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The FBI found 232 books in Ted Kaczynski's cabin including:


book icon

"Asimov's Guide to the Bible",

"Growing up Absurd: Problems of Youth in the Organized System."

"Les Miserables"



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    1                  SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
    
    2             FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1998, 4:00 P.M.
    
    3                       ---oOo---
    
    4         THE CLERK:  Calling criminal case 96-259; United States
    
    5   versus Theodore Kaczynski.
    
    6         THE COURT:  Please state your appearances for the
    
    7   record.
    
    8         MR. CLEARY:  Robert Cleary, Steve Lapham, and Stephen
    
    9   Freccero for the government.
    
    10         THE COURT:  Thank you.
    
    11         MS. CLARKE:  Judy Clarke, Quin Denvir, and Gary Sowards
    
    12   on behalf of Mr. Kaczynski.
    
    13         THE COURT:  Who is present.
    
    14         MS. CLARKE:  Who is present.
    
    15         THE COURT:  Thank you.  Yesterday I asked you to meet
    
    16   and confer to see if you can agree on a psychiatrist to
    
    17   conduct a study and an examination of Mr. Kaczynski to
    
    18   determine his competency to stand trial.  I asked you to
    
    19   contact my chambers about your efforts by noon.  No one
    
    20   contacted me about that matter.  Perhaps you didn't contact me
    
    21   because of the directive I had my deputy clerk give you which
    
    22   basically told you that we were going to have this hearing.
    
    23         When I gave that directive, I thought Mr. Kaczynski
    
    24   should know that if he failed to cooperate with the competency
    
    25   examinations, as he stated yesterday, that I would immediately
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3736
    
    1   send him to be examined by physicians, or I should say
    
    2   psychiatrists, at the Bureau of Prisons.
    
    3         This morning, I personally explored how long it would
    
    4   take the Bureau of Prisons to conduct such an examination and
    
    5   where the examination would take place.  As I was speaking to
    
    6   the Bureau of Prisons personnel, I requested whether there was
    
    7   any way the Bureau of Prisons could provide an expedited
    
    8   examination in the unique situation we are experiencing in
    
    9   this case where we have selected a jury and desire to finish
    
    10   the trial proceedings.  In essence, the trial has commenced in
    
    11   this case.
    
    12         Eventually, I received assurance from the Bureau of
    
    13   Prisons that a psychiatrist working at the federal correction
    
    14   institution located in Butner, North Carolina, could commence
    
    15   the examination on Monday, and that if Mr. Kaczynski is
    
    16   cooperative, the examination could be completed by Friday.
    
    17   And if typing service is available, the report could be
    
    18   prepared about two hours after the examination is completed.
    
    19         My inclination is to issue an order that Mr. Kaczynski
    
    20   be examined by the Bureau of Prison's physicians and others
    
    21   authorized to conduct such an examination needed to assist in
    
    22   the examination and the study of his mental capacity to stand
    
    23   trial.
    
    24         The order would authorize the examining physicians to
    
    25   access all pertinent medical and collateral information,
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3737
    
    1   including psychiatric and medical reports and psychological
    
    2   testing.  It would also authorize transporting Mr. Kaczynski
    
    3   to the federal correction institute located at Butner, North
    
    4   Carolina, or to any other designated federal psychiatric
    
    5   institution for the examinations, by oral directive, meaning
    
    6   that if Mr. Kaczynski is still providing assurance that he
    
    7   will cooperate locally, the examination will occur locally.
    
    8   And if he does not cooperate, then I will issue an oral
    
    9   directive, and he will immediately be transported to a federal
    
    10   psychiatric institution where the examination will be
    
    11   completed.  I will authorize the examination for the amount of
    
    12   time that is authorized under law, which is 30 days.
    
    13         I know I received a proposed order from the defense, I
    
    14   think about 15 or 20 minutes before I took the bench.  It came
    
    15   too late.  I did extensive work communicating with Bureau of
    
    16   Prison personnel, and I am very appreciative that the
    
    17   United States Bureau of Prisons will do what they've indicated
    
    18   they will do.  And I have already written an order that
    
    19   effectuates what I've just said.  And the order is signed and
    
    20   is on the bench with me.
    
    21         I will listen to you, but I doubt very seriously if you
    
    22   can change my opinion.  But I'm open for your position at this
    
    23   moment.
    
