Indeed, the motions that defendant Kjonaas identifies in
Point I of his Memorandum of Law target the validity of the
Superseding Indictment. Whether the Superseding I ndictment is
valid on its face, however, is not dependent upon the discovery
(or alleged lack of discovery) provided to a defendant. This is
so because a defendant cannot use the discovery provided to
challenge the sufficiency of an indictment. See United States v.
Gallagher, 602 F.2d 1139, 1142 (3d Cir. 1979) (recognizing that
"the sufficiency of an indictment may not be properly challenged
by a pretrial motion on the ground that it is not supported by
adequate evidence") (citations and quotation marks omitted);
United States v. DAlessio, 822 F. Supp. 1134, 1140 (D.N.J. 1993)
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(concluding that defendants arguments to dismiss certain parts
of the indictment are without merit because they require the
court to make factual findings regarding the sufficiency of the
Governments evidence). Accordingly, this Court should require
defendant Kjonaas to proceed with the motions he has already set
forth in Point I without further delay.
Until such time as defendant Kjonaas actually files his
motions to dismiss the Superseding Indictment, this Court should
disregard Point I of defendant Kjonaass memorandum (i.e., pages
9 through 34). A litigant is not entitled to obtain, and this
Court lacks the authority to issue, an advisory opinion. E.g.,
In re Coffin, 90 F.3d 851, 853 (3d Cir. 1996) ("The oldest and
most consistent thread in the federal law of justiciability is
that federal courts will not give advisory opinions.") (quoting
Wright, Miller, Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure, 3529.1,
p. 293 (2d ed.1984)). Hence, because Kjonaas is not seeking any
actual relief in Point I, it is inappropriate to brief and argue
the bases for his prospective motions to this Court for no
apparent purpose other than to orient (or disorient) the Court as
to the merits of his future motions and the applicable case law.
This gambit of arguing matters to the Court for no apparent
reason but to gain an advantage at some later point, seems
superfluous and improper.
Presenting a preview of the motions defendant Kjonaas
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intends to raise, without placing the issue squarely before this
Court, wastes this Courts resources requiring it to consider
non-issues. It also wastes the Governments resources because
it requires the Government to either answer to motions not yet
filed or allow defendants version of the facts and skewed
presentation of the case law to go unanswered.
For example, defendant Kjonaas alleges that the Superseding
Indictment fails to state a valid cause of action under the
Animal Enterprise Terrorism statute, 18 U.S.C. 43. See Kjonaas
Mem. at 10-19. For the reasons discussed in the Governments
Statement of Facts, the Superseding Indictment is sufficient on
its face. The Government, however, reserves its right to respond
to defendant Kjonaass arguments until such time as he actually
presents his motion.
Defendant Kjonaas also attempts to persuade this Court that
the activities alleged in the Superseding Indictment are
protected speech and clearly not a crime. Kjonaas Mem. at
14, 22, 31-34. Notwithstanding defendant Kjonaass conclusory
assertions and citations to numerous First Amendment opinions,
this Court will ultimately have to decide this issue after
complete briefing from all parties. At such time, the Government
intends, among other things, to point out that defendant
Kjonaass contention that speech is protected under the First
Amendment unless it rises to the level of inciting violence
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10 The Government will also argue that the Supreme Courts
definition of a true threat i.e., speech made with the intent
of placing the victim in fear of bodily injury or harm
encompasses the elements of interstate stalking i.e., using the
mail or any facility of interstate commerce with the intent to
place a person in another State in reasonable fear of the death
of, or serious bodily injury to, that person, a member of theimmediate family . . . or a spouse or intimate partner fo that
person. 18 U.S.C. 2261A(2). As a result, if the jury finds
beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants charged in Counts
Two through Five engaged in interstate stalking in violation of
2261A, their conduct by definition would not be protected
under the First Amendment.
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ignores Supreme Court precedence which holds that the First
Amendments protections do not extend to acts of intimidation, a
type of true threat i.e., where a speaker directs a threat to
a person or group of persons with the intent of placing the
victim in fear of bodily harm or death. Virginia v. Black, 123
S. Ct. 1536, 1548 (2003). Simply put, speech that is intended to
intimidate others is not protected even if it does not rise to
the level of inciting unlawful conduct. Furthermore, the
Government will argue that, when placed in its proper context,
the defendants conduct in this case fell well outside First
Amendment protection. While it is clear that the First Amendment
protects ones right to engage in political activity, simply
citing the First Amendment does not give anyone carte blanche to
engage in unlawful acts of intimidation, harassment, and
stalking.10
Defendant Kjonaass also incorrectly suggests to this Court
that the Interstate Stalking statute is not applicable in this
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case. Kjonaas Mem. at 19-20. Contrary to Kjonaass suggestion,
however, the Interstate Stalking statute is not limited to
flagrant incidents of domestic stalking. Id. at 19; see
also Comment, Cyberstalking: Can Communication Via The Internet
Constitute A Credible Threat, And Should An Internet Service
Provider Be Liable If It Does?, 17 Santa Clara Computer & High
Tech. L. J. 115 (Dec. 2000) (available on Westlaw at 17 SCCHITLJ
15) (discussing the concept of cyberstalking i.e., use of the
Internet, e-mail or other electronic communications devices to
stalk another person through threatening behavior). Section
2261A makes it unlawful for any person to use a facility of
interstate commerce for the purpose of placing a person in
another State, a member of that persons family, or that persons
spouse or intimate partner in reasonable fear of death or serious
bodily injury. 18 U.S.C. 2261A. Hence, if any individual as
the Government has alleged in the Superseding Indictment and
intends to prove at trial the defendants have done uses (or
conspires to use) the internet and e-mails to place others in
reasonable fear of serious bodily, then it is a violation of the
interstate stalking statute. Compare United States v. Bowker,
372 F.3d 365, 389 (6th Cir. 2004) (finding that evidence of
defendants threats, including I know all of your neighbors . .
