FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Se pt e m be r 7, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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

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________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 3 - 0 0 5 3 3 - C R - NE 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 P O L O N I O L O P E Z A G U I R R E , a .k .a . J o e l L o p e z , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an d C A RN E S , C i rcu i tJu d g es.2

P E R C U R I A M: A pol oni o L ope z A gui rr e , a . k. a . J oe l L ope z , appe a l s hi s c onvi c t i ons f or ( 1 ) p o s s e s s i o n o f

a f i r e a r m b y a n i l l e g a l a l i e n , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U . S. C. § 922( g) ( 5) , a nd ( 2) pos s e s s i on of a f i r e a r m by a c onvi c t e d f

e l on, i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) . We A F F I R M. I . B AC KG RO UN D A gui rr e w a s i ndi c t e d a nd tr i e d w i th c ode f e nda nt s f orhi s pa r t i c i pa t i on i n a c o n s p ir a c y to p o s s e s s a n d d is tr ib u te m e th a m p h e ta m in e in C u llm a n , A lab a m a . F ol l ow i ng i nv es t i gat i on by the D rug E nforcement A gency, on e of the conspi ra t ors agre ed t o coo pera t e a nd t o con du cta c on trol l ed del i very , w hi ch i nv ol ved survei l l ance fr om an ai rpl ane by a n i nv es t i gat or w i th the C ul l m an C ou nty P ol i ce D e p a r tm e n t. T h e in v e s tig a to ro b s e r v e d a L in c o ln C o n tin e n ta l m a k in g th e d e liv e ry . Th e d r i v e ro f

th e c a rw a s i d e n t i f

i e d a s A g u i rr e . W h e n o f f i c e r s ap p r o a c h e d h i m, Ag u i rr e f l e d th e a r e a , c l i m b e d o v e ra f e n c e , a n d l a i d d o wn i n s o m e b ru s h . As A gui rr e w a s goi ng ove rthe f e nc e , the i nve s t i ga t i ng of f i c e robs e r ve d hi m thr ow s om e thi ng t o the gr ound, buthe w a s una bl e t o i de nt i f y the obj e c t . T he i nve s t i ga t or t es t i fi ed thathe never observed anyone el se i n the ar eaw here he had w i tness ed A gu i rr e throw the obj ec t . A ft era s ea rc h o f the ar eaw here the i nv es t i gat or had s e e n th e o b

j e c tth r o w n , a n o f

f i c e rr e c o v e r e d a “ h i - p o i n ts e mi - a u t o ma t i c p i s t o l . ” R43

a t 5 5 0 . D u r in g h is te s tim o n y r e g a r d in g A g u irr e ’s c o u r s e o f tr a v e l in th e L in c o ln C o n tin e n ta l, th e in v e s tig a to rr e f e rr e d to a n a e r ia l p h o to g r ap h o f th e s c e n e . A gu i rr e t es t i fi ed thathe ra n w hen t he po l i ce arri ved b ec ause he w as an i l l e ga l a l i e n. R 5 a t638. A gui rr e a dm i tt e d tha the c l i m be d ove rthe f e nc e , but deni ed thathe had a gu n i n h i s hand and cl ai m ed thathe sa w anot her i nd i vi du al throw do w n the gu n thatw as re covered fr om the sc ene. T he j ury f ou nd A gu i rr e g u ilty o f p o s s e s s io n o f

a f ir e a r m a s a n ille g a l a lie n a n d a s a c o n v ic te d f e lo n . T he r e a f t e r , the j udge t ol d the pa r t i e s tha tone of the j ur or s ha d i nf

or m e d a c our tr oom de puty tha tone of the othe rj ur or s ha d l ooke d a ta m ap tha tw a s not a dm i tt e d i nt o e vi de nc e a nd the n, dur i ng the j ury ’ s de l i be r a t i ons , ha d dr a w n a pi cture or adi agra m . T he j ud ge st at ed thathe di d n otkn ow w hether the di agra m w as a m ap of C ul l m an C ou nty or of the U ni t ed S t at es . T he j ud ge then st at ed that

