FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ar c h 25, 2008 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

________________________ N o. 07- 12173 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 6 - 0 0 1 3 5 - C R - OR L - 3 1 - DA B 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 J O S E P H L E E H O L M E S , J R ., a .k .a . J o s e p h L e e H o lm e s , a .k .a . J o s e p h L . H o lm e s , 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 M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ar c h 25, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

Jose ph H ol m es appeal s hi s c on vi ct i on s f or drug and fi re arm s off ense s. S ee 18 U . S . C . §§ 2, 92 2(g)(1), 92 4(a) (2), (c ), (e )( 1); 21 U . S . C . §§ 84 1(a) , (b)( 1)(B )( i i i ), (b)( 1)(C ), 84 6. H e c hal l enges the suff i ci encyof the evi dence u n d e r ly in g th e s e c o n v ic tio n s a n d e v id e n tia ryru lin g s m a d e b yth e d is tr ic t c o u rt. W e a f f i rm. I . B AC KG RO UN D D e te c tiv e T r e v o rS h a f

f e ro f th e M e lb o u rn e P o lic e D e p a rtm e n t r e c e iv e d atip r e ga r di ng drug a c t i vi tya nd the us e of guns byH ol m e s a nd othe r s a t2426 S t one S tre et , H ol m es ’ s r es i dence. T he po l i ce op ened an i nv es t i gat i on and con du ct ed survei l l ance t o v er i fythe t i p. B as ed on the i nform at i on gathere d, the po l i ce ob t ai ned a se ar ch w arrantfor the re si dence. D et ec t i ve A m ei gh cond uct ed survei l l ance of the re si dence before the po l i ce exec ut ed the w arrant . W hen h e arr i ved, A m ei gh saw throu gh the op en back do or a c a ni s t e rof

ba ki ng s odas i tt i ng ne xtthe s t ove . A m e i gh w a t c he d J ona tha n J ohns on bl ow on a s ub st ance cook i ng i n a po tand st i r i n a w hi t e s ub st ance fr om a c l ear pl a s t i c ba g. A m e i gh obs e rve d s e ve r a l i ndi vi dua l s appr oa c h the ba c k doorof the S t one S tr e e tr e s i de nc e w hi l e H ol m e s w a s i ns i de the hous e a nd e xc ha nge c a s h f or w hatappeare d t o b e c ra ck cocai ne and n ot ed that , w hen H ol m es l ef tthe re si dence, the tr a f f i c c e a s e d. A m e i gh not i c e d am a n out s i de the r e s i de nc e w ho w a s us i ng a3

tw o-w ayra di o and appeare d t o b e c on du ct i ng coun t er -s urvei l l ance . O ffi cer C yri l H o p p i n g ex ecu t ed th e search w arran tan d d i sco v ered H o l m es, John son, and A ng el N el son, H ol m es ’ s gi rl fr i end, atthe re si dence. W hen h e s aw the po l i ce , H ol m es di sc ar ded a package of ci gare tt es thatcont ai ned a pi ec e of c ra ck coca i ne and a bag o f pow der c ocai ne. A ft erO ff i ce r S chaf

fe r r ea d the se ar ch w arrant , H ol m es vo l un t ee re d, “ I j ustst op ped b y her e t o, you k no w , se e afr i end. ” O f f ic e rM ic h a e l S a m p ie r i la te rs e a r c h e d H o lm e s a n d d is c o v e r e d af o ld e d d o lla rb ill thatcont ai ned m ar i

j uana. I n s id e th e h o u s e , th e o f f ic e r s f o u n d m u ltip le lo a d e d g u n s , a m m u n itio n , a tw o-w ayra di o, a vi deo survei l l ance sy st em , a C row n R oyal bag thatcont ai ned se vera l bags of cr ac k cocai ne, evi dence of cr ac k cocai ne “ cook i ng , ” adi gi t al sc al e, a n d as m a ll b a g o f

p o w d e rc o c a in e . T h e o f f ic e r s s e iz e d as e c o n d tw o - w a yr a d io f r om “ l ookout ” T onyW a tki ns tha tm a t c he d the f r e que nc yof

the uni tf

ound i ns i de the r e s i de nc e . O f

f i c e r s di s c ove r e d m a i l tha tw a s a ddr e s s e d t o H ol m e s i n one of the be dr oom s c onc e a l e d unde ram a ttr e s s . R e s i due i n apl a s t i c ba g r e tr i e ve d f r om the tr a s h a nd on the s t ove t op t e s t e d pos i t i ve f orc oc a i ne . L a t e rf

