FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT JANUARY 18, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 14028 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 2 0 0 4 6 - C R - K MM U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s A N T W A N H A N N A , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 18, 2008) B efo re A N D E R S O N , H U L L an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

A n tw a n H a n n a ap p e a ls h is c o n v ic tio n s f o r( 1 ) c o n s p ir a c y to p o s s e s s w ith i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e 50 gr a m s orm or e of c r a c k c oc a i ne , a nd ade t e c t abl e a m ountof c oc a i ne a nd m a r i

j ua na , 21 U . S . C . §§ 846, 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) ( i i i ) , ( b) ( 1) ( C ) a nd ( b ) ( 1 ) ( D ) ; ( 2 ) p o s s e s s i o n w i th i n t e n tt o d i s tr i b u t e c r a c k c o c a i n e , 2 1 U . S. C. § 8 4 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) , ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( iii) a n d 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 ; ( 3 ) p o s s e s s io n w ith in te n t to di s tr i but e c oc a i ne , 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) ( 1) , ( b) ( 1) ( C ) a nd 18 U . S . C . § 2; a nd ( 4 ) p o s s e s s i o n wi th i n t e n tt o d i s tr i b u t e m a r i j u a n a , 2 1 U. S . C . § 8 4 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) , ( b ) ( 1 ) ( D) a nd 18 U . S . C . § 2. H a nna a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by de ny i ng hi s m ot i on f orj udgm e ntof

a c qui tt a l be c a us e the e vi de nc e i n the i ns t a ntc a s e w a s i ns uf f i c i e nt to c o n v ic t h im o f

c o n s p ir a c y to p o s s e s s a c o n tr o lle d s u b s ta n c e w ith in te n t to d i s tr i b u t e , o rp o s s e s s i o n o f a c o n tr o l l e d s u b s t a n c e wi th i n t e n tt o d i s tr i b u t e . He cont ends that , atbest , the evi dence es t abl i shed “ suspi ci ou s c i rc um st ance s, ” w hi ch a r e in s u f f ic ie n t to s u p p o r t h is c o n v ic tio n . Fo rth e r e a s o n s s e tf

o r th mo r e f

u l l y b e l o w , w e a f

f i rm. W e r e vi e w de novo a di s tr i c tc our t ’ s de ni a l of j udgm e ntof

a c qui tt a l on s uf f i c i e nc y of

e vi de nc e gr ounds . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. Y a t e s , 438 F . 3d 1307, 1311- 12 (11th C i r. 20 06 ) ( en banc). In re vi ew i ng a s uffi ci encyof the evi dence chal l enge, w e c on si der “ the evi dence i n the l i gh tm ostfa vo rabl e t o the go vernm ent . ” U ni t ed S ta te s v . G a r c ia , 4 0 5 F .3 d 1 2 6 0 , 1 2 6 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . W e a ls o m a k e a ll3

r e a s onabl e i nf

e r e nc e s a nd c r e di bi l i ty c hoi c e s i n f a vorof the gove rnm e nta nd the j ury ’ s ve r di c t . I d. W e m us ta f f i rm “ unl e s s , unde rno r e a s onabl e c ons truc t i on of th e e v id e n c e , c o u ld th e ju ry h a v e f o u n d th e [ d e f

e n d a n t] g u ilty b e y o n d a r e a s o n ab le doubt . ” I d. “ T he e vi de nc e ne e d note xc l ude e ve ry hy pothe s i s of i nnoc e nc e orbe com pl et el y i ncon si st entw i th every concl usi on other than g ui l tbecause aj ury m ay s e l e c ta m ong c ons truc t i ons of the e vi de nc e . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B a i l e y , 123 F . 3d 1 3 8 1 , 1 3 9 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 7 ) . a. C on sp i racy C ons pi r a c y t o pos s e s s c r a c k c oc a i ne w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e r e qui r e s the gove rnm e ntt o pr ove be y ond a r e a s onabl e doubt“ ( 1) tha ta c ons pi r a c y e xi s t e d; (2) thatthe defendantkn ew of i t ; and (3) thatthe defendant , w i th k no w l edge, vol unt a r i l y j oi ne d i t . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M ol i na , 443 F . 3d 824, 828 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( quot a t i on om i tt e d) . T he a gr e e m e ntf orm i ng the ba s i s of

the c ons pi r a c y c a n be pr ove d “ by c i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e , thr ough ‘ i nf e r e nc e s f r om the c onduc tof

the al l eged part i ci pant s or f rom ci rc um st ant i al evi dence of a s chem e. ’ ” U ni t ed S t at es v. O br e gon, 893 F . 2d 1307, 1311 ( 11th C i r . 1990) ( c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . “ W he r e the go vernm ent ’ s c as e i s c i rc um st ant i al , re as on abl e i nfer ence s, and n otm er e s pe c ul a t i on, m us ts uppor tthe j ury ’ s ve r di c t . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M e i j a , 97 F . 3d 1 3 9 1 , 1 3 9 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) .4

