2010 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 5-12-2010 

# U SA v . Mitchell Franc i s P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 09-2492

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2010

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

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. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2010 D e c i sion s b y an authori z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " U SA v . Mit chell F r anc i s " (2010). 2010 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1356. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2010/1356NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS FOR TH E THI RD CI RCU I T

_____________ N o. 09- 2492

_____________ UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. M I TC H ELL FRA N CI S, A ppel l ant

_______________ O n A pp eal from the D i stri ctC ou rtof the V i rgi n Isl and s

( D . C . N o. 08- cr - 007) D i s tr i ctJ udge: C ur t i s V . G om ez

_______________ Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ay7, 2010 B e f o re : S M IT H , C H A G A R E S a n d J O R D A N , C i r cui t Judges . ( Fi l ed: M ay12, 2010)

_______________ OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

_______________ J O R D A N , C i r cui tJudge . M i t chel l Fr anci s appea l s fr om a j udgm entof convi ct i on ent er ed aga i ns thi m byt he D istric t C o u rt o f

th e V irg in Isla n d s o f

th e U n ited S tate s f

o r c o n sp ira c yto p o ss e ss w ith i nt entt o di s tr i but e coc ai ne and pos s es s i on w i th i nt entt o di s tr i but e coc ai ne, i n vi ol at i on of 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 6 a n d 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 1 (a )(1 ) a n d (b )(1 )(A )(ii)(II). F ra n c is a rg u e s th a t h is2

convi ct i on m us tbe overturned bec aus e the governm entfai l ed t o pr es ents uffi ci ent e v id e n c e f

o r a ra tio n a l ju ry to f

in d h im g u ilty o f

th e c h a rg e s b e y o n d a re a s o n a b le d o u b t. F o r t h e f o llo w in g re a s o n s , w e w ill a f f ir m . I . Backg r ound I n FebruaryorM ar ch of 2006, Fr anci s and an uni dent i fi ed co- cons pi r at or appr oache d R aym ond Pet er s en, a l i cens ed boatcapt ai n, forthe purpos e of tr ans por t i ng coca i ne. Fr anci s expl ai ned thathe and hi s as s oci at e i nt ended t o br i ng 400 ki l ogr ams of coca i ne fr om ei therV enez uel a orT r i ni dad bac k t o the U . S. V i r gi n I s l ands , and they neede d a capt ai n and a boa t . A tthe t i m e, how ever , none of the men had acc es s t o a boat th a t w a s c a p a b le o f

m a k in g th e v o y a g e , an d th e p lan w a s n e v e r e x e c u ted . A f ter th is in iti a l en c o u n ter , P e ter se n m e t w ith D ru g E n f o rc e m e n t A d m in istra tio n (“ D E A ” ) a g e n ts to expl ai n the s i tuat i on. Pet er s en al s o ent er ed i nt o a conf i dent i al s our ce a gr eementw i th t he D E A and agr eed t o as s i s tthe D E A i n thei reff or t s t o i dent i fy , captur e, and arr es tany one in v o lv e d in th e tr a f

f ic k in g o f c o c a in e . T h e re a f ter , P e ter se n w a s a p p ro a c h e d b yF ra n c is o n c e a g a in a b o u t ca p tain in g a sh ip f o r th e p u rp o se o f

tra f f ick in g c o c a in e . T h is tim e , F ra n c is w a n ted P e ter se n to h e lp tra n sp o rt 3 0 0 k ilo g ra m s o f c o c a in e f

ro m th e isla n d o f

D o m in ica in to th e U .S . V irg in I s l ands . A gentE r i c Lee of the D E A i nform ed Pet er s en thatthe governm entcoul d not g u a ra n tee h is s a f

e tyo n c e h e lef

t th e c o u n trya n d a d v ise d P e ter se n to tell F ra n c is h e c o u ld n o tm a k e th e tr i p t o D o m i n i c a d u e t o b a d w e a th e rc o n d i t i o n s , w h i c h h e d i d . A f e w d a ys3

