SUE E. MYERSCOUGH, District Judge.
This cause is before the Court on Defendant Ryan C. Robinson's oral motion to sever and Defendant Jason Ballard's Motion to Continue Jury Trial (d/e 94). The oral motion to sever is DENIED with leave to refile. The Motion to Continue is GRANTED, and the trial is continued approximately 90 days.
On September 5, 2017, a Complaint (d/e 1) was filed charging Ryan C. Robinson and Jason Ballard with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). On October 3, 2017, the grand jury returned an Indictment (d/e 17) charging Defendants consistent with the Complaint. The Indictment also contains forfeiture allegations against Ballard. Both Defendants are detained.
The case was continued in November 2017 and January 2018 on motions filed by both Defendants. On March 2, 2018, Ballard filed a pro se motion to dismiss counsel. On March 6, 2018, Robinson filed a motion to continue the trial from April 3, 2018 to the week of April 16. Robinson also filed a Speedy Trial Demand (d/e 36). The Government filed a motion to continue the trial until the matter of Ballard's representation was settled.
On March 12, 2018, the Court held a hearing and granted Ballard's motion for new counsel. The Court deferred ruling on any motions to continue until Ballard's newly appointed attorney could review the case. On that same date, Robinson filed a Motion to Sever (d/e 37).
On March 21, 2018, the Court denied Robinson's Motion to Sever with leave to refile.
Robinson was prepared to proceed to trial on June 5, and the Court held a final pretrial conference on May 21, 2018. Ballard was scheduled to plead guilty on May 24, 2018.
On May 22, 2018, the grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment (d/e 73). The Superseding Indictment charged Defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, its salts, isomers, and salts of its isomers in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii). The Superseding Indictment also contains forfeiture allegations against Ballard. The amendment had the effect of increasing the statutory mandatory minimum sentences for Defendants.
Ballard elected not to plead guilty after the filing of the Superseding Indictment. On May 25, 2018, Ballard attorney moved to withdraw as counsel.
On May 29, 2018, the Court held a hearing on the Motion to Withdraw (d/e 80). The Court granted the Motion and appointed new counsel to represent Ballard. Ballard moved for a continuance of the trial, to which the Government did not object. Robinson objected to a continuance and moved to sever the trials. Robinson also renewed his speedy trial demand. The Court granted the continuance over Robinson's objection and set the case for a jury trial on July 10, 2018. The Court set the oral motion for severance for a hearing.
On May 31, 2018, Robinson filed a motion to continue the trial (d/e 84) from July 10, 2018 to July 23, 2018 so that additional pro bono counsel, Sarah Noll, could participate in the trial. On June 11, 2018, the Court held a hearing on the motion to continue and the motion to sever. Without objection, the Court granted the motion to continue. The Court granted counsel for Ballard additional time to respond to the motion to sever.
On July 5, 2018, Ballard filed a response objecting to Robinson's motion to sever. Ballard also filed a Motion to Continue Jury Trial (d/e 94) for 120 days. Ballard asserts that he intends to proceed to trial and that his counsel needs additional time to review the voluminous discovery. The Government does not object (d/e 97). Robinson objects to any continuance and demands his trial as previously scheduled (d/e 96).
Rule 8(b) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that defendants may be charged together if "they are alleged to have participated in the same act or transaction, or in the same series of acts or transactions, constituting an offense or offenses." Fed.R.Crim.P. 8(b). Pursuant to Rule 14, the Court can sever codefendants' trials or provide such other relief as justice requires:
Fed. R. Crim. P. 14.
Strong public policy supports having defendants who are indicted together tried together.
The Court finds that this case is not in any appreciably different position than when the Court denied the motion to sever in March 2018 (
The Court grants Ballard's Motion to Continue but continues the trial for 90 days instead of the 120 days requested. Ballard intends to proceed to trial, and his counsel needs additional time to review the discovery. Consequently, the Court finds, pursuant to Title 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A), that the ends of justice served by granting the continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and both of the Defendants in a speedy trial. As noted above, judicial economy supports trying the two defendants together. In addition, any time excluded as to one defendant is excludable as to his codefendants, absent severance.
Defendant Robinson's oral motion to sever is DENIED with leave to refile. Defendant Ballard's Motion to Continue Jury Trial (d/e 94) is GRANTED. The Court finds, pursuant to Title 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A), that the ends of justice served by granting the continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and Defendants in a speedy trial for the reasons stated herein. The delay is also excludable pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(6). The Final Pretrial Conference set for July 13, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. is VACATED and RESET to October 12, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in Courtroom 1 in Springfield before Judge Sue E. Myerscough. The Jury Trial set for July 24, 2018 is VACATED and RESET to October 23, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Unless the parties have already done so, the following documents shall be filed before noon on October 1, 2018: (1) witness lists, exhibit lists, and stipulations; (2) one copy of proposed jury instructions that the parties have agreed upon; (3) separate copies from each party of any disputed jury instructions; (4) an agreed statement of the case; (5) any non-routine voir dire questions; and (6) all pretrial motions. The witness lists shall be filed under seal. The parties shall bring their marked exhibits to the Final Pretrial Conference. Objections to witnesses, exhibits, non-routine voir dire questions, and jury instructions, as well as responses to pretrial motions, shall be made in writing, with citation to legal authority, by noon on October 4, 2018. Any further responses or replies shall be filed by noon on October 9, 2018.