1、法学研究方法作业TheForgottenDinnerGuest:TheBeyondaReasonableDoubtStandardinaMotionforaJudgmentofAcquittalinaFederalBenchTrialJaredKneiteltAbstractIncomparisontociviltrials,criminaltrialsaredecidedonmorestringentstandardsofproofHowever,motionsforjudgmentofacquittalincriminalnon-jurytrialsarecurrentlydecidedo
2、namerelegalsufficiencystandardasopposedtothebeyondareasonabledoubtstandard.ThisArticleexaminesthelackofreasoninganduniformityindecidingthesemotionsaswellasthepotentialdangersandinjusticesposedtoadefendantbyapplyingalowerstandard.Throughanexaminationofbothdomesticandforeignlaw,theauthorarguesfortheap
3、plicationofthebeyondareasonabledoubtstandardwhendeterminingmotionsforjudgmentofacquittalincriminalnon-jurytrials.WelcometotheDinnerParty:IntroductionThestandardforjudgingaciviltrialislowerthanthestandardforjudgingguiltinacriminaltrial,andthereisnojuryinanon-jurytrial.Somehow-despitethesetwoveryobvio
4、usconclusions-thenineteenthcenturystandardfordeterminingamotionforadirectedverdictinaciviljurytrialisstillappliedtoourmodemmotionforajudgmentofacquittalinacriminalnon-jurytrial.Inacriminaltrial,atthecloseofthegovernmentscase-in-chief,thedefensemaymakeamotionforajudgmentofacquittalononeormoreoffenses
5、charged.Ifthemotionisunsuccessfulandthedefensecallsacase,thedefensemaymakeanothermotionforajudgmentofacquittalatthecloseofitscase.ThisArticleconcernsonlythemotionattheendofthegovernmentscase.Atpresent,themotionwillsucceedonlyifthegovernmenthasnotpresentedlegallysufficientevidenceofalltheelementsofth
6、eparticularoffenseoroffenses.ThisArticlediscusseswhy,inanon-jurytrial,thebeyondareasonabledoubtstandardshouldbeapplied-insteadofmerelythelegalsufficiencystandard-whenthebenchconsidersamotionforajudgmentofacquittal.Notknowingwhetherthegovernmenthasproven-inthejudgesmind-thedefendantsguiltbeforeinviti
7、ngthedefendanttocallacaseactuallymilitatesagainstthepresumptionofinnocence,theassurancethatthegovernmentdischargesitsburden,andthedefendantsrighttoremainsilent.ThisArticleshowsthatthejurisprudenceintheUnitedStatesimproperlycites,forthestandardfordeterminingwhethertograntordenyamotionforajudgmentofac
8、quittalinanon-jurytrial,eitherthestandardinajurytrialorthestandardforappellatereview.ThisArticleexaminesthehistorical(lackof)developmentofthemotionforajudgmentofacquittalandtheperceivedconstitutionalpreclusionagainstthebeyondareasonabledoubtstandard.Namely,thebench-asthearbiteroflaw-cannotusurpadefe
9、ndantsSixthAmendmentprotectiontobetriedonthefactsbyajuryofhispeers.Ofcourse,inanon-jurytrial,thebenchisboththearbiteroflawandfact-finder;hence,thereisnoSixthAmendmentpreclusion.Atpresent,thereisnoruleintheFederalRulesofCriminalProcedureexplicitlygoverningamotionforajudgmentofacquittalinabenchtrial.I
10、sitRule236(JuryorNonjuryTrial)orRule29(MotionforaJudgmentofAcquittalinaJuryTrial)thatgovernsthemotionAlthoughdistrictcourtjudgesinalmostallofthereporteddecisionsassumeRule29governs,thereareseveralcasesinwhichdistrictcourtjudgeshaveturnedtoRule23asthegoverningstatute.Further,evenamongtheauthorsoftrea
11、tisesontheFederalRulesofCriminalProcedure,thereisdisagreementastowhatRulegoverns.WrightsFederalPracticeandProcedurediscussesamotionforajudgmentofacquittalinabenchtrialunderRule29.oYetMooresFederalPracticestates,Rule29hasnorealapplicationwhenacaseistriedbythecourtsincethepleaofnotguiltyasksthecourtfo
12、rajudgmentofacquittal.ThisArticleconcludesbyproposinganewRule29(e)toresolvethisambiguityandtomakeclearthatthebeyondareasonabledoubtstandardisthestandardthatshouldbeemployedindeterminingamotionforajudgmentofacquittalinabenchtrial.I.ByInvitationOnly:RespondezSilVousPlaitAcriminaldefendantisnotguiltyun
13、lessprovenguilty;thegovernmentbearstheburdenofprovingthecriminaldefendantguiltybeyondareasonabledoubt;andthegovernment(notthedefendant)mustintroduceevidencesufficienttopersuadethefact-finder,beyondareasonabledoubt,ofthedefendantsguilt.14Thus,ifthegovernmentdoesnotintroduceevidencetoprovethedefendant
14、guiltybeyondareasonabledoubt,thenthedefendantisnotguilty.Attheconclusionofthegovernmentscase,thegovernmentscasewillpresumably-andinalmostallcircumstances-beatitshighest.Ifthegovernmenthasnotprovenitscasebeyondareasonabledoubtafterthepresentationofitsevidence,whenwilliteverbeabletoproveitscasebeyonda
15、reasonabledoubtThisbegstheverysimplequestion:Ifthedefendantisnotguiltyattheconclusionofthegovernmentscase-inchief,whyshouldthedefendantbeinvitedtocalladefenseAlthoughthegovernmentmayhavepresentedlegallysufficientevidenceoftheoffensescharged,thejudgestillmaynotfindatthecloseofthegovernmentscasethatthegovernmentproveditscasebeyondareasonabledoubt.Forexample,thejudgemayfindtheacc