“ a m ap of the U ni t ed S t at es or a m ap of C ul l m an C ou nty, i n al l l i kel i ho od , i f i thad be e n of f e r e d, w oul d ha ve be e n a c c e pt e d w i thoutobj e c t i on by j udi c i a l not i c e . A nd i t ’ s nottha ti t ’ s untrue e vi de nc e tha t ’ s be e n a dm i tt e d. W e ha ve no i de a w ha tthe m ap s a id , a n d th a t’s w h a t c o n c e rn s m e .” I d . a t 7 4 4 . A g u irr e m o v e d f o ra m is tr ia l. H e not ed thatthe tri al i ncl ud ed t es t i m on y r egar di ng hi s m ov em ent s a nd as se rt ed tha t“ the r e w a s no w a y t o know how the j ur y us e d [ the m ap] i n the i rde l i be r a t i on, w ha t e ve ri nf

or m a t i on the y gotf

r om the m ap, w he the ri tw a s di s t a nc e orw ha t . ” I d.4

a t 7 4 8 . T h e ju d g e o v e rru le d A g u irr e ’s m o tio n a n d r e s p o n d e d th a t, w ith r e g a r d to [ ] M r . A g u irr e , a ll th e m o v e m e n ts o f th e w h ite C ont i ne nt a l , L i nc ol n C ont i ne nt a l tha tI r e c a l l be i ng t e s t i f i e d a bout o c c u rr e d wi th i n th e g r o u p i n g o f h o u s e s a n d tr a i l e r s , a l l o f wh i c h we a c tua l l y ha d a n a e r i a l phot o of – notthe m ove m e nt , a n a e r i a l phot o of th e g ro u p in g . A n d th e d es cr ip ti o n o f th e m o v em en t, w h il e it’ s ac tual l y s ho w n i tw entfr om here po i nt i ng on the ph ot og raph t o h er e on the ph ot og raph , so I r ea l l y thi nk thatthere i s no w ay thata m ap c o u ld a d d lig h t e ith e rw a y w ith r e g a r d to th e C o n tin e n ta l. Id. T he prosecut or st at ed thatthe j ud ge had “ covered w hat[he] w as go i ng t o say . ” I d . a t 7 4 9 . T he j ud ge then b roug htthe j ury i nt o the courtroom , i nform ed the j ury m em bers abou tthe al l egat i on s thathad b ee n b roug htt o h i s a tt ent i on , and rem i nd ed them thatthey c ou l d n otconsi der a nythi ng ou t si de of the evi dence thathad b ee n pres ent ed attri al . T he j ud ge then v ac at ed the j ury’ s e ar l i erverdi ct s a nd , af t erea ch j ur ori ndi c a t e d tha the ors he c oul d “ di s r e ga r d the m ap” a nd “ m a ke a ne w de c i s i on

. . . base d sol el y on the evi dence pres ent ed, ” a l l ow ed the j ury t o rec om m ence d e lib e r a tio n s . I d . a t 7 5 2 . T h e r e a f te r , th e ju ry a g a in f

o u n d A g u irr e g u ilty o f

b o th c r i m e s . T he di s tr i c tj udge s e nt e nc e d A gui rr e t o tw e nty - f ourm onths of im p r is o n m e n t. I I . DI S CUS S I ON O n appe a l , A gui rr e a r gue s tha tthe tr i a l j udge c om m i tt e d r e ve r s i bl e e rr or w he n he de ni e d hi s m ot i on f ora m i s tr i a l ba s e d upon the j ur or s ’ c ons i de r a t i on of5

e x tr in s ic e v id e n c e . S p e c if ic a lly , A g u irr e c o n te n d s th a t, b y f a ilin g to in q u ir e a s to the e xa c tna tur e of

the e xtr i ns i c e vi de nc e a nd w ha tr ol e thi s e vi de nc e pl a y e d i n the j ury ’ s de l i be r a t i on, the di s tr i c tj udge f a i l e d t o de t e r m i ne w he the rornotthe c ur a t i ve i nstruct i on s thathe gave t o the j ury w er e s uffi ci entt o o verc om e the prej ud i ci al im p a c t o f

th e e x tr in s ic e v id e n c e . W e r e vi e w a di s tr i c tj udge ’ s de ni a l of a m ot i on f

orm i s tr i a l f

ora n a bus e of di s c r e t i on. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. T ruj i l l o, 146 F . 3d 838, 845 ( 11th C i r . 1998) . T he g o v e rn m e n t h a s th e b u r d e n o f e s tab lis h in g a d e f

e n d a n t’s g u ilt “s o le ly o n th e b a s is of e vi de nc e pr oduc e d i n the c our tr oom a nd unde rc i r c um s t a nc e s a s s ur i ng the a c c us e d a l l the s a f