. . I know the names of all your relatives and where they live,
were sufficient to satisfy cyberstalking count under 18 U.S.C.
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2261A) with Superseding Indictment 48 (SHAC website posting
stating: We have been monitoring the protection and home for
quite some time now, FT we were well aware of the security
patrols at your home . . . . Did you think that armed guards or
the installation of motion sensors, cameras, lights, and steel
grating around your basement windows would somehow make the
animal liberation movement go away?); and 64 (SHAC website
posting warning C. Corp. employees, We know where you are, we
know what you look like we know where you socialize and best of
all we know where you live).
Similarly, defendant Kjonaass argument that the
Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. 223(a)(1)(C) (the offense
charged in count six of the superseding indictment), cannot be
constitutionally applied in this case fails because it ignores
the particular facts of this case. Defendant Kjonaas relies upon
United States v. Popa, 187 F.3d 672 (D.C. Cir. 2003). In Pope,
the Court of Appeals found that the statute was unconstitutional
as applied to that particular defendant because he engaged in
protected speech i.e., he called the U.S. Attorneys Office to
complain about the actions of a government official. 187 F.3d
at 677-78. In reaching this conclusion, the Court agreed with
the Third Circuit that the interest protected by 223(a)(1)(C)
is the protection of innocent individuals from fear, abuse, or
annoyance at the hands of persons who employ the telephone, not
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11
Contrary to Kjonaass claim that the black faxes were not
anonymous, when a victim receives a black fax from a blocked
number, it is unquestionably an anonymous communication.
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to communicate, but for other unjustifiable motives. Id. at 677
(quoting United States v. Lampley, 573 F.2d 783, 787 (3d Cir.
1978)).
The superseding indictment in this case charges that Kjonaas
and others conspired to send black faxes. Superseding
Indictment 2. Unlike the political discourse at issue in Pope,
an anonymously sent black fax does not express any message.11
Indeed, as set forth in 6, black faxes according to the
top 20 terror tactics posted by the SHAC website are not
intended to send a message, but rather, to caus[e] fax machines
to burn out. Hence, as the evidence at trial will establish,
the clear purpose of conspiring with others to send the black
faxes was to annoy and harass the recipient the very interest
the Third Circuit has recognized 223 intends to protect. For
that reason, the violation of 47 U.S.C. 223 charged in the
superseding indictment is not barred by the First Amendment.
Last, defendant Kjonaass lengthy discussion of his intent
to file a claim of selective prosecution should also be
disregarded by this Court. See Kjonaas Mem. at 25-30. Missing
from defendant Kjonaass argument, is any discussion of the
relevant legal standard. In particular, defendant Kjonaas has
not proven that (1) similarly situated individuals were not
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12 In the context of this discussion, defendant Kjonaas
summarily asserts that only acts involving HLS directly could be
argued by the Government to fall within the scope of the Animal
Enterprise Terrorism statute, 18 U.S.C. 43. Kjonaas Mem. at
25. This assertion misses the mark. The Governments allegation
is that the defendants conspired to shut down HLS throughunlawful means including intimidating, harassing, and
threatening companies and its employees that are clients of HLS
or do business with HLS. It is in that context that the
defendants actions targeted at these companies and their
employees are probative of the defendants criminal conduct under
18 U.S.C. 43.
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prosecuted; and (2) the decision to prosecute him was
intentionally based upon an unconstitutional motive. See United
States v. Armstrong, 517 U.S. 456, 464, 465 (1996); United States
v. Bell, 113 F.3d 1345, 1351 n.6 (3d Cir. 1997) (stating that a
defendant must make out a difficult prima facie showing that she
was selected for prosecution for an invidious reason). Kjonaas,
therefore, has failed to even articulate a valid claim of
selective prosecution.12
In sum, the Government will respond to defendant Kjonaass
motion with these arguments and others when he actually files his
motions. Until such time, this Court should disregard the issues
itemized by Kjonaas in Point I.
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II. THE UNITED STATES HAS COMPLIED WITH ALL OF ITS OBLIGATIONSUNDER RULE 16 AND THE STANDING ORDER OF THIS COURT.
Through their motions, the defendants seek additional
discovery beyond that required by Fed. R. Crim. P. 16, Brady, the
Jencks Act, and the Court's Discovery Order. To date, the
government has complied with all of the legal obligations imposed
upon it and has provided the defendants with extensive discovery
materials. Therefore, any additional requests are without basis.
Rule 16 sets forth the various categories of items subject
to disclosure. The rule provides for discovery of four types of
information: (1) the defendants' written and recorded statements
and the substance of statements they made to those they knew were
government agents at the time of the utterance; (2) the
defendants' prior records; (3) documents and objects; and (4)
scientific reports.
Beyond the dictates of Rule 16, the Standing Order of the
Court further obligates the United States to disclose with its
pretrial discovery any exculpatory evidence within the purview of
Brady v. Maryland. Stated succinctly, Brady requires the
disclosure of all evidence favorable to the defendant that is
material to guilt or to punishment. Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S.
83, 87 (1963). The Government acknowledges the Brady
requirement, but does so mindful of the contours of its
obligation. As former Chief Judge Seitz has made clear, "there
is no constitutional obligation on the prosecution to disclose
all materials that would be helpful to the defendant in preparing
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a defense. If there were such an obligation, the prosecution
would be obliged to 'open its files' because it would obviously
be helpful to know the government[s] entire case, including
incriminat[ory] as well as exculpatory evidence." United States
v. Cuthbertson, 651 F.2d 189, 200 (3d Cir.) (Seitz, C.J.,
concurring), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1056 (1981).
