Filed: Jul. 30, 2010
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT Nos. 09-13166, 09-13167 and 09-13294 JULY 30, 2010 Non-Argument Calendar JOHN LEY CLERK _ D. C. Docket No. 02-20030-CR-UU UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus SHEMTOV MICHTAVI, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida _ (July 30, 2010) Before TJOFLAT, WILSON and PRYOR, Circuit Judges. PER CU
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT Nos. 09-13166, 09-13167 and 09-13294 JULY 30, 2010 Non-Argument Calendar JOHN LEY CLERK _ D. C. Docket No. 02-20030-CR-UU UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus SHEMTOV MICHTAVI, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida _ (July 30, 2010) Before TJOFLAT, WILSON and PRYOR, Circuit Judges. PER CUR..
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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED
________________________ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
Nos. 09-13166, 09-13167 and 09-13294 JULY 30, 2010
Non-Argument Calendar JOHN LEY
CLERK
________________________
D. C. Docket No. 02-20030-CR-UU
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
SHEMTOV MICHTAVI,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeals from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Florida
_________________________
(July 30, 2010)
Before TJOFLAT, WILSON and PRYOR, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Shemtov Michtavi, a federal prisoner, appeals pro se the denial of three post-
trial motions. Michtavi argues that he was entitled to a new trial based on newly-
discovered evidence, Fed. R. Crim. P. 33(b)(1), the district judge should have
recused from his post-trial proceedings, 28 U.S.C. §§ 144, 455, and his passport
should have been retained by the clerk of the district court. We affirm.
Michtavi argues that he is entitled to a new trial because the government
violated his constitutional right to due process, see Giglio v. United States,
405
U.S. 150,
92 S. Ct. 763 (1972), and Brady v. United States,
397 U.S. 742,
90 S. Ct.
1463 (1970), and his rights under the Jencks Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3500, by failing to
disclose evidence that allegedly supported his defense and conflicted with the trial
testimonies of coconspirator Mordechai Cohen and a fellow inmate, Hod Shlit, but
we disagree. Michtavi argues about discovering new translations of three
interviews between Cohen and the Israeli National Police, but Michtavi had tape
recordings of Cohen’s interviews that Michtavi could have used at trial to expose
any inconsistent statements. See United States v. Brown,
628 F.2d 471, 473 (5th
Cir. 1980) (“In no way can information known and available to the defendant be
said to have been suppressed by the Government.”). The government could not
have produced either the translations or statements that inmate Shlit made at his
later Rule 35 hearing because they did not exist at the time of Michtavi’s trial. See
United States v. Vallejo,
297 F.3d 1154, 1164 (11th Cir. 2002). In any event, any
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inconsistencies between Cohen’s and Shlit’s testimonies and the new transcripts
and Shlit’s statements were minor, did not establish either witness had perjured
himself, and “would have provided, at most, cumulative impeachment of [the
witnesses’] testimony.” Routly v. Singletary,
33 F.3d 1279, 1286 (11th Cir. 1994).
Despite Michtavi’s argument to the contrary, Shlit’s statements did not suggest that
he was a government agent when he befriended Michtavi in prison. See United
States v. Calderon,
127 F.3d 1314, 1354–55 (11th Cir. 1997).
Michtavi also argues about statements that another coconspirator, Baruch
Dadush, made to Israeli authorities in June and November of 2004, but Dadush’s
statements were inadmissible hearsay. Even if Dadush’s statements had been
admissible, they were consistent with Cohen’s testimony, see Crowe v. Hall,
490
F.3d 840, 846 (11th Cir. 2007), and implicated Michtavi in the drug conspiracy.
The district court did not abuse its discretion by denying Michtavi’s motion for a
new trial without an evidentiary hearing.
Michtavi next argues that the district judge was biased and should have
recused from his post-trial proceedings, but again we disagree. Recusal is required
“only if ‘an objective, disinterested, lay observer fully informed of the facts
underlying the grounds on which recusal was sought would entertain a significant
doubt about the judge’s impartiality.’” United States v. Amedeo,
487 F.3d 823,
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828 (11th Cir. 2007) (quoting United States v. Patti,
337 F.3d 1317, 1321 (11th
Cir. 2003)). Michtavi complains about adverse rulings and delays in ruling on his
numerous post-trial motions, but “[n]either the district judge’s delay, nor [her]
adverse rulings, constitute the sort of ‘pervasive bias’ that necessitates recusal.”
Loranger v. Stierheim,
10 F.3d 776, 781 (11th Cir. 1994). Michtavi also complains
about his sentence, but we ruled on direct appeal that Michtavi’s sentence is
reasonable, United States v. Michtavi, No. 06-11514, slip op. at 2–3 (11th Cir. May
24, 2007). The district court did not abuse its discretion by denying Michtavi’s
motion to recuse.
Finally, Michtavi argues that the clerk violated a local rule by failing to
retain his passport, but this argument is frivolous. Although the clerk is required to
store “[a]ll exhibits received or offered in evidence” unless the district court directs
otherwise, S.D. Fla. R. 5.3(A), the exhibits must be “removed by the filing party
within three months after final adjudication of the action or proceeding and
disposition of any appeal” or the “exhibits may be destroyed or otherwise disposed
of as the Clerk . . . deem[s] proper,” S.D. Fla. R. 5.3(C). Even if we assume the
clerk failed to comply with the rule, Michtavi was not prejudiced by the violation.
Michtavi’s passport was not destroyed and he submitted copies of his passport with
his post-conviction pleadings. The district court did not abuse its discretion by
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denying Michtavi’s motion to return his passport to the clerk.
We AFFIRM the denial of Michtavi’s post-trial motions.
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