    24         MR. DENVIR:  Can we have a moment, your Honor?
    
    25         THE COURT:  Yes.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3738
    
    1         MR. CLEARY:  Your Honor, from the government's
    
    2   perspective, we have no objection to proceeding along the
    
    3   lines you're suggesting.
    
    4         THE COURT:  Okay.
    
    5         MS. CLARKE:  May I just have one point of clarification
    
    6   so that we can discuss it with Mr. Kaczynski?  It's to be a
    
    7   local examination unless there is a failure to cooperate?
    
    8         THE COURT:  Correct.  It's my understanding -- I will
    
    9   state it, because I know that there is a marshal in the
    
    10   courtroom who is aware of the situation because I had the
    
    11   marshal check with the local jail.  It's my understanding the
    
    12   examination can be conducted in the jail where he is now
    
    13   located.
    
    14         MS. CLARKE:  And that would be the Court's intention?
    
    15         THE COURT:  That is my intention, provided he is going
    
    16   to cooperate.  If he's not going to cooperate, he will be on a
    
    17   plane, and I will fly him to a psychiatric institution
    
    18   immediately.
    
    19         MS. CLARKE:  We understand that.
    
    20         THE COURT:  Okay.
    
    21         MS. CLARKE:  Can we have just one moment?
    
    22         THE COURT:  Sure.
    
    23         (Off-the-record discussion between defense counsel and
    
    24   the defendant. )
    
    25         MS. CLARKE:  Your Honor, we really believe that this is
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3739
    
    1   a call for the Court to make, and we respect the Court's
    
    2   decision and have no objection to that.  It is our firm belief
    
    3   that Mr. Kaczynski will cooperate with that competency
    
    4   evaluation and will do so locally.
    
    5         THE COURT:  Okay.  The order that I have created
    
    6   basically authorizes an oral directive by me to tell the
    
    7   marshal to transport him wherever I believe he should be
    
    8   examined if he does not cooperate.  And if I receive word that
    
    9   he has not cooperated, I will issue the order.
    
    10         MS. CLARKE:  Would the Court be notifying us or would
    
    11   the Bureau of Prisons be notifying us of the identity of the
    
    12   examining physician so that we can talk to Mr. Kaczynski and
    
    13   tell him when that would begin and who they are?
    
    14         THE COURT:  I believe that the examining physician will
    
    15   be Dr. Sally Johnson.  She is making arrangements to come to
    
    16   Sacramento.  She will be prepared to commence the examination,
    
    17   perhaps first thing Monday.
    
    18         That raises a question as to whether you have
    
    19   information you want to give to Dr. Johnson.  Do you have
    
    20   medical reports and other information you want to give to
    
    21   Dr. Johnson?
    
    22         She obviously needs to have all the medical reports.  We
    
    23   know that.  This is what I'm doing.  Here's my order.  I will
    
    24   direct that my deputy clerk file it as soon as feasible
    
    25   today.  I have copies for the parties.  Attached to the order
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3740
    
    1   is a copy of the indictment so that Dr. Johnson is aware of
    
    2   the allegations involved in the case.  I want my deputy clerk
    
    3   to inform my secretary that I want the order faxed to
    
    4   Dr. Johnson at this very moment.
    
    5         MR. CLEARY:  Your Honor, the government does have some
    
    6   medical reports.  And anything else we have, we'd make
    
    7   available to Dr. Johnson.  I guess the one thing we have to
    
    8   think about is to what extent the Court wants us to open our
    
    9   files to Dr. Johnson.  In other words, do we want to show the
    
    10   cabin documents and that sort of thing?  I imagine we would
    
    11   just leave that up to Dr. Johnson.
    
    12         THE COURT:  That's my thought.  She obviously needs the
    
    13   medical reports.
    
    14         MR. CLEARY:  Right.  And we would provide that.  And
    
    15   whatever else we have of that nature, we would provide to her
    
    16   immediately.
    
    17         The Court's understanding is she will be here on
    
    18   Monday?
    
    19         THE COURT:  The individual that you can give all the
    
    20   information to is right behind you.  Chief Deputy Mike Nelson
    
    21   knows how to contact Dr. Johnson.  And if you make
    
    22   arrangements with Mr. Nelson, he will get all of that
    
    23   information to Dr. Johnson.  In fact, he can provide
    
    24   Dr. Johnson with the information as early as Sunday.
    
    25         We're done with that matter; right?
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3741
    
    1         I'm now going to comment on another matter.  After we
    
    2   completed all court proceedings yesterday, United States
    
    3   Marshal personnel informed me that they received an allegation
    
    4   that Mr. Kaczynski attempted suicide presumably the evening
    
    5   before the January 8 hearing.
    