The United States has already provided the defendants with
more information than the Federal Rules or the Court's Order
require, and with all information that may contain exculpatory
materials. Specifically, no defendant made any post-arrest
statements. However, the United States has attempted to provide
t0 defendants all statements in its possession that any defendant
did make. This is a rather daunting task given the amount of
statements that were made during the course of this
investigation. Because of that, the Government continues to
provide to defendants the substance of any statements they have
made. In addition, the Government has provided the defendants
with voluminous reports and other documents concerning the
investigation of this action, as well as voluminous documents and
other items including computer hard drives, CD ROMS, zip drives,
items seized from searches, wiretap applications and orders,
hundreds of cassette tapes embodying conversations of the
defendants and other statements made by them and numerous
videotapes. Indeed, in defendant Kjonaas memorandum he states
that [t]he discovery has been voluminous in this case.
Moreover, in addition to the discovery provided to the
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defendants, there is a large amount of additional discovery that
they have been invited to view at their convenience.
Based upon this information, the defendants can easily
discern the thrust of the prosecution and adequately prepare a
defense. Thus, both the letter and the spirit of the discovery
rule and the Order of the Court have been satisfied. The
additional material that the defendants have requested does not
fall within any category of discoverable information, and
therefore the defendants' request for additional disclosure lacks
legal basis and should be denied.
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13
The Fullmer memorandum of law is not paginated. Citations toit will be made by using the page beginning with STATEMENT OF
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY as page 1 and counting from there.
14 Defendant Harper alludes to the First Amendment in his
argument to dismiss. It is the Governments understanding at
this time that the First Amendment attack on the Superseding
Indictment an attack which the Government understands will be
made or joined in by all defendants will be made in future
motions to this Court. Rather than argue that point at this time
on a less-than-complete record, the Government will address the
claimed facial invalidity of the Superseding Indictment as to
defendant Harper and leave the First Amendment claims for thelater motions. In this manner, the Court will have before it an
in-depth analysis of the issue by all parties which will place it
in the best position to make a decision. The Government does not
and will not object to defendant Harper joining in that future
motion whether by additional argument or by joining in the
arguments made by his co-defendants.
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III. THE SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED AGAINSTDEFENDANTS FULLMER AND HARPER.
Defendant Darius Fullmer and Joshua Harper argue, for
similar reasons, that the Superseding Indictment should be
dismissed as against them. Defendant Fullmer argues that the
Government has not set forth a cause of action as to him (Fullmer
Mem. at 713), while defendant Harper argues that no probable
cause is revealed to support the Superseding Indictment.
(Harper Mem. at 7). In essence, both defendants argue that the
case should be dismissed as against them because the Superseding
Indictment itself is lacking14.
For purposes of ruling on a motion to dismiss an indictment,
all well pleaded allegations in the indictment are taken as true.
United States v. Eichman, 756 F. Supp. 143, 146 (S.D.N.Y. 1971),
aff'd, 957 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1992). Moreover, as the Eichman
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Court stated, "[a] motion to dismiss is not a device for the
summary trial of the evidence; it is addressed only to the facial
validity of the Indictment." Indeed, if an Indictment is valid
on its face, it cannot be challenged on the ground that it cannot
be supported by competent evidence. Costello v. United States,
359, 363 (1956); United States v. Eisenberg, 773 F. Supp. 662,
709 (D.N.J. 1991). In Costello, the Supreme Court held that
"[a]n indictment returned by a legally constituted grand jury ...
if valid on its face, is enough to call for a trial of the
charges on the merits," reasoning:
If indictments were to be held open to challenge on theground that there was inadequate and incompetentevidence before the grand jury, the resulting delaywould be great indeed. The result of such a rule wouldbe that before trial on the merits a defendant couldalways insist on a kind of preliminary trial todetermine the competency and adequacy of the evidencebefore the grand jury. This is not required by theFifth Amendment.
So long as the indictment sets forth the elements of the
offense in sufficient detail to provide the defendant with notice
of the charges against him and does not present double jeopardy
problems, it is impervious to attack on a motion to dismiss.
Hamiling v. United States, 418 U.S. 87, 117 (1974), United States
v. Donsky, 825 F.2d 746, 749 n.5 (3d Cir. 1987); United States
v. Eichman, 756 F. Supp. at 146. It is sufficient for an
Indictment to track the statutory language, "so long as there is
sufficient factual orientation to permit the defendant to prepare
his defense and to invoke double jeopardy in the event of a
subsequent prosecution." United States v. Shirk, 981 F,2d 1382,
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1389 (3d Cir. 1992), quoting, United States v. Olatunji, 872 F.2d
1161, 1166 (3d Cir. 1989); United States v. Eufrasio, 935 F.2d
553, 575 (3d Cir. 1991), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 340 (1991). See
also, United States v. Scanzello, 832 F.2d 18, 22 (3d Cir.
1987)(conspiracy indictment sufficient if elements of offense are
alleged).
The elements of the charged offenses are: that each
defendant conspired and agreed with others to use the facilities
of interstate commerce for the purpose of causing a physical
disruption to the functioning of Huntingdon Life Sciences, an
animal enterprise as defined under the statute and intentionally
agreed to cause a loss of property to HLS in an amount exceeding
$10,000. The allegations in the Superseding Indictment allege
that the defendants conspired to shut down HLS which would have
caused a cessation of its business and therefore a disruption of
its work, causing a loss in excess of $10,000. The Superseding
Indictment, coupled with the voluminous discovery produced to
date, clearly indicates how each defendant was involved in the
conspiracy.
The second conspiracy, involving defendant Harper, alleges
that he and others, including defendants Kjonaas, Gazzola and
Conroy, knowingly agreed to utilize a telecommunications device
to abuse, threaten and harass persons at the called number who
received the communication without disclosing the identity of the
person utilizing the telecommunications device. In particular,
the Superseding Indictment alleges that the defendants charged in
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15
In addition, the Superseding Indictment also chronicles the
use of what SHAC referred to as e-mail and telephone blitzes
which were designed to harass and annoy various individuals at
HLS and companies that HLS did business with in furtherance of
the defendants campaign to shut down HLS.
