United States v. Webster L. Hubbell (530 U.S. 27)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided June 5, 2000 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 530 U.S. 27 · 120 S. Ct. 2037
- Decided
- June 5, 2000
- Term
- October Term 1999
- Vote
- 8–1
- Majority author
- Justice Stevens
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome
- Petitioning party lost
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court. The two questions presented concern the scope of a witness’ protection against compelled self-incrimination: (1) whether the Fifth Amendment privilege protects a witness from being compelled to disclose the existence of incriminating documents that the Government is unatile to describe with reasonable particularity; and (2) if the witness produces such documents pursuant to a grant of immunity, whether 18 U. S. C. § 6002 prevents the Government from using them to prepare criminal charges against him. I This proceeding arises out of the second prosecution of respondent, Webster Hubbell, commenced by the Independent Counsel appointed in August 1994 to investigate possible violations of federal law relating to the Whitewater Development Corporation. The first prosecution was terminated pursuant to a plea bargain. In December 1994, respondent pleaded guilty to charges of máil fraud and tax evasion arising out of his billing practices as a member of an Arkansas law firm from 1989 to 1992, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. In the plea agreement, respondent promised to provide the Independent Counsel with “full, complete, accurate, and truthful information” about matters relating to the Whitewater investigation. The second prosecution resulted from the Independent Counsel’s attempt to determine whether respondent had…
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