United States v. Russo

Decision Date13 November 1958
Docket NumberNo. 145,Docket 25086.,145
Citation260 F.2d 849
PartiesUNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Marty RUSSO, Appellant.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit

Robert B. Posnick, New York City, and Joseph P. Jenkins, Kansas City, Kan., submitted a brief for appellant.

John T. Moran, Jr. and Mark F. Hughes, Jr., New York City, submitted a brief for appellee.

Before HAND, HINCKS and WATERMAN, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

The appellant, Russo, appeals from an order, denying his motion under § 2255 of Title 28 U.S.C. to vacate a sentence of five years imprisonment, imposed for conspiring with nine other persons to transport stolen motor cars in interstate and foreign commerce. Count XII of the indictment, the only count in which he was charged, was coupled with the other counts, which charged some of the alleged conspirators with the actual transportation of stolen cars, identified by their registration numbers. Before trial the appellant demanded a bill of particulars, seeking disclosure of the details of the conspiracy, all of which the district court denied except that it required the prosecution to disclose "the places where, the dates when, and the names of each defendant with whom" the defendant "* * * caused to be transported * * * stolen motor vehicles * * *." In compliance with this order the prosecution did serve upon the appellant a list of over a hundred instances in which cars were transported, stating the dates and places from which, and to which, they were taken, though not stating the names of the alleged confederates concerned in each transportation, or the registration number of the cars. The prosecution declared that the list gave such particulars as it then knew. It does not appear that the appellant complained at the trial or on appeal (United States v. D'Ercole, 2 Cir., 1955, 225 F.2d 611), of the insufficiency of the particulars disclosed; nor did he so complain when he made an earlier motion under § 2255 over two years ago. Nevertheless, his present position is that the absence of the particulars demanded denied him such a constitutional right "as to render the judgment vulnerable to collateral attack" within the meaning of § 2255.

It is obviously a matter of degree how far an accused must be advised in advance of the details of the evidence that will be produced against him, and no definite rules are possible. All that can be said is that he must know enough to be able to...

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7 cases
  • U.S. v. Ganim
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Connecticut
    • September 12, 2002
    ...evidence or of theories. Wright, Federal Practice and Procedure: Criminal 3d § 129 at 659-660 (citing, inter alia, United States v. Russo, 260 F.2d 849, 850 (2d Cir.1958)) ("It is obviously a matter of degree how far an accused must be advised in advance of the details of the evidence that ......
  • United States v. Price
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Colorado
    • March 3, 1978
    ...in advance of the details of the evidence that will be produced against him, and no definite rules are possible." United States v. Russo, 260 F.2d 849, 850 (2nd Cir. 1958). The denial of a motion for a bill of particulars does not amount to an abuse of discretion unless the deprivation of t......
  • United States v. Addonizio
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit
    • September 16, 1971
    ...in advance of the details of the evidence that will be produced against him, and no definite rules are possible." United States v. Russo, 260 F.2d 849, 850 (2nd Cir. 1958). The denial of a motion for a bill of particulars does not amount to an abuse of discretion unless the deprivation of t......
  • United States v. Lovecchio
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Middle District of Pennsylvania
    • March 29, 1983
    ...in advance of the details of the evidence that will be produced against him, and no definite rules are possible." United States v. Russo, 260 F.2d 849, 850 (2nd Cir.1958). The denial of a motion for a bill of particulars does not amount to an abuse of discretion unless the deprivation of th......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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