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Count Six urged and agreed to have people send what are known as
black faxes to companies for the express purpose of annoying
them by monopolizing the recipients fax machines which printed
out totally black pages, thereby using excess amounts of ink,
taking large amounts of time, and in instances, burning out he
facsimile unit altogether15. The Superseding Indictment also
alleges that each of the defendants performed certain acts in
furtherance of the scheme.
Thus, the charges are specifically set forth in the
Superseding Indictment and there is a more than ample factual
orientation to permit the defendants to prepare their defenses.
Moreover, there is sufficient particularity in the Superseding
Indictment to permit the defendants to invoke double jeopardy in
the event of a subsequent prosecution for the same offense.
Defendant Fullmer cites two cases in support of his
argument, both of which are inapposite to the instant motion and
both of which favor the denial of his motion. In United States
v. Lyons, 53 F.3d 1198 (11th
Cir. 1995), the Court affirmed the
conviction of a defendant after trial. The case does not deal
with dismissal of a matter based upon an infirmity in the
indictment. Thus, citation to Lyons does not support defendants
argument.
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United States v. Locasio, 6 F.3d 924 (2d Cir. 1993) is
similar to Lyons. In Locasio, the defendants were convicted
after trial. Defendant Locasio argued on appeal that he should
not have been convicted merely for his presence at certain
meetings. Locasio, 6 F.3d at 944. The Government had proven at
trial that he presence at certain meetings, even thought he did
not speak, was an important fact in the full panorama of events.
Id. Ultimately, the Court, in rejecting the defendants arguments
and holding that the jury was entitled to consider whether it was
likely that the defendants mere presence was in furtherance of
the conspiracy, stated that the government did far more than
establish mere presence. Id. at 945. So too here, the ultimate
resolution of this matter should await the presentation of
evidence by the Government and the deliberation of the facts by a
jury.
Both defendants Fullmer and Harper misperceive the pleading
and proof requirements of the overt acts in furtherance of the
conspiracies in this case. Both seem to understand that the
Government must allege all of the overt acts in furtherance of
the conspiracy in the Superseding Indictment. Indeed, both argue
that they are not named in many of the overt acts and that in
some way supports their argument for dismissal. However, the
Government is not limited in its proof at trial to those overt
acts alleged in the Indictment. United States v. Adamo, 534
F.2d 31, 38 (3d Cir. 1976). Moreover, the Government is under
no obligation to prove every overt act alleged. Id. All that
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is required is that the Government prove that a single overt act
in furtherance of the Superseding Indictment be proven to the
jury beyond a reasonable doubt. The overt act need not even be
in itself illegal. United States v Palmeri, 630 F.2d 192, 200
(3d Cir. 1990), citing Braverman v. United States, 317 U.S. 49,
53, 63 S.Ct. 99, 101, 87 L.Ed.2d 23 (1942). Thus, this matter
must await trial where the Government will be put to its burden
of proof. Accordingly, defendants motion to dismiss at this
time should be denied.
Defendant Harper seeks dismissal of the Superseding
Indictment because it is vague and lacks probable cause (Harper
Mem. at 7) yet cases that he cites do not address either of those
points. Rather, he argues that the First Amendment precludes the
Government from prosecuting him. See Terminiello v. Chicago, 337
U.S. 1, 69 S.Ct. 894, 93 L.Ed. 113 (1949); Bridges v. California,
314 U.S. 252, 62 S.Ct. 190, 86 L.Ed. 192 (1941); Craig V. Harney,
331 U.S. 367, 67 S.Ct. 1249, 91 L.Ed. 1546 (1947); and Herndon ve
Lowrey, Sheriff, 301 U.S. 242, 57 S.Ct. 732, 81 L.Ed. 1066
(1937). As is set forth above, that argument and its resolution
should await further briefing by all parties. The argument made
here -- that the Superseding Indictment is vague and lacks
probable cause is, for the reasons set forth above, lacking in
merit and should be dismissed.
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IV. DEFENDANT FULLMERS REQUEST FOR SEVERANCE LACKS FACTUAL ANDLEGAL BASIS.
Defendant Fullmer asserts that he cannot receive a fair
trial unless he is severed for trial from his co-defendants. For
the reasons set forth below, this is not supported by law or
fact.
Rule 8(b) permits the joinder of defendants in the same
indictment if they are alleged to have participated in the same
act or transaction or series of acts or transactions constituting
an offense. If the pleadings allege participation in the same
act or series of acts, this is sufficient to justify joinder,
even if the count of the indictment alleging this participation
is ultimately dismissed. Schaeffer v. United States, 362 U.S.
511, 514 (1960). The Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has
found that since a conspiracy claim "provides a common link, and
demonstrates the existence of a common scheme or plan" it
satisfies the "series of acts" requirement. United State v.
Somers, 496 F.2d 723, 729 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 832
(1974). Relatedly, the Third Circuit has expressed a clear
preference in conspiracy cases "to have all of the parties tried
together so that the full extent of the conspiracy may be
developed." United States v. Provenzano, 688 F.2d 194, 199 (3d
Cir.), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1071 (1982); accord United States
v. Dickens, 695 F.2d 765, 773 (3d Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 460
U.S. 1092 (1983). In such cases, the important interest in
judicial economy usually weighs in favor of trying the defendants
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in a single trial. Dickens, supra at 779.
Under Rule 14 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure,
however, the court has the discretion to grant a severance of the
defendants if it appears that the defendant or government will be
prejudiced by a joint trial. Neither mere allegations of
prejudice nor the assertion that a severance would improve a
defendant's chance for acquittal justifies a severance. United
States v. Reicherter, 647 F.2d 397, 400 (3d Cir. 1981).