e gua r ds of

a f a i rtr i a l . ” F a r e s e v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 428 F . 2d 178, 1 7 9 ( 5 th C ir . 1 9 7 0 ) . T h is th e o ry “‘g o e s to th e f u n d a m e n ta l in te g r ity o f a ll th a t is em brac ed i n the const i tut i on al conceptof tri al by j ury. ’ ” U ni t ed S t at es v. R ow e, 9 0 6 F .2 d 6 5 4 , 6 5 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . J u r o r s , in g iv in g e f f e c t to such i nfer ence s a s m ay re as on abl y be dra w n from the evi dence, prop er l y m ay

“ appl y the i rc om m on know l e dge , obs e r va t i ons a nd e xpe r i e nc e i n the a f f a i r s of l i fe. ” U n i t ed S t at es v . C ru z-V al d ez, 7 7 3 F . 2 d 1 5 4 1 , 1 5 4 6 (1 1 th C i r. 1 9 8 5 ). Ju ro rs, h o w ev er, “ h av e n o ri g h tt o i n v est i g at e o r acq u i re i n fo rm at i o n rel at i n g t o th e case ou t si de of thatw hi ch i s pre se nt ed t o them i n the course of the tri al i n acc ordance w i th e s t a bl i s he d tr i a l pr oc e dur e . ” F a r e s e , 428 F . 2d a t179. N e ve r the l e s s , “ ‘ due6

pr oc e s s doe s notr e qui r e a ne w tr i a l e ve ry t i m e a j ur orha s be e n pl a c e d i n a p o te n tia lly c o m p r o m is in g s itu a tio n .’” R o w e , 9 0 6 F .2 d a t 6 5 6 ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . O n c e a d e f

e n d a n t e s tab lis h e s th a t th e ju ry h a d c o n ta c t w ith e x tr in s ic m a t e r i a l , pr e

j udi c e i s pr e s um e d. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C apor a l e , 806 F . 2d 1487, 1503 ( 11th C i r . 1986) ; buts e e R ow e , 906 F . 2d a t656 ( s t a t i ng tha tpr e j udi c e i s not pr e s um e d) . O nc e the pr e s um pt i on i s e s t a bl i s he d, the bur de n s hi f t s t o the g o v e rn m e n t to e s tab lis h th a t th e c o n s id e r a tio n o f e x tr in s ic e v id e n c e w a s h a r m le s s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. P e s s e f

a l l , 27 F . 3d 511, 515 ( 11th C i r . 1994) . F a c t or s tha tthe di stri ctj ud ge shou l d con si der i n d et erm i ni ng w hether the pres um pt i on w as r e butt e d i nc l ude “ ‘ the na tur e of the e xtr i ns i c i nf

or m a t i on, the m a nne ri n w hi c h the in f o r m a tio n r e a c h e d th e ju ry , a n d th e s tr e n g th o f th e g o v e rn m e n t’s c a s e .’” I d . (c i t at i on om i tt ed). U l t i m at el y, “ ‘ the j ury’ s c on si dera t i on of extri nsi c m at er i al r e q u ir e s a n e w tr ia l if

th e e v id e n c e p o s e s a r e a s o n a b le p o s s ib ility o f p r e ju d ic e to the de f e nda nt . ’ ” I d. a t516. ( c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . T he di s tr i c tj udge ’ s de t e r m i na t i on of w hether the defendantw as prej ud i ce d i s afa ctual on e thatw e r evi ew for a n a bus e of the di s tr i c tj udge ’ s “ ‘ l a r ge di s c r e t i on. ’ ” R ow e , 906 F . 2d a t657 ( c i t a t i on om i tt ed). T he di s tr i c tj udge di d nota bus e hi s di s c r e t i on i n de t e r m i ni ng tha ta ny p r e s u m p tio n o f

p r e ju d ic e a r is in g f

r o m th e ju ry ’s c o n s id e r a tio n o f e x tr in s ic7

evi dence had been rebut t ed. G i ven t he charges thatA gu i rr e f ac ed, po ss es si on of a f ir e a r m b y a n ille g a l a lie n a n d p o s s e s s io n o f a f ir e a r m b y a f

e lo n , th e o n ly is s u e to be r e s ol ve d by the j ury r e ga r di ng hi s gui l tw a s w he the rthe gun r e c ove r e d f r om the s c e ne w a s the obj e c ttha tthe i nve s t i ga t orha d obs e rve d A gui rr e thr ow t o the grou nd . A l tho ug h the di stri ctj ud ge di d n otdet erm i ne the exactnature of the m ap w i th w hi c h the j ury c a m e i nt o c ont a c t , the onl y m ap tha tw oul d ha ve be e n r e l e va nt t o the i s s ue of