l at er , Fr anci s i nform ed Pet er s en thathe had a rr anged f orthe coc ai ne t o be s hi pped fr om D o m in ica to T o rto la b u t th a t h e n e e d e d P e ter se n to o b tain a b o a t an d tak e h im to T o rto la to re tr ie v e th e c o c a in e . Fi nal l y , on t he morni ng of D ece m ber15, 2007, Fr anci s i nform ed Pet er s en thatt he s hi pm entof coc ai ne had a r r i ved i n T or t ol a and thati tneede d t o be pi cked up that m orni ng. Pet er s en agr eed t o t ake Fr anci s t o the i s l and of Tor t ol a i n a boatow ned by Pet er s en’ s empl oy er , and the tw o m en agr eed t o m eetatthe A m er i can Y achtH arboron St . T hom as . O n hi s w ayt o t he A m er i can Y achtH arbor , Pet er s en ca l l ed A gentL ee w ho i ns truct ed Pet er s en t o t r ans por tFr anci s t o T or t ol a and pi ck up the drugs . Pet er s en met Fr anci s atE D ock atthe harbor , and the tw o pr ocee ded t o T or t ol a. A s theyw er e exi t i ng the harbor , Fr anci s l aydow n on the l efts i de of the boatt o avoi d bei ng s een bythe fue l dock att endant . A ft erthe boatpas s ed the fue l bar ge, Fr anci s s t ood up and r emai ned s t andi ng unt i l Pet er s en and Fr anci s arr i ved atthe w es tend portof Tort ol a. A ft erarr i vi ng i n T or t ol a, Fr anci s and Pet er s en meta vehi cl e fr om w hi ch Fr anci s col l ect ed tw o boxes c o n ta in in g c o c a in e . A s Fr anci s and Pet er s en hea ded bac k t o St . T hom as w i th the coc ai ne on boar d, Pet er s en pr et ended t o cal l hi s bos s on hi s cel l phone butactual l ycal l ed A gentL ee a nd t ol d hi m w her e theyw oul d arr i ve i n the harbor . A bout20 t o 25 m i nut es l at er , Fr anci s and Pet er s en arr i ved atthe A m er i can Y achtH arbor , and, once a gai n, upon ent er i ng the h a rb o r, F ra n c is la yd o w n o n th e d e c k o f th e b o a t, th is tim e o n th e rig h t sid e o f th e v e ss e l,4

t o avoi d bei ng s een bythe fue l dock att endant . A ft erarr i vi ng atE D ock, Fr anci s and Pet er s en bega n offl oadi ng the boxes of coc ai ne, butj us tas Pet er s en w as aboutt o hand F ra n c is o n e o f

th e b o x e s, F ra n c is s p o tted th re e C u sto m s a n d B o rd e r P ro tec tio n a g e n ts w a lk in g to w a rd s th e ir lo c a tio n a n d in stru c ted P e ter se n to p u t th e b o x e s b a c k o n th e b o a t, w h ich P e ter se n d id . P e ter se n th e n d ro v e th e b o a t to A D o c k a n d c a lled A g e n t L e e , w h ile Fr anci s appr oache d t he C us t om s agent s . A gentL ee i ns truct ed Pet er s en t o t ake the drugs off the boatand pl ace them bya nea rbyfl agpol e. Pet er s en pl ace d the boxes bya s oda m a c h in e , h o w e v e r, b e c a u se th e re w a s a p e rso n sittin g n e x t to th e f lag p o le. A g e n ts m a in ta in e d s u rv e illa n c e o n th e b o x e s a s th e ys a t n e x t to th e s o d a m a c h in e . Fr anci s w as ques t i oned bythe C us t om s and B or derPr ot ect i on agent s butw as eventual l yal l ow ed t o cont i nue on hi s w ay . H e then appr oache d A t i ba B r athw ai t e, an empl oy ee a tA m er i can Y achtH arbor , and as ked B r athw ai t e t o s ecur e both boxes cont ai ni ng the coc ai ne i n t he fue l s hed atthe harbor . A s B r athw ai t e bega n cart i ng the b o x e s a w a yf

ro m th e so d a m a c h in e a n d to w a rd s th e f u e l p u m p s, D E A a g e n ts s to p p e d h im and s ei zed the boxes of coc ai ne. T he boxes w er e t aken ba ck t o the D E A ’ s St . T hom as o f f ic e to b e te s te d a n d w e re f o u n d to c o n ta in c o c a in e . Fr anci s w as arr es t ed on the morni ng of J anuary15, 2008. A j urytr i al comm ence d on J anuary8, 2009. A tthe cl os e of e vi dence , Fr anci s m ade a n or al m ot i on forj udgm ent of ac qui t t al underR ul e 29 of the Feder al R ul es of C r i m i nal Pr ocedur e, ar gui ng thatthe g o v e rn m e n t f

a iled to p re se n t su f

f icie n t ev id e n c e f

o r a ra tio n a l ju ryto f

in d h im g u iltyT he D i s tr i ctC our thad j ur i s di ct i on pur s uantt o 48 U . S. C . § 1612( a) . W e have 1 ju ri s d ic tio n p u rs u a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1 . 5 bey ond a r eas onabl e doubt . T he D i s tr i ctC our tdeni ed the mot i on, hol di ng that , gi vi ng t he g o v e rn m e n t all f

a v o ra b le in f

e re n c e s a n d v iew in g th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o st f a v o ra b le to th e g o v e rn m e n t, a re a so n a b le ju ro r c o u ld f in d F ra n c is g u iltyb e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t. O n Ja n u a ry9 , 2 0 0 9 , h e w a s f o u n d g u iltyo f