Similarly, a defendant is not entitled to severance merely on the
basis of a disparity in the strength of the evidence against a
co-defendant, since "if that were the case, a joint trial could
rarely be held." United States v. Dansker, 537 F.2d 40, 62 (3d
Cir. 1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 1038 (1977). See also United
States v. Adams, 759 F.2d 1099, 1113 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 474
U.S. 906, 971 (1985); United States v. Simmons, 679 F.2d 1042 (3d
Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 462 U.S. 1134 (1983).
Instead, a defendant must show that the evidence is so
complex or confusing that a jury could not compartmentalize the
evidence and consider it for its proper purposes, Dansker, 537
F.2d at 62; United States v. DeLarosa, 450 F.2d 1057 (3d Cir.
1971), cert. denied, 405 U.S. 957 (1972), and that the failure to
sever clearly and substantially prejudices him to the point of
depriving him of a fair trial. Reicherter, 647 F.2d at 400.
In the case at bar, each defendant is on trial for
conspiring with others, through illegal actions, to shut down
HLS. Each of the defendants including Fullmer - has
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16
To this end, the United States respectfully suggests that the
Court instruct the jury in accordance with the dictates of the
case law cited above regarding the consideration it should give
the evidence offered against each defendant.
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participated in one or more acts in furtherance of the object of
the conspiracy. This conspiracy, and the acts engaged in to
further its object, provide a satisfactory basis for a joint
trial of these defendants.
Moreover, the nature of the evidence against each defendant
is not complex or confusing. Rather, the evidence against each
defendant can be compartmentalized by the jury and the Court can
instruct the jury regarding the proper use of the evidence.16
For all these reasons, the defendant's request for severance is
without basis and should be denied.
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17
Moreover, Point I of the memorandum of law of defendantKjonaas sets forth the arguments that will be made to dismiss the
Superseding Indictment and none appear to be wanting for
additional factual underpinnings. Indeed, the instant motion
seems more a tactical ploy for more time than a request seeking
information that is needed in order to file dispositive motions.
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V. THE DEFENDANTS' REQUEST FOR A BILL OF PARTICULARS LACKS AFACTUAL AND LEGAL BASIS.
The defendants assert that they need a Bill of Particulars
to prepare their defense. Indeed, they claim that they need this
information in order to challenge the constitutionality of the
statutes under which they are charged. This request lacks basis
in law and fact. Since the Superseding Indictment provides
adequate notice of the factual bases for the charges, and in
light of the discovery that they have received to supplement the
facts contained therein, the defendants request seeks
information far beyond that permissible in a bill of particulars
and beyond the scope of permissible discovery. Therefore, the
request should be denied17.
Under the law of this circuit, a "motion for a bill of
particulars should be granted whenever an indictment's failure to
provide factual or legal information significantly impairs the
defendant's ability to prepare his defense or is likely to lead
to prejudicial surprise at trial." United States v. Rosa, 891
F.2d 1063, 1066-67 (3d Cir. 1989). As the Court of Appeals
stated in United States v. Addonizio, 451 F.2d 49, 63-64 (3d Cir.
1971), cert. denied, 405 U.S. 936 (1972):
The purpose of the bill of particulars is to inform the
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defendant of the nature of the charges brought againsthim to adequately prepare his defense, to avoidsurprise during the trial and to protect him against asecond prosecution for an inadequately describedoffense . . . . A bill of particulars should fulfillthis function when the indictment itself is too vague
and indefinite for such purposes.
(Quotation marks omitted). A bill of particulars is not an
investigative vehicle for the defense and it is not a discovery
tool to obtain disclosure of the Government's case prior to
trial. United States v. Kilrain, 566 F.2d 979, 985 (5th Cir),
cert. denied, 439 U.S. 819 (1978). Rather, the bill is "intended
to give the defendant only that minimum amount of information
necessary to permit the defendant to conduct his own
investigation." United States v. Smith, 776 F.2d 1104, 1111 (3d
Cir. 1985). If the defendant can derive this information from
the indictment and discovery, see United States v. Boffa, 513 F.
Supp. 444, 485 (D. Del. 1980), aff'd in part, rev'd in part on
other grounds, 688 F.2d 919 (3d Cir. 1982), cert. denied 460 U.S.
1022 (1983), then there is no need for the bill to issue. Thus,
as long as the Superseding Indictment itself enables the
defendants to understand the accusations against them and the
facts that the Government will present at trial, a bill of
particulars is unnecessary and inappropriate. See United States
v. Deerfield Specialty Paper, 501 F. Supp. 796, 810 (E.D. Pa.
1980). Consequently, a bill should be granted only where the
indictment is so vague as to be unfair.
Moreover, in evaluating a request for a bill of
particulars, the court must examine the information already
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provided by the government through discovery or by other means.
United States v. Parlavecchio, 903 F.Supp. 788, 795 (D.N.J.
1995); see also United States v. Caruso, 948 F. Supp. 382, 393
(D.N.J. 1996) (when discovery provided by the government fills
in the outline of the indictment, the necessity of the bill of
particulars declines).
In this case, the defendants have been supplied with the
"central facts" via the details set forth in the Superseding
Indictment, and the discovery that the Government has provided to
date. See United States v. Vastola, 670 F. Supp. 1244, 1269
(D.N.J. 1987, aff'd in part, rev'd in part on other grounds, 899
F.2d 211 (3d Cir. 1990). The breadth of this information will
enable the defendants to prepare their defense as well as to
avoid both surprise and the risk of double jeopardy. See Boffa,
513 F. Supp. at 458. Viewed together, the defendants have been
sufficiently informed of the nature of the charges against them
so as to adequately prepare a defense and receive a fair trial.
Moreover, [a] bill of particulars, unlike discovery, is not
intended to provide the defendant with the fruits of the
governments investigation, United States v. Smith, 776 F.2d
1104, 1111 (3d Cir. 1985). Therefore, the defendants thinly
veiled demand for impermissible discovery through the issuance of
a bill of particulars should be denied.