A gui rr e ’ s gui l tw oul d ha ve be e n a m ap of the a r e a tha tthe i nv es t i gat or i dent i fi ed as bei ng i n A gu i rr e’ s c ou rs e of tra vel and t he l ocat i on w here he obs e r ve d A gui rr e thr ow a n obj e c t . A m ap of thi s a r e a , how e ve r , w oul d ha ve const i tut ed cum ul at i ve evi dence because a n aer i al ph ot og raph of thi s l ocat i on w as in tr o d u c e d in to e v id e n c e . A c c o r d in g ly , th e m ap d id n o t p o s e a r e a s o n a b le p o s s ib ility o f

p r e ju d ic e to A g u irr e . S e e P e s s e f a ll, 2 7 F .3 d a t 5 1 6 . S i gni f i c a nt l y , the di s tr i c tj udge m i t i ga t e d a ny pr e j udi c e tha tm a y ha ve r e s ul t e d f

r om the j ury ’ s e xpos ur e t o the m ap by va c a t i ng A gui rr e ’ s c onvi c t i on, re m i nd i ng the j urors thatthey c ou l d n otconsi der a nythi ng ou t si de of the evi dence th a t h a d b e e n p r e s e n te d a t tr ia l, a n d a llo w in g th e ju ry to r e c o m m e n c e its del i bera t i on , on l y a ft erea ch j uror agree d thathe or she c ou l d d i sr egar d the m ap an d reach a n ew d eci si o n b ased so l el y o n th e ev i d en ce p resen t ed attri al . F i n al l y, th e g o v er n m en t’ s c as e a g ain st A g u irre w as stro n g , g iv en th e in v es ti g ato r’s8

t es t i m on y that(1) agu n w as re covered fr om the l ocat i on w here he ob se rved A g u irr e th r o w a n o b

je c t, a n d ( 2 ) h e d id n o t o b s e r v e a n y o n e o th e rth a n A g u irr e in thi s l oc a t i on. S e e P e s s e f a l l , 27 F . 3d a t515 ( s t a t i ng tha tthe s tr e ngth of the gove rnm e nt ’ s c a s e i s a f a c t ortha ts houl d be c ons i de r e d i n de t e r m i ni ng w he the rthe p r e s u m p tio n o f

p r e ju d ic e w a s r e b u tte d ) . B e c a u s e ( 1 ) th e e x tr in s ic e v id e n c e w ith w hi c h the j ury ha d c ont a c tw a s c um ul a t i ve , ( 2) the di s tr i c tj udge ’ s c ur a t i ve i ns truc t i on w a s s uf

f i c i e ntt o m i t i ga t e a ny pot e nt i a l pr e j udi c e tha tm i ghtha ve re sul t ed, and (3) the go vernm ent ’ s c as e a gai nstA gu i rr e w as strong , the di stri ct j ud ge di d n otabuse hi s di sc re t i on by denyi ng A gu i rr e’ s m ot i on for am i stri al base d o n ju r o rm is c o n d u c t f

o rc o n s id e r in g e x tr in s ic e v id e n c e .

I I I . C on c l u s i on I n thi s appe a l , A gui rr e a r gue s tha tthe tr i a l j udge c om m i tt e d r e ve r s i bl e e rr or b y f a ilin g to g r a n t h is m o tio n f o ra m is tr ia l b e c a u s e th e ju ry c o n s id e r e d e x tr in s ic e vi de nc e . A s w e ha ve e xpl a i ne d, the e xtr i ns i c e vi de nc e w a s c um ul a t i ve a nd a ny pot e nt i a l pr e

j udi c e tha tm i ghtha ve r e s ul t e d w a s r e m e di e d by the j udge ’ s va c a t i ng the f or m e rve r di c t s a nd ha vi ng the j ury de l i be r a t e the ve r di c t s a ga i n w i th c ur a t i ve i nstruct i on s. A cc ordi ng l y, A gu i rr e’ s c on vi ct i on s a re A F F I R M E D .