    6         Obviously, as the trial judge, I have a keen interest in
    
    7   knowing about such allegations, especially when I'm engaged in
    
    8   a competency proceeding.  I recognize the difficult job the
    
    9   United States Marshal has in trying to keep judges from being
    
    10   exposed to mere rumors that have no substance to them, but the
    
    11   upshot of what I'm telling you is I knew nothing about the
    
    12   allegations when we were proceeding yesterday.
    
    13         Under Ninth Circuit law, as you will see when you read
    
    14   my order, those allegations are significant to a determination
    
    15   of the competency issue.  I indicate in my order that under
    
    16   Ninth Circuit law, the conclusion is inescapable that if you
    
    17   have that type of an allegation, combined with the other
    
    18   matters that took place in my courtroom yesterday, I believe
    
    19   firmly that the judge is mandated to do exactly what I did.
    
    20         There was another question concerning what do we tell
    
    21   the jurors.  Before we do that, we probably need to figure out
    
    22   the timetable that's involved here.  If we receive, as
    
    23   Dr. Johnson has indicated, the report of the examination on
    
    24   Friday, everything happens as planned, then the question is
    
    25   whether we can schedule the competency hearing right now.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3742
    
    1   Because in theory, the competency hearing could take place
    
    2   that following week.
    
    3         This is what I've already told the jurors through my
    
    4   staff.  I told my staff to tell the jurors that they will not
    
    5   be meeting next week, because I knew that the examinations
    
    6   would consume all next week.  I figure that I can work on the
    
    7   order that I believe the defense provided concerning
    
    8   prospective communications to the jurors.  We can do that
    
    9   during this hearing, and what I can do is turn this into a
    
    10   regular order.
    
    11         I need to get your input before I communicate with the
    
    12   jury.  It's clear error if the judge doesn't do that if it
    
    13   involves a significant matter.  So we will clarify this.  We
    
    14   need to clarify the timetable first so that I can figure out
    
    15   what to tell the jurors, and it seems that we should be able
    
    16   to schedule the competency hearing at this very moment.
    
    17         MR. CLEARY:  Your Honor, how about the following
    
    18   business day after the report's due?  The report would be on
    
    19   the 16th, Friday the 16th.  Have the hearing on the 20th.
    
    20   Monday is a federal holiday.  Tuesday the 20th for the
    
    21   hearing.
    
    22         THE COURT:  What do you envision being presented at the
    
    23   hearing?
    
    24         MR. CLEARY:  It's difficult to predict, your Honor, not
    
    25   knowing what the report is, because it could be as simple as
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3743
    
    1   the submission of the report from Dr. Johnson and both sides
    
    2   accepting the findings in Dr. Johnson's report.  It could, on
    
    3   the other hand, be a contested report in which one side or the
    
    4   other takes the position that Dr. Johnson's findings are
    
    5   erroneous, in which case I imagine Dr. Johnson would have to
    
    6   testify and both sides would direct and cross-examine her.
    
    7         THE COURT:  So you are indicating that we need to
    
    8   determine if Dr. Johnson is available for a personal
    
    9   appearance on the 20th?
    
    10         MR. CLEARY:  That's correct, your Honor.
    
    11         THE COURT:  Would there be any other witnesses other
    
    12   than Dr. Johnson?
    
    13         MR. CLEARY:  None from the government, your Honor.
    
    14         MR. DENVIR:  Your Honor, we would ask that the Court
    
    15   schedule the competency hearing for the following Wednesday to
    
    16   allow us time to react to the report.  As to whether there
    
    17   would be merely the submission of the report, whether there
    
    18   would be a need for Dr. Johnson to even appear, whether there
    
    19   would be other witnesses, I think, would depend on the report
    
    20   itself.  And we would notify the Court on the first business
    
    21   day after we have it what we think is necessary.  It may very
    
    22   well be that the parties will just submit it on the written
    
    23   report.
    
    24         THE COURT:  I'm not sure that I am following what you're
    
    25   stating, because you're indicating that we should schedule the
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3744
    
    1   hearing for the 21st rather than the 20th.
    
