Southern District of New York Court Denies Motion to Sever Trials on Gambling and Money Laundering Conspiracies

Various defendants, including organized crime figures, were indicted for conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to receive and dispose of stolen merchandise, and a money-laundering conspiracy. Various defendants moved the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for, among other items relief, a trial severance. Although the court deemed the gambling and money-laundering conspiracies separate, it denied severance under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 14 after concluding that the movants failed to show a serious risk that joint trial would compromise a specific trial right or prevent the jury from making a reliable judgment as to guilt. The decision, issued on July 21, 2006 in the case of United States v. Nicholas Michael Gruttadauria, is available online at http://www.nylj.com.