Defendant Kjonaas relies heavily upon United States v. Bin
Laden, 92 F.Supp. 2d 225 (S.D.N.Y. 2000), for his argument that a
bill of particulars should issue. However, a reading of the Bin
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Laden decision reveals that it is factually dissimilar to the
instant case. Moreover, the law set forth by the district court,
when applied to the facts of the instant case counsels against
the issuance of a bill of particulars.
In Bin Laden, fifteen defendants were charged with 267
discrete criminal offenses. Each of the defendants was charged
with participating in at least five distinct criminal
conspiracies and two defendants were charged with being involved
in six separate conspiracies. The six conspiracies involved four
criminal objectives. Id. at 228. The criminal conspiracies were
alleged to have been committed over a ten year period and overt
acts were alleged to have occurred in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the
Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Yemen, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Id. at
234. The Court found that the Indictment in the case, impose[d]
a a seemingly unprecedented and unique burden on the Defendants
and their counsel in trying to answer the charges that have been
made against them. Id. at 235. Indeed, one of the overt acts
in furtherance of one of the conspiracies read as follows:
At various times from at least as early as 1989 until
the date of the filing of this Indictment, the
defendants USAMA BIN LADEN, and MAMDOUH MAHMUD SALIM,
and others known and unknown to the grand jury, engagedin financial and business transactions on behalf of al
Qaeda including but not limited to: purchasing land for
training camps; purchasing warehouses for storage of
items including explosives; purchasing communications
equipment; transferring funds between corporate
accounts; and transporting currency and weapons to
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members of al Qaeda and its associated terrorist
organizations in various countries throughout the
world. To carry out some of these financial
transactions, the defendant MAMDOUH MAHMUD SALIM
traveled to various places on behalf of al Qaeda and
its affiliated groups, including, among other places to
Sudan, Afghanistan, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Id. at 237.
Thus, in the Bin Laden case, the conspiracies were alleged
against more defendants (15 individuals as opposed to seven),
were more vast (six as opposed to two), covered a much longer
time frame (ten years compared to three), and spanned the world.
While the overt acts alleged in the Bin Laden case, illustrated
above, were temporally broad, encompassing many ill-defined acts
committed around the world, the overt acts alleged in the instant
Superseding Indictment are limited to a specific time and a
single act in one place. Thus, the instant case, unlike Bin
Laden, does not present the Court or defense counsel with a
seemingly unprecedented and unique burden. Id. At 235.
The Court in Bin Laden set out certain parameters in
deciding whether a bill of particulars should issue, noting that
[e]ven under the amended rule, a bill of particulars is not a
matter of right. Id. at 233, quoting 1 Charles Alan Wright,
Federal Practice and Procedure 129 at 648 (3d ed. 1999). The
court found that in exercising its discretion it must examine
the totality of the information available to the defendant
through the indictment, affirmations, and general pre-trial
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discovery and determine whether, in light of the charges that
the defendant is required to answer, the filing of a bill of
particulars is warranted. Bin Laden, 92 F.Supp.2d at 233. The
Court noted that a bill of particulars should be required only
where the charges of the indictment are so general that they do
not advise the defendant of the specific acts of which he is
accused. Id., quoting United States v. Feola, 651 F.Supp.
1068,1132 (S.D.N.Y. 1987), affd 875 F.2d 877 (2d Cir. 1989).
Moreover, the court found that the acquisition of evidentiary
detail is not the function of a bill of particulars, [United
States v. Feola, 651 F.Supp. 1068,1132 (S.D.N.Y. 1987), affd 875
F.2d 877 (2d Cir. 1989)] and that it is not the bills function
to allow defendants a preview the evidence or the theory of the
governments case. Bin Laden, 92 F.Supp.2d at 233, quoting
United States v. Taylor, 707 F. Supp. 696, 699 (S.D.N.Y. 1989).
Finally, the court wrote that in deciding whether a bill
of particulars is needed, the court must determine whether the
information sought has been provided elsewhere, such as in other
items provided by discovery, responses made to requests for
particulars, prior proceedings, and the indictment itself. Bin
Laden, 92 F.Supp.2d at 233-34, quoting United States v.
Strawberry, 892 F.Supp. 519, 526 (S.D.N.Y. 1995).
Given the standards discussed in the Bin Laden decision, the
defendants in this case are not entitled to a bill of
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18
Contrast, the overt act set forth at page 237 of the BinLaden opinion, 92 F.Supp. 2d at 237, where the Court required the
Government to provide particulars, with the overt act set forth
in the first full paragraph of page 238 of the opinion where the
Government was not required to provide further information. The
overt acts in the instant Superseding Indictment more closely
track the latter.
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particulars. First, given the totality of information provided
to the defendants, they can easily discern the thrust of the
Governments case and prepare a defense. Indeed, the allegations
in the Superseding Indictment are narrowly drawn and specific as
to time and place. The overt acts deal largely with postings on
SHAC website involving the targeting of individuals or companies,
followed by acts of violence directed at those targets, followed
by a SHAC website posting touting the violence and spurring
others on to additional acts of violence as directed by the
website. This is much unlike the broad and unspecific acts set
forth in the Bid Laden Indictment18.
Further, the discovery in this matter has also
particularized the Governments case. The tape recorded
conversations between various co-defendants, touting their
victories when companies ceased doing business with HLS under the
threat of further actions and discussing other of their targets
particularizes the conspiratorial allegations. Moreover, tape
recordings and videotapes already provided show certain
defendants giving speeches wherein they gloat about the violence
that has occurred at their direction, tout how well the campaign
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19
These requests are embodied in request numbers 21 and 22 of
Exhibit O to the affidavit of Isabel McGinty, Esq. and five
separate requests (unnumbered) on page 8 of the letter of MichaelArmstrong, Esq., dated November 8, 2004.
20 These requests are embodied in request numbers 12 and 13 of
Exhibit O to the affidavit of Isabel McGinty, Esq. and two
separate requests (unnumbered) on page 7 of the letter of Michael
Armstrong, Esq., dated November 8, 2004.