or e ns i c e xa m i na t i on of the evi dence es t abl i shed thatthe offi ce rs se i ze d 1 6. 3 g ra m s of pow der hydrochl ori de and 3 6. 8 g ra m s of c ra ck cocai ne fr om the S t on e S tre etre si dence. H o lm e s w a s c h a r g e d in af iv e - c o u n t in d ic tm e n t w ith ( 1 ) c o n s p ir a c yto4

pos s e s s w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e f i ve orm or e gr a m s of

c r a c k c oc a i ne a nd c oc a i ne hy dr oc hl or i de , 21 U . S . C . § 846; ( 2) a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng the di s tr i but i on of f i ve or m or e gr a m s of

c r a c k c oc a i ne , 18 U . S . C . § 2; 21 U . S . C . §§ 841( a ) , ( b) ( 1) ( B ) ( i i i ) ; ( 3) a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng the di s tr i but i on of ade t e c t abl e a m ountof

c oc a i ne hy dr oc hl or i de , 18 U . S . C . § 2; 21 U . S . C . §§ 841( a ) , ( b) ( 1) ( C ) ; ( 4) a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng the us i ng a nd c a rry i ng of af i r e a rm dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o, a nd pos s e s s i ng af

i r e a rm i n f

urthe r a nc e of

, adrug tr a f

f i c ki ng c r i m e , 18 U . S . C . §§ 2, 924( c ) ; a nd ( 5) pos s e s s i on of f i r e a rm s a nd a m m uni t i on a s ac onvi c t e d f e l on, 18 U .S .C . § § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) , 9 2 4 ( a ) ( 2 ) , ( e ) ( 1 ) . H o lm e s p le a d e d n o t g u iltyto th e c h a r g e s . T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt is s u e d as c h e d u lin g o r d e rth a t r e q u ir e d th e g o v e rn m e n t to d is c lo s e e v id e n c e it in te n d e d to in tr o d u c e u n d e rF e d e r a l R u le o f E v id e n c e 4 0 4 ( b ) . T hatsam e day , the go vernm entprepare d a l ett eraddres se d t o H ol m es and att ac hed di sc ov ery m at er i al s and copi es of three po l i ce i nci dentre po rt s thatdo cum ent ed of f e ns e s r e port e d orw i tne s s e d byH ol m e s a nd l i s t e d H ol m e s ’ s r e s i de nc e a s 2426 S t on e S tre et . H ol m es l at erfi l ed a m ot i on i n l i m i ne t o excl ud e the re po rt s, w hi ch the di s tr i c tc ourtde ni e d. A ttri al , A gentR usse l l B ae r w i th the D rug E nforcement A gency t es t i fi ed as a n e xpe rti n the c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s of drug tr a f

f i c ki ng. A ge ntB a e re xpl a i ne d tha tdrug tr a f f i c ke r s or di na r i l ypos s e s s m ul t i pl e type s of i l l e ga l drugs , do notus e the5

su b stan ce s, an d u se fire ar m s to p ro tect th e d ru g s a n d p ro fits. In th e a g en t’ s op i ni on , the pi ctures of the C row n R oyal bag and i t s c on t ent s provi ded a “ cl ear i ndi c a t i on” tha tc r a c k c oc a i ne w a s be i ng s ol d f r om the S t one S tr e e tr e s i de nc e a nd th e d ru g s w e r e in “d is tr ib u tio n q u a n titie s .” J ohns on a dm i tt e d hi s i nvol ve m e nt . H e t e s t i f i e d tha tH ol m e s di r e c t e d the drug ope r a t i on a nd s a l e s w e r e c onduc t e d a ta l l hour s thr ough the ba c k doorof the r e s i de nc e . J ohns on e xpl a i ne d tha tH ol m e s ’ s l i ve - i n gi r l f r i e nd c ontr ol l e d the drugs a n d c a s h w h e n H o lm e s w a s ab s e n t. O n th e d a yth a t o f f ic e r s e x e c u te d th e w a rr a n t, H ol m e s l e f

tthe r e s i de nc e c a rry i ng agun, butr e turne d m om e nt s l a t e rbe c aus e he ha d a“ ba d f