A l though pr e s e nc e i s a pe rm i s s i bl e f a c t ort o be c ons i de r e d i n de t e rm i ni ng w hether adefe nd antconspi re d w i th ano ther, “ i ti s w el l se tt l ed thatm er e pre se nce w i l l nots uppor ta c onvi c t i on. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C ha r l e s , 313 F . 3d 1278, 1284 ( 1 1 th C ir2 0 0 2 ) . “M e r e p r e s e n c e , g u ilty k n o w le d g e , e v e n s y m p a th e tic obs e rva t i on” a nd c l os e a s s oc i a t i on w i th a c o- c ons pi r a t ora r e i ns uf f i c i e nt , w i thout m or e , t o s uppor ta c onvi c t i on f orc ons pi r a c y t o di s tr i but e drugs . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. L yons, 53 F . 3d 11 98 , 12 01 (11th C i r. 19 95 ). Y et , such fa ct ors m ayra i se a perm i ss i bl e i nfer ence of part i ci pat i on i n a conspi ra cy , w hi ch the j ury m ayconsi der a s a “ m a t e r i a l a nd pr oba t i ve f a c t or. . . i n r e a c hi ng i t s de c i s i on. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H ernand ez , 89 6 F . 2d 51 3, 51 8 (11 th C i r. 19 90 ). H ere, th e ci rcu m st an t i al ev i d en ce i n th i s case, v i ew ed i n th e l i g h tm o st f a v o r ab le to th e g o v e rn m e n t, s u p p o r ts a f in d in g th a t th e ju ry in th is c a s e c o u ld reaso n ab l y co n cl u d e th atH an n a w as m o re th an a “ sym p ath et i c o b serv er” an d , th u s, th a t ac o n s p ir a c y b e tw e e n H a n n a a n d c o d e f e n d a n t F r e d e r ic k M u n g a i e x is te d . S e e L y o n s , 5 3 F .3 d a t 1 2 0 1 . H a n n ad r o v e M u n g a i to th e ap a r tm e n t c o m p le x . A f te rp a rk in g h is c a ro u ts id e , b u t p a r a lle l to , th e p a rk in g lo t, H a n n ajo in e d M u n g a i. W hi l e H a nna w a s pa rki ng the c a r , M unga i a tt e m pt e d t o ope n the dr i ve r ’ s s i de door o f a M o n t e C arl o p ark ed i n th e l o tad j acen tt o th e ap artm en tco m p l ex . P rev i o u sl y, a pol i c e dog ha d a l e r t e d t o pos s i bl e na r c ot i c s i n the trunk of tha tc a r . H a nna a ndThe bagcontained 54.3 grams of c ocainebase, 58.3 net grams of coc aine, 208.3 net 1 grams of ma

rijuana packag ed in small bag s and $1530 in ca sh. 5 M unga i w e r e i n ne a r - c ons t a ntc om pa ny a s the y c onve r s e d a nd w a l ke d ba c k a nd f o r th b e tw e e n tw o n e ig h b o r in g ap a r tm e n t c o m p le x e s , a n d w e r e th e o n ly tw o p e o p le w ho s how e d i nt e r e s ti n the M ont e C a r l o ove ra thr e e - hourpe r i od. H a nna c o n v e r s e d w ith a u n if

o rm e d p o lic e o f

f ic e rw h ile M u n g a i s c a n n e d th e p a rk in g lo t. H a n n a a n d M u n g a i e v e n tu a lly m e t w ith a n u n k n o w n th ir d p a r ty . F o llo w in g th is m e e t i ng, H a nna pr oc e e de d t o the e l e va t e d w a l kw a y a r ound the apa r tm e ntbui l di ng, w hi l e M unga i s c a nne d the pa rki ng l ota nd s l ow l y c r a w l e d up t o the trunk of the M o n te C a r lo , w h e r e h e r e tr ie v e d ab r o w n p ap e rb a g . L a w e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n ts s pott e d M unga i a nd the n t ook of f i n pur s ui tof