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has worked in driving businesses from HLS, and predicts the
demise of HLS so long as the pressure is kept on the company and
the various targets. Thus, what defendants truly seek by the
bill or particulars is that to which they are not entitled, the
acquisition of evidentiary detail and a preview of the evidence.
See Bin Laden, 92 F.Supp.2d at 225.
That the defendants are merely seeking to have the
Government preview the case for them is most particularly
exhibited in the requests for various information regarding the
attack on TPs home19 and threats at RHs home20. In both those
instances, the defendants Kjonaas and Gazzola have sought
information about the descriptions of people who were at the
homes of the respective victims. In both cases, the Government
has already provided videotapes of those events in discovery
which clearly provide the answers defendants have sought by way
of a bill of particulars. Thus, not only do the defendants seek
discovery, they seek to have the Government explain how the
discovery operates and what particular parts of the discovery
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21
This practice of seeking large amounts of discovery and then
complaining that it cannot understand the material has most
recently manifested itself in defendant Kjonaas request that the
Government provide him with copies of all the videotapes seized
during a search. See Motion of Kjonaas filed on or about
November 8, 2004. The Government has already copied and provided
to defendants some 72 videotapes which it believes are relevant
to this case. In addition, the Government has invited all
defense counsel to view all the other tapes in its possession.
Not a single defense counsel has sought to view the tapes, but
rather defendant Kjonaas has sought to be provided copies of allthe tapes copies which the discovery rules do not require him
to be provided with. Given that defendant Kjonaas has requested
in his bill of particulars information already provided by way of
videotape, defendants request for extraneous material will only
place a further burden on the Government and generate a useless
expense.
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pertain to specific allegations21. The Government is not
required to preview its case in discovery. See Bin Laden, 92
F.Supp.2d at 233. It is only required to provide the defendants
with the information necessary to mount a defense if that is
their choice. The adversary system requires both sides of an
issue to perform certain tasks. The defendants in this case wish
the Government to provide the defendant with the fruits of its
investigation. Parlavecchio, 948. F2d. Supp 382, 393. In this
the defendants go too far.
Finally, defendants request for information as to when they
joined the indictment and other particulars regarding when the
conspiracy was formed seeks information which the Government is
not required to provide. Indeed, in the Bin Laden decision,
relied upon by the defendants, the Court held that requests,
such as those made by the Defendants here, for particulars as to
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when, where, how and with whom each individual defendant joined
an alleged conspiracy have almost uniformly been denied. Bin
Laden, 92 F.Supp.2d at 242, quoting United States v. Kahner, 203
F.Supp. 78, 84 (S.D.N.Y.1962). Accordingly, defendants motion
for a bill of particulars should be denied.
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VI. THIS COURT SHOULD REJECT DEFENDANTS REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE
OF GRAND JURY MATERIALS BASED UPON MERE SPECULATION AND BARE
ASSERTIONS.
Defendant Kjonaas has moved for the disclosure of grand jury
materials based upon the bare assertion that access to the grand
jury transcript [is needed] in order to proceed with his
challenge to the indictment. Kjonaas Mem. at 44. In doing so,
defendant Kjonaas has failed to set forth the appropriate
standard for the disclosure of grand jury materials, he has
failed to satisfy that standard, and he has failed to acknowledge
let alone distinguish unfavorable, binding precedent in the
Supreme Court and this Circuit. In particular, defendant
Kjonaas has not shown with particularly a need for the grand jury
materials that outweighs the public interest in secrecy.
United States v. McDowell, 888 F.2d 285, 289 (3d Cir. 1988).
Accordingly, this Court must deny his motion.
Defendant Fullmer has also moved for the disclosure of grand
jury materials. He, too, has failed to show a particularized
need for disclosure, relying on the empty assertion that [o]ne
cannot think of a greater situation than that of Mr. Fuller when
his connection to this case is marginal. Fullmer suggests that
the disclosure of the materials might support his claim that his
connection to this case is marginal. As discussed further below,
however, a defendants great desire to engage in a fishing
expedition does not justify disregarding the secrecy of grand
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jury proceedings. See Thomas v. United States, 597 F.2d 656,
658 (8th Cir. 1979) (explaining that an expression of a
generalized hope by [defendant] that he might find some defect in
the grand jury proceedings is a "fishing expedition[]" that does
not provide sufficient grounds for disclosure [of grand jury
transcripts] prior to or at trial).
Similarly, defendant Harper has moved for the disclosure of
grand jury materials without satisfying the appropriate standard
for the disclosure of grand jury materials. Instead, defendant
Harper is relying on the general claim that he needs the
materials to prepare a defense. As noted above, the
generalized hope that the grand jury materials might reveal
grounds for a defense does not justify disregarding the secrecy
of grand jury proceedings.
The need for secrecy of grand jury proceedings is well-
established. See, e.g., Douglas Oil Co. v. Petrols Stops
Northwest, 441 U.S. 211, 218 (1979). As the Supreme Court
emphasized in Douglas Oil Co., the proper functioning of our
grand jury system depends upon the secrecy of grand jury
proceedings. Id. Although the need for secrecy diminishes
when the grand jury whose transcripts are sought has concluded
its operations, the interests in maintaining confidentiality
remain. Id. at 223. (recognizing that there are possible
detrimental effects upon the functioning of future grand
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juries, including the possibility that witnesses may be hesitant
to testify if they know their testimony will one day be
disclosed).
Given the indispensable secrecy of grand jury proceedings,
disclosure of grand jury materials is not warranted unless there
is a compelling necessity that is shown with particularity.
United States v. Proctor & Gamble Co., 356 U.S. 677, 681 (1958).
