In Re Grand Jury Testimony. Appeal of John Doe

PATRICK E. HIGGINBOTHAM, Circuit Judge:

The district court ordered disclosure of the grand jury testimony of three witnesses for use in a civil case with allegations similar to the criminal trial that resulted from the grand jury investigation. We are not persuaded that as yet the need for the testimony in the civil case outweighs the interest in protecting the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings. We reverse and remand.

I

Appellants, James J. Wyllie, Jr. and Ronald F. Falgout, were two of eight defendants investigated and indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana on…