hi m , a f t e rhe r a n unde rne a th the e le v a te d w a lk w a y a n d th r o u g h th e c o u r ty a r d . A t s o m e p o in t d u r in g th e p u r s u it, M unga i di s c a r de d the br ow n pape rba g, w hi c h w a s l a t e rf ound i ns i de apa r tm e nt A - 211. H a nna w a s the onl y non- r e s i de ntt o e nt e rapa r tm e ntA - 211 tha tda y , a nd w a s l a s tobs e rve d on the e l e va t e d w a l kw a y ne a rthe t i m e tha tM unga i r e tr i e ve d the br ow n pape rba g f

r om the M ont e C a r l o. T he ba g c ont a i ne d s e ve r a l s m a l l e rba gs of narc ot i cs , i ncl ud i ng 54 . 3 g ra m s of c ra ck cocai ne. 1 B as ed on these fa ct s, the j ury c ou l d i nferthatH anna kn ew there w as cr ac k coca i ne hi dd en i n the M on t e C ar l o and , w i th thatkn ow l edge, tra nspo rt ed M un gai t o the apartm entcom pl ex, t oo k p ai ns t o ensure thatM un gai re tri eved the cr ac k6

coca i ne, and att em pt ed t o sec re tthe drug s a ft erM un gai w as spot t ed by l aw enforce m entagent s. A cc ordi ng l y, the evi dence w as suff i ci entt o est abl i sh thatan a g r e e m e n t e x is te d b e tw e e n H a n n aa n d M u n g a i to p o s s e s s w ith th e in te n t to di s tr i but e m or e tha n 50 gr a m s of c r a c k c oc a i ne a nd tha tH a nna vol unt a r i l y t ook a c t i ons t o e ns ur e tha tthe drugs w e r e obt a i ne d a nd s e c ur e d. A c c or di ngl y , the di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr by denyi ng H anna’ s m ot i on for aj ud gm entof ac qu i tt al as to th e c o n s p ir a c y c o u n t. b . S u b st an ti ve C ou n ts T o s uppor ta c onvi c t i on f orpos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e unde r21 U . S . C . § 8 41 (a )( 1), the go vernm ent“ m ustprov e ( 1) kn ow i ng (2) posse ss i on of a c ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e ( 3) w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e i t . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. F a rr i s , 77 F . 3d 39 1, 39 5 (11 th C i r. 19 96 ). T hese el em ent s m aybe prov ed by ci rc um st ant i al e vi de nc e . I d. “ P osse ss i on m aybe ac tual or construct i ve, j oi ntor sol e. ” U ni t ed S t a t e s v. G unn, 369 F . 3d 1229, 1234 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( pe rc ur i a m ) . T he po ss es si on m ustal so be kn ow i ng . F arri s, 77 F . 3d at39 5. “ A defe nd anthas a ctual pos s e s s i on of

a s ubs t a nc e w he n he ha s di r e c tphy s i c a l c ontr ol ove rthe co n trab an d .” U n it ed S tates v . E d w ar d s, 1 6 6 F .3 d 1 3 6 2 , 1 3 6 3 (1 1 th C ir. 1 9 9 9 ). “A de f e nda ntha s c ons truc t i ve pos s e s s i on of a s ubs t a nc e w he n he ha s s om e f orm of c ontr ol othe rtha n di r e c tphy s i c a l c ontr ol . ” I d. a t1364. A j ury m a y i nf e rthe i nt e nt7

t o di s tr i but e a c ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e ba s e d on the a m ountof drugs i nvol ve d i n the o ff en se . S ee U n it ed S tates v . T in o co , 3 0 4 F .3 d 1 0 8 8 , 1 1 2 3 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 2 ) ( “A de f e nda nt ’ s i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e , m or e ove r , m a y be i nf e rr e d f r om the . . . qua nt i ty of n a r c o tic s th a t w e r e s e iz e d .” ) . A ny i ndi vi dua l w ho a i ds , abe t s , orc ouns e l s a nothe rdur i ng the c om m i s s i on o f a c r i me i s p u n i s h e d a s i f th a tp e r s o n w e r e a p r i n c i p l e t o th e c r i me . 1 8 U . S. C. § 2 . “ T o p ro v e g u i l tu n d er a th eo ry o f ai d i n g an d ab ett i n g , th e G o v ern m en tm u st pr ove : ( 1) the s ubs t a nt i ve of f e ns e w a s c om m i tt e d by s om e one ; ( 2) the de f e nda nt c om m i tt e d a n a c tw hi c h c ontr i but e d t o a nd f ur the r e d the of