e e l i ng. ” H ol m e s i ns truc t e d J ohns on a nd A nge l t o s t or e the guns a nd d ru g s in ac lo s e t. J ohns on a c know l e dge d on c r os s - e xa m i na t i on tha the w a s pr ovi di ng te s tim o n yin e x p e c ta tio n th a t h e w o u ld r e c e iv e am o r e le n ie n t s e n te n c e . W h ile i ncar ce ra t ed, John son t ol d h i s gi rl fr i end d uri ng a t el epho ne conv er sa t i on re corded by autho ri t i es thathe w as go i ng t o “ fuck [H ol m es ] up , ” he s ho ul d h ave a ss aul t ed H o lm e s , a n d h e h a d to “b e a t th e s e c h a r g e s [ .]” J o h n s o n s a id th a t h is c o m m e n ts m ean tth ath e w an t ed t o assau l tH o l m es p h ysi cal l y. H ol m es m ov ed for aj ud gm entof ac qu i tt al on al l coun t s, w hi ch the di stri ct courtdeni ed. T he j ury f ou nd H ol m es gu i l ty of a l l char ges. T he di stri ctcourt6

s e n te n c e d H o lm e s to 3 0 0 m o n th s o f im p r is o n m e n t. I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e appl ythr e e s t a nda r ds of r e vi e w i n thi s appe a l . W e r e vi e w de novo the d en i al o f a j u d g m en to f acq u i tt al , an d co n stru e th e ev i d en ce 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. U n ite d S ta te s v . B r o w n e , 5 0 5 F .3 d 1 2 2 9 , 1 2 5 3 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2007) . W e r e vi e w de c i s i ons aboutthe a dm i s s i bi l i tyof e vi de nc e f

orabus e of d iscr etio n an d re v er se th e d ec isio n o n ly if th e e rr o r a ff ec ted th e d ef

en d an t’ s s u b s ta n tia l r ig h ts . U n ite d S ta te s v . D e lg a d o , 3 2 1 F .3 d 1 3 3 8 , 1 3 4 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . W hen an i ss ue i s notpres erved for appeal , ou r r evi ew i s f or pl ai n err or. S ee U ni t ed S ta te s v . E d o u a r d , 4 8 5 F .3 d 1 3 2 4 , 1 3 4 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON H ol m e s m a ke s f

oura r gum e nt s on appe a l . F i r s t , H ol m e s c ha l l e nge s the de ni a l of hi s m ot i on f

oraj udgm e ntof

a c qui tt a l . S e c ond, H ol m e s a l l e ge s tha tthe a dm i s s i on of

pol i c e i nc i de ntr e port s vi ol a t e d R ul e 404( b) . T hi r d, he a tt a c ks the i ntr oduc t i on of

hi s i ndi c tm e ntbe c aus e i tm e nt i one d adrug qua nt i ty . F ourth, H ol m es chal l enges the adm i ss i on of a f ol ded d ol l arbi l l cont ai ni ng m ar i j uana that p o l i ce d i sco v ered o n H o l m es.

A . Su f f i ci en t E vi den ce Su

p p o rt s H o lm es’s C o n vi ct i o n s. H ol m e s ar gue s the r e i s i ns uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o s upporthi s c onvi c t i ons f or7

c o n s p ir a c y , th e d is tr ib u tio n o f p o w d e ra n d c r a c kc o c a in e , th e u s e o f f ir e a rm s in r e l a t i on t o drug tr a f

f i c ki ng, a nd hi s pos s e s s i on of f i r e a rm s a s ac onvi c t e d f e l on . W e a ff i rm a c hal l enge t o the suff i ci encyof the evi dence w hen “ a r ea sonabl e j ury coul d con cl ud e thatthe evi dence es t abl i shes gu i l tbeyond a r ea sonabl e dou bt . ” B r o w n e , 5 0 5 F .3 d a t 1 2 5 3 ( c itin g J a c k s o n v . V ir g in ia , 4 4 3 U .S . 3 0 7 , 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. 2781, 2789 ( 1979) ) . T ha ts t a nda r d “ doe s notr e qui r e tha tthe e vi de nc e be in c o n s is te n t w ith ‘e v e ryr e a s o n ab le h yp o th e s is e x c e p t g u ilt’” a n d r e c o g n iz e s th a t a j u ryi s “ ‘ f