    2         MR. DENVIR:  If that's a Wednesday, yes, your Honor.
    
    3         THE COURT:  And that you will let me know something the
    
    4   first business day after receiving the report, which would be
    
    5   Tuesday.
    
    6         MR. DENVIR:  Tuesday morning.
    
    7         THE COURT:  That's not going to work, because
    
    8   Dr. Johnson has to fly here.  I mean, unless she's going to
    
    9   stay here, she'd have to fly here from North Carolina.  And I
    
    10   assume she has to make travel plans.  I don't know if she can
    
    11   get here that fast.  Because you would let me know on the 20th
    
    12   basically of her need, and then she would have to make
    
    13   arrangements to get here by the 21st.
    
    14         MR. DENVIR:  Would the Court prefer to put the hearing
    
    15   over to Thursday and we could notify you on Tuesday?  I don't
    
    16   know when we will receive it on Friday.  We will need some
    
    17   opportunity to review it and review it with Mr. Kaczynski.  It
    
    18   may very well be that both sides feel that it can be submitted
    
    19   on a written report without Dr. Johnson appearing and without
    
    20   further evidence.  I just can't anticipate.
    
    21         THE COURT:  I understand.  I know that.  Okay.  I think
    
    22   that's what we'll have to do.  We'll have to schedule it for
    
    23   the 22nd.  I need to have the marshal, Mr. Nelson, communicate
    
    24   that fact to Dr. Johnson.
    
    25         If there's a problem with that, you can let me know.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3745
    
    1         What time on the 22nd?
    
    2         MR. CLEARY:  Whatever is convenient for the Court.
    
    3         MR. DENVIR:  Convenience of the Court.
    
    4         THE COURT:  I'm wondering if we shouldn't do it at 8:00
    
    5   o'clock, because if there's no problem with the report, we can
    
    6   do the trial.  8:00 o'clock.
    
    7         MR. CLEARY:  Your Honor, the only potential problem with
    
    8   that is that would require summoning the jury for that
    
    9   morning.
    
    10         THE COURT:  I know.
    
    11         MR. CLEARY:  And if there is a problem with the hearing,
    
    12   then we may have the jury stuck waiting here and we send them
    
    13   home.
    
    14         THE COURT:  I'm asking these questions so that we can
    
    15   figure out how to communicate with the jury.  I think the jury
    
    16   should be placed on standby status in my order so that they
    
    17   know they may very well have to appear for the trial on the
    
    18   22nd.  I want to look at the proposal submitted by the
    
    19   defense.  I want to see if we can finalize it right now.
    
    20         MS. CLARKE:  Regarding the jury?
    
    21         THE COURT:  Correct.
    
    22         MS. CLARKE:  Your Honor, that actually was a joint
    
    23   proposal.
    
    24         THE COURT:  Was it?
    
    25         MS. CLARKE:  Yes.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3746
    
    1         THE COURT:  Okay.  Well, the thing that is a little bit
    
    2   troubling, but I can understand why you did it, the judge has
    
    3   taken fault for the delay.  I did that, and I did that
    
    4   publicly, but it was not really my fault.
    
    5         MR. DENVIR:  It's okay to blame the government, your
    
    6   Honor.
    
    7         THE COURT:  I'll read this.  If you could read along
    
    8   with me.  I don't think we need to say anything about fault
    
    9   again because I told them.
    
    10         I have no changes to the first sentence which states --
    
    11   I need to think about this for a moment, though, because if
    
    12   it's going to be an order, I may have to revise portions of
    
    13   it.
    
    14         How about this.  I will set forth at the very top
    
    15   "ladies and gentlemen," and then state "we are still involved
    
    16   in proceedings which are necessary under the law in this case
    
    17   which will delay the start of this jury trial."
    
    18         I don't think we need the part that's bracketed.  I will
    
    19   delete that.
    
    20         Is that all right?
    
    21         MR. DENVIR:  Yes, your Honor.
    
    22         MR. CLEARY:  That's fine.
    
    23         THE COURT:  Okay.  And then "at present, we anticipate
    
    24   that these proceedings will be resolved no later than January
    
    25   22."  I'm going to change the language.  I'll say "but it is
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3747
    
    1   possible that the trial could commence by January 22."  I'll
    
    2   state what you have there, except I'll modify it slightly.
    
    3   "If there is to be a later start, you will be notified."  And
    
    4   then everything else that you have.
    
    5         I'll read it for the record so the public knows.
    
    6         "The Court and the parties appreciate your patience.
    
    7   Please remember the admonition to avoid all news media
    
    8   accounts and discussions with others about the case."  And
    
    9   then I'll sign it, and it will be an order.
    