f e ns e ; a nd ( 3) the de f e nda nti nt e nde d t o a i d i n i t s c om m i s s i on. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C a m a c ho, 233 F . 3d 13 08 , 13 17 (11th C i r. 20 00 ). H er e, al tho ug h there w as no di re ctevi dence l i nk i ng H anna t o the brow n b ag foun d i n apartm entA -211 , w hi ch cont ai ned crac k cocai ne, coca i ne, and m ar i j uana, th e c ir c u m s ta n tia l e v id e n c e , v ie w e d in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to th e g o v e rn m e n t, w as suff i ci entt o sust ai n h i s s ub st ant i ve conv i ct i on s. E ven ass um i ng thatthere w as i ns uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e tha tH a nna pos s e s s e d the s e drugs , e i the ra c t i ve l y or c ons truc t i ve l y , the e vi de nc e s uppor t s H a nna ’ s c onvi c t i on unde ra n a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng the ory . T he e vi de nc e e s t abl i s he d tha tH a nna dr ove M unga i t o the ap a r tm e n t c o m p le x , a n d a c c o m p a n ie d M u n g a i to th e a r e aw h e r e th e M o n te C a r lo8

w as parked. H anna engaged in a c on vers at i on w i th a un i form ed po l i ce offi ce r w h il e M u n g ai sc an n ed th e p ar k in g lo t. H an n a s to p p ed b y D an iell e R am se y’s apartm ent , w hi l e M un gai cr aw l ed ou tt o the M on t e C ar l o t o retri eve abrow n p aper ba g c ont a i ni ng s e ve r a l s m a l l e rpl a s t i c ba gs of c r a c k c oc a i ne , c oc a i ne , a nd m a r i j ua na . M unga i w a s c ha s e d by l a w e nf or c e m e ntof

f i c e ra nd r a n unde rne a th the w a lk w a y o u ts id e o f

R a m s e y ’s ap a r tm e n t, b e f o r e d is c a r d in g th e b r o w n p ap e rb a g . R a m s e y , w ho r e s i de d i n apa r tm e ntA - 211, t e s t i f i e d tha tH a nna ha d s t oppe d by a nd th a t s h e h a d le f

t th e d o o ro p e n f

o rh im a f te rh e w e n t o u t f

o ra f e w m in u te s . R a m s e y not e d, how e ve r , tha ts he w a s i n he rbe dr oom w he n H a nna r e turne d a nd st at ed thatshe di d n oti ni t i al l y hea r hi m re -e nt erthe apartm ent . A ft era f ew m i nut e s , H a nna l e f

tthe apa r tm e nta nd w a s m e ton the w a l kw a y by M unga i . A s i de f r om R a m s e y a nd he rm othe r , H a nna w a s the onl y pe r s on i ns i de apa r tm e ntA - 211 tha tda y . T he br ow n pape rba g, w hi c h c ont a i ne d s e ve r a l s m a l l e rpl a s t i c ba gs of n a r c o tic s , w a s lo c a te d in th a t ap a r tm e n t 2 0 - 3 0 m in u te s a f te rH a n n ale f

t. D e s p i t e th e p o t e n t i a l i n c o n s i s t e n c y a s t o M u n g a i ’ s l o c a t i o n a tth e t i me H anna tra vel ed i n and ou tof R am se y’ s apartm ent , the j ury c ou l d rea sonabl y i nfer thatH anna had p ri or kn ow l edge thatthe brow n p aperbag con t ai ned crac k cocai ne, co ca in e, an d m ar ij u an a, an d , acc o rd in g ly, stash ed th e b ag in sid e R am se y’s ap a r tm e n t a f

te rM u n g a i p a s s e d it o f

f to h im w h ile f

le e in g f r o m la w e n f

o r c e m e n t.9

M oreover, the j ury c ou l d i nferthatH anna engaged in a c on vers at i on w i th a po l i ce offi ce r i n o rdert o d i vertthe offi ce r’ s a tt ent i on aw ayfr om M un gai , w ho w as s c a n n in g th e p a rk in g lo t a r e a n e a rth e M o n te C a r lo . F u r th e r , b a s e d o n th e q u a n tity of drug s i nv ol ved i n the offens e, al on g w i th the fa ctthatthe drug s w er e pac kaged in s e p a r a te , s m a lle rp la s tic b a g s , th e ju ry c o u ld in f e ra n in te n t to d is tr ib u te . A cc ordi ng l y, the evi dence w as suff i ci entt o sust ai n H anna’ s c on vi ct i on , un der a n a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng the ory , f orpos s e s s i on of

c r a c k c oc a i ne , c oc a i ne , a nd m a r i j ua na w ith th e in te n t to d is tr ib u te . In l i gh tof the foregoi ng , H anna’ s c on vi ct i on s a re AF F I RME D.