r e e t o c h o o s e b e twe e n o ra m o n g th e r e a s o n ab l e c o n c l u s i o n s t o b e d r a wn f r om the e vi de nc e . ’ ” I d. ( quot i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S t a rr e tt , 55 F . 3d 1525, 1541 (11th C i r. 19 95 )) . S uffi ci entevi dence es t abl i shes H ol m es ’ s i nv ol vem enti n the cr i m i nal ac t i vi ty. S ee 21 U . S . C . § 8 46 . S urvei l l ance at24 26 S t on e S tre etes t abl i shed H ol m es ’ s r egul arpres ence atthe re si dence. W hi l e H ol m es w as pres ent , there w er e num e r ous tr a ns a c t i ons a tthe ba c k doortha ti nvol ve d the e xc ha nge of c a s h a nd a s ubs t a nc e tha tappe a r e d t o be c r a c k c oc a i ne . T he ope r a t i on w a s s ophi s t i c a t e d a nd e m pl oy e d c ount e r - s urve i l l a nc e t e c hni que s , i nc l udi ng “ l ookout s ” w ho co m m u n i cat ed b y tw o -w ay rad i o an d cam era secu ri ty. John son, w ho adm i tt ed i nv ol vem enti n the drug op er at i on , t es t i fi ed that H ol m e s l i ve d i n the S t one S tr e e tr e s i de nc e , ow ne d a nd di r e c t e d the drug ope r a t i on,8

and thatH ol m es ’ s gi rl fr i end A ng el l i ved atthe re si dence. John son t es t i fi ed that H ol m es i nstruct ed John son and A ng el t o con ce al the w eapo ns and d rugs before e x e c u tio n o f

th e s e a r c h w a rr a n t. J o h n s o n ’s te s tim o n yw a s c o n s is te n t w ith c o mme n t s H o l me s ma d e d u r i n g ar e c o r d e d j a i l c o n v e r s a t i o n th a th e b e c a me s us pi c i ous w he n he s a w “ c r a c ke r s ” t a l ki ng t o hi s l ookout s , di r e c t e d s om e one i n the hous e t o “ c l e a n up, ” a nd pl a nne d t o f i r e hi s l ookout s w he n he w a s r e l e a s e d f r om j ai l . John son’ s t es t i m on y w as no t“ un bel i evabl e on i t s f ac e, ” and i t s ver ac i ty w as a n i s s ue f

orthe j uryt o r e s ol ve . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. G a r c i a , 405 F . 3d 1260, 1270 (11th C i r. 20 05 ) ( qu ot i ng U ni t ed S t at es v. R i vera , 77 5 F . 2d 15 59 , 15 61 (11th C i r. 19 85 )) . P hysi ca l evi dence al so supp ort s H ol m es ’ s c on vi ct i on s f or drug re l at ed offe nses . W hen o ff

i ce rs exec ut ed the se ar ch w arrant , they di sc ov er ed bo th p ow der a n d c r a c kc o c a in e , d ru g p a r ap h e rn a lia , a n d e v id e n c e th a t th e s to v e w a s u s e d to

“ c ook” c r a c k c oc a i ne . T he pr e s e nc e of drugs a nd w e apons s upport s the f i ndi ng tha tH ol m e s ’ s r e s i de nc e w a s be i ng us e d t o c onduc tdrug tr a f f i c ki ng. B a s e d on the us e of H ol m e s ’ s r e s i de nc e a nd hi s dom i ni on a nd c ontr ol ove rthe drug ope r a t i on, the j ury had suff

i ci entevi dence t o fi nd thatH ol m es w as i nv ol ved i n a conspi ra cy t o di s tr i but e pow de ra nd c r a c k c oc a i ne . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M ol i na , 443 F . 3d 82 4, 82 8– 29 (11th C i r. 20 06 ).9

A m pl e e vi dence al so supp ort s H ol m es ’ s c on vi ct i on s f or po ss es si on of a f i r e a rm i n f

u rth e r a n c e o f

h i s d ru g c r i me s a n d a s ac o n v i c t e d f e l o n . Se e 1 8 U . S. C. §§ 2, 922( g) ( 1) , 924( a ) ( 2) , ( c ) , ( e ) ( 1) . T he pol i c e s e i z e d s e ve r a l f i r e a rm s i ns i de H o lm e s ’s r e s id e n c e . A lth o u g h H o lm e s w a s n o t h o ld in g aw e ap o n a t th e tim e o f h is a rr e s t , hi s c ontr ol ove rthe S t one S tr e e tr e s i de nc e e s t abl i s he d hi s c ons truc t i ve po ss es si on of the fi re arm s and hi s gui l tfor posse ss i on of a w eapo n as afe l on . S ee U ni t e d S t a t e s v. G l ove r , 431 F . 3d 744, 748 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ; s e e a l s o M ol i na , 443 F .3 d a t 8 2 9 . T h e n u m b e ro f w e ap o n s , th e irp r e s e n c e in th e liv in g r o o m , a n d th e ir p r o x im ityto th e d ru g s a n d p a r ap h e rn a liae s tab lis h e d th a t th e yw e r e b e in g u s e d “in furtherance” of H ol m es ’ s drug o pera t i on . S ee 18 U . S . C . § 9 24 (c )( 1)(A ); M ol i na, 443 F . 3d a t829.