    10         Is that approved?
    
    11         MR. CLEARY:  Yes, it is, your Honor.
    
    12         MR. DENVIR:  Yes, your Honor.
    
    13         THE COURT:  Have we covered everything?
    
    14         MR. CLEARY:  I believe we have, your Honor.
    
    15         THE COURT:  How about the report?  My order says the
    
    16   report is sealed.  What's the parties' reaction on that?  The
    
    17   report that Dr. Johnson will prepare.
    
    18         You can look in my order.  You have a copy of it, I
    
    19   think.  I don't any more.  Did I not have my deputy clerk give
    
    20   it to you?  Let me have the original.
    
    21         I'm going to read this portion just in case there's an
    
    22   objection to it, and then the objecting party can take issue
    
    23   with it.  I will read the last paragraph.  Again, this order
    
    24   will be made available to the public immediately following
    
    25   this hearing.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3748
    
    1         "It is further ordered that such study and examinations
    
    2   may be conducted for a reasonable period but not to exceed 30
    
    3   days and that a report be prepared pursuant to the provisions
    
    4   of Section 4241(b) of Title 18 and filed with the Court under
    
    5   seal."
    
    6         And then I have a footnote which explains my opinion on
    
    7   it.  This is how the footnote reads.
    
    8         "This document is not the type which has historically
    
    9   been open to inspection by the press and the public, and
    
    10   public access would not play a significant positive role in
    
    11   the functioning of the particular process in question."
    
    12         And then I cited cases in which other courts have sealed
    
    13   such documents.
    
    14         MR. DENVIR:  We agree with the Court's analysis, your
    
    15   Honor.  We would ask that it be sealed.
    
    16         MR. CLEARY:  We have no objection, your Honor, but I
    
    17   assume both parties will get copies of the report; right?
    
    18         THE COURT:  Right.
    
    19         MR. CLEARY:  No objection.
    
    20         THE COURT:  I don't think we covered by what time; what
    
    21   hour you would let me know your position on the report.  You
    
    22   will receive the report on Friday.
    
    23         MR. DENVIR:  Your Honor, we would ask the Court to allow
    
    24   us until noon on Tuesday.  We will meet that deadline this
    
    25   time.
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    3749
    
    1         MS. CLARKE:  As long as the Court doesn't confuse us.
    
    2         THE COURT:  Is that okay with the government?
    
    3         MR. CLEARY:  Yes, it is, your Honor.  Thank you.
    
    4         THE COURT:  Is there anything further to cover?
    
    5         MR. DENVIR:  No, your Honor.
    
    6         No, your Honor.
    
    7         THE COURT:  Thank you.
    
    8         (Court adjourned.)
    
    9                             ---oOo---
    
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    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    
    
    1                IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
    
    2               FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
    
    3                            -- oOo --
    
    4         BEFORE THE HONORABLE GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR., JUDGE
    
    5                            -- oOo --
    
    6
    
    7     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,     ) ) 8                    Plaintiff,     ) ) 9     vs.                           )   No. Cr. S-96-259 GEB ) 10     THEODORE JOHN KACZYNSKI,      ) ) 11                    Defendant.     ) ______________________________) 12
    
    13
    
    14
    
    15                               -- oOo --
    
    16                      REPORTER'S DAILY TRANSCRIPT
    
    17                             JURY TRIAL
    
    18                       VOLUME 25, pp. 3735-3749
    
    19                        FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1998
    
    20                               -- oOo --
    
    21
    
    22
    
    23            Reported by:   KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR No. 6660
    
    24
    
    25
    
    
    
    KELLY O'HALLORAN, CSR 6660 -- (916) 446-1347
    
    
    
    
    
    1                       A P P E A R A N C E S
    
    2 For Plaintiff UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 3 OFFICE OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY 4         650 Capitol Mall Sacramento, CA  95814 5         BY:  ROBERT J. CLEARY STEPHEN P. FRECCERO 6              R. STEVEN LAPHAM Special Attorneys to the 7                   United States Attorney General
    
    8   For the Defendant:
    
    9         OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL DEFENDER 801 "K" Street, Suite 1024 10         Sacramento, CA  95814 By:   QUIN A. DENVIR 11               Federal Defender, Eastern District of California JUDY CLARKE 12               Executive Director, Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho 13 STERNBERG, SOWARDS & LAURENCE 14         604 Mission St., 9th floor San Francisco, CA  94105 15         BY:  GARY D. SOWARDS
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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