In United States v. McDowell, this Court explained that [t]o
support a motion for judicially ordered disclosure of grand jury
testimony, a party must show a particularized need for that
information which outweighs the public interest in secrecy. 888
F.2d 285, 289 (3d Cir. 1988). The burden of proof is on the
party seeking disclosure in this case, the defendants to show
a particularized need. See Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. v. United
States, 360 U.S. 395, 400 (1959) (The burden [] is on the
defense to show that 'a particularized need' exists for the
[grand jury] minutes that outweighs the policy of secrecy.).
As stated above, none of the defendants have shown a
particularized need that justifies the disclosure of grand jury
materials. Defendant Kjonaas incorrectly suggests to this Court
that [d]isclosure of grand jury materials is particularly
warranted in a conspiracy case and relies on the Supreme Courts
opinion in Dennis v. United States, 384 U.S. 855 (1966). Kjonaas
further relies on Dennis in support of his claim that the grand
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jury materials should be turned over to the defense for the
attorneys for the individual defendants to determine how the
materials should be used. As the Supreme Court has subsequently
explained, however, the request for disclosure of grand jury
records in Dennis occurred in quite different circumstances.
Douglas Oil Co., 441 U.S. at 221.
In Dennis, the defendants (prior to a retrial) were seeking
the transcripts of the grand jury testimony of four witnesses who
already had testified in public concerning the same matters;
the defendants had also shown it to be likely that the [four]
witnesses testimony at [the first] trial was inconsistent with
their prior grand jury testimony. Douglas Oil Co., 441 U.S. at
221. The Supreme Court relied on prior case law recognizing a
particularized need for grand jury transcripts to impeach a
witness, to refresh his recollection, [or] to test his
credibility and found that the defendants were entitled to
examine the transcripts of these four witnessess grand jury
testimony. Dennis, 384 U.S. at 870 (quoting Proctor & Gamble
Co., 356 U.S. at 683). Therefore, contrary to Kjonaass
suggestion, Dennis does not stand for the general proposition
that in any conspiracy case, grand jury materials should be
disclosed to a defendant without showing a particularized need
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22 Furthermore, in accordance with the Jencks Act and this
Courts discovery order, the defendants will already receive any
transcripts of the grand jury testimony of any trial witness
before that witness testifies at trial.
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for the information.22
Similarly, defendant Kjonaass reliance on a form order from
the District of Idaho is not a substitute for the particularized
showing mandated by Supreme Court and Third Circuit precedence.
That the District of Idaho has a form order available for
litigants to use does not show that [s]uch disclosure is
routinely given by courts in other districts. Kjonaas Mem. at
46 (emphasis added). Such a routine would conflict with the
Third Circuits position that grand jury proceedings generally
must remain secret except where there is a compelling necessity.
McDowell, 888 F.2d at 289.
Moreover, the defendants contention that disclosure of the
grand jury materials might disclose the basis for a motion to
dismiss the indictment or some other defense is not a compelling
necessity. See, e.g., Kjonaas Mem. at 45 (the material is
needed for the proper analysis of whether this prosecution is
barred by the First Amendment . . .); Fullmer Mem. at 14 (a
review of the grand jury must be looked at to determine whether
or not appropriate correct information was presented . . .)
(emphasis added). As the Third Court has made clear, mere
speculation that gross or prejudicial irregularities in the
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grand jury may have occurred will not suffice to support that
required showing. United States v. Budzanoski, 462 F.2d 443,
454 (3d Cir. 1972); accord United States v. Harbin, 585 F.2d 904,
907 (8th Cir. 1978) (finding that District Court did not abuse
its discretion in denying motion for disclosure based on
defendant's general plea that an inspection of the minutes might
yield a ground upon which to move to dismiss the indictment);
seealso United States v. Bennett, 702 F.2d 833, 836 (9th Cir.
1983) ([D]efendant's assertion that he had no way of knowing
whether prosecutorial misconduct occurred does not constitute a
particularized need . . . .).
Defendants have not articulated how or why particular grand
jury information is necessary for their motions or defenses. To
the contrary, defendant Kjonaas has taken every opportunity to
brief and argue to this Court why this prosecution is barred by
the First Amendment. See generally Kjonaas Mem. at 9-34
(providing a 25-page preview of motions including First
Amendment defenses that Kjonaas intends on raising); Kjonaas
Brief In Opposition to Motion to Revoke Bail at 19-21 (previewing
First Amendment claim). Clearly, the non-disclosure of the grand
jury materials has not proven a barrier. Indeed, none of the
defendants have articulated how the issue of whether or not this
prosecution is barred by the First Amendment is dependent upon
what the grand jury heard.
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Likewise, whether or not defendant Fullmer is a member of
the charged conspiracy is an issue of fact that a jury will
ultimately decide based upon the evidence the Government will
present at trial not the evidence presented to a grand jury.
Defendant Fullmers claim to the contrary is not a compelling or
particularized reason to justify disregarding the secrecy of
grand jury proceedings.
Finally, this Court should reject defendant Kjonaass
request for the text of any charge, as well as the drafts of the
indictment, prepared by the United States Attorneys Office (or
any of its agents) for the grand jurys review and use. Kjonaas
Mem. at 47. Again, Kjonaas does not articulate any specific need
for this information, but rather, simply states that it is needed
for future motions to dismiss on the grounds of selective
prosecution and to strike extraneous material from the
Indictment. Id. A request for the text of any charge read to
the grand jury is simply a different way of requesting the grand
jury transcripts for that day and, thus, should be rejected for
the reasons set forth above. In addition, although a draft of an
indictment falls outside Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e) if it does not
reveal grand jury information, it is still protected against
disclosure under the work-product doctrine. See Manna v. United
States Department of Justice, 815 F. Supp. 798, 815 (D.N.J. 1993)
(concluding that drafts of court-filings prepared by Department
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of Justice attorneys and the worksheets prepared for the
indictment and prosecution were protected by the work-product
privilege from disclosure under FOIA).
In sum, the defendants have made nothing more t