B . T h e D istri ct

C o u rt D i d N o t A dm i t th e P o l i ce R ep o rt

s. H ol m e s ar gue s tw o a l l e ge d e rr or s aboutthe us e of thr e e pol i c e i nc i de nt r e port s . F i r s t , H ol m e s c ont e nds tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourts houl d ha ve e xc l ude d the r e p o rts b e c au s e th e yw e r e d is c lo s e d a f te re x p ir a tio n o f

th e d is c o v e ryd e a d lin e . S e c ond, H ol m e s a r gue s tha tthe pol i c e r e port s c ont a i ne d he a r s a ya nd s houl d ha ve been excl ud ed un der F eder al R ul es of E vi dence 403 and 4 04 (b). T h e r e c o r d e s tab lis h e s th a t n o e rr o ro c c u rr e d r e g a r d in g th e p o lic e r e p o rts . T he go vernm entm ai l ed H ol m es a c op y of the i nci dentre po rt s on the sa m e daythat10

th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e n te r e d its s c h e d u lin g o r d e r , s o n o d is c o v e ryv io la tio n o c c u rr e d . I n a ddi t i on, the pol i c e r e port s w e r e nota dm i tt e d i nt o e vi de nc e . S e e E doua r d, 485 F . 3d a t1343. C . T

h e D r u gQ u a n tities B e lo n g e d in H o lm e s ’s I n d ic tm e n t. H ol m es ar gu es , for the fi rs tt i m e on app ea l , thatdrug qu ant i t i es w er e e rr one ous l ym e nt i one d i n the c ons pi r a c yand di s tr i but i on c ount s of hi s i ndi c tm e nt a n d , w h e n r e a d to th e ju ry , “u n f a ir lyp r e ju d ic e d ” h im . T h is a r g u m e n t f a ils . H ol m e s c i t e s no author i tyt o s upporthi s a r gum e nttha tthe m e nt i on of drug qua nt i t i e s i n hi s i ndi c tm e ntvi ol a t e d hi s r i ght s , s o no pl a i n e rr oroc c urr e d. D . T he M ari j ua na D isc over ed i n Holm es ’s P ocke t W as A dm iss i bl e. H ol m e s ha s note s t abl i s he d tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtabus e d i t s br oa d di s c r e t i on bya dm i tt i ng the m a r i

j ua nai nt o e vi de nc e . H ol m e s ’ s pos s e s s i on of m a r i j ua na i m m edi at el y a ft erthe po l i ce ob se rved hi m di sc ar d o ther drug evi dence concea l ed i n ac i ga r e tt e pa c ka ge w a s pr oba t i ve of hi s c onne c t i on t o the drugs and the w e apons di s c ove r e d i n hi s hom e a nd notundul ypr e j udi c i a l . “ [ E ] vi de nc e of c r im in a l a c tiv ityo th e rth a n th e c h a r g e d o f f e n s e is n o t ‘e x tr in s ic ’ u n d e rR u le 40 4(b), and thu s f

al l s out si de the sc op e of the R ul e, w hen i ti s ‘ (1) an u ncharged of f e ns e w hi c h a r os e outof the s a m e tr a ns a c t i on ors e r i e s of tr a ns a c t i ons a s the c ha r ge d of

f e ns e , ( 2) ne c e s s a ryt o c om pl e t e the s t oryof the c r i m e , or( 3)11

in ex tricab ly in tertw in ed w ith th e e v id en ce re g ar d in g th e c h ar g ed o ff en se .’ ” E doua r d, 485 F . 3d a t1344 ( quot i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B a ke r , 432 F . 3d 1189, 1205 n. 9 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ) . T he m a r i j ua nae vi de nc e s qua r e l yf i t s i nt o thi s e xc e pt i on be c aus e the s e i z ur e oc c urr e d w he n of f i c e r s e xe c ut e d the s e a r c h w a rr a nton H o lm e s ’s r e s id e n c e . I V . CONCL US I ON H ol m es ’ s c on vi ct i on s are A FFI R M ED .