c o n sp ira c yto p o ss e ss w ith in ten t to d istrib u te c o c a in e in v io latio n o f 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 6 a n d w ith p o ss e ss io n w ith in ten t to d istrib u te c o c a in e in v io latio n o f 2 1 U .S .C . § § 8 4 1 (a )(1 ) a n d (b )(1 )(A )(ii)(II). F ra n c is f ile d a tim e ly n o tic e o f

a p p e a l o n M a y1 5 , 2 0 0 9 . I I . D i s cus s i on 1 “W e a p p lya p arti cu larl yd ef ere n ti al st an d ard o f re v iew w h en d ec iding w h ethe r a j uryver di ctr es t s on l egal l ys uffi ci entevi dence . ” U ni t ed Stat es v. D ent , 149 F. 3d 180, 187 ( 3d C i r . 1998) . W e mustvi ew the evi dence i n the l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o the governm entand s us t ai n t he ver di cti f “a nyr at i onal tr i erof fa ctcoul d have f ound the es s ent i al el ement s of the cr i m e bey ond a r eas onabl e doubt . ” I d. (c ita tio n s o m itte d ). T hus , w e have s ai d t hat“a c l ai m of i ns uffi ci encyof the evi dence pl ace s a veryheavy bur den on an appel l ant . ” U ni t ed Stat es v. G onz al ez , 918 F. 2d 1129, 1132 ( 3d C i r . 1990) (c ita tio n o m itte d ). F ra n c is w a s f

o u n d g u iltyo f

b o th c o n sp ira c yto p o ss e ss w ith in ten t to d istrib u te coca i ne and pos s es s i on w i th i nt entt o di s tr i but e. Poss es s i on m aybe ei theractual or c o n s tru c tiv e . U

ni t ed Stat es v. C r i

ppen , 4 5 9 F .2 d 1 3 8 7 , 1 3 8 8 (3 d C ir . 1 9 7 2 ).6

“ C o n stru c tiv e p o ss e ss io n m a yb e f o u n d if th e c o n stru c tiv e p o ss e ss o r h a d th e p o w e r to exer ci s e domi ni on and contr ol overthe contr ol l ed s ubs t ance . ” I d. T o s us t ai n a convi ct i on forcons pi r acy , the governm entm us tes t abl i s h: ( 1) a uni tyof purpos e betw een th e a lleg e d c o n sp ira to rs, (2 ) a n in ten t to a c h iev e a c o m m o n g o a l, an d (3 ) a n a g re e m e n t to w o rk to g e th e r t o w a rd th a t g o a l. U ni t ed Stat es v. G i bbs , 1 9 0 F . 3 d 1 8 8 , 1 9 7 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 9 ). T h e e le m e n ts o f

a c o n s p ir a c ym a yb e p ro v e n e n tir e ly w ith c ir c u m s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . U n itedS ta tes v . B ro d ie , 403 F. 3d 123, 134 ( 3d C i r . 2005) . Fur therm or e, “[i ] n conduct i ng the s u ff ici en cyinq u iry , w e d o n o t view the g o v ern m en t’ s ev iden ce in isolati o n , b u t r athe r, i n conj unct i on and as a w hol e. ” Id . W e mustdet erm i ne “w hetheral l the pi ece s of e v id e n c e , tak e n to g e th e r, m a k e a stro n g e n o u g h c a se to let a ju ryf in d [ th e d e f

e n d a n t] gui l tybey ond a r eas onabl e doubt . ” Id . H er e, w hen vi ew ed i n t he l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o the governm ent , i ti s cl earthat the evi dence pr es ent ed attr i al w as s uffi ci entfora r at i onal tr i erof fa ctt o have f ound the e ss e n tial e lem e n ts o f

th e c rim e s b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t. A s P e ter se n tes tifie d a t trial, Fr anci s and an unknow n co- cons pi r at ori ni t i al l yappr oache d Pet er s en t o arr ange f orthe sh ip m e n t o f

c o c a in e f

ro m S o u th A m e ric a to S t. T h o m a s. A n d late r, w h e n F ra n c is appr oache d Pet er s en t o t r ans por ta s hi pm entof coc ai ne fr om D om i ni ca t o St . T hom as but Pet er s en r efus ed, Fr anci s arr anged f orthe drugs t o be s entt o T or t ol a and pr evai l ed on Pet er s en t o pi ck them up t her e. O n the morni ng of D ece m ber15, 2007, Pet er s en and F r a n c i s r e tr i e v e d th e c o c a i n e f r o m T o r t o l a a n d tr a n s p o r t e d i tb a c k t o S t . T h o ma s i n two7

b o x e s. P e ter se n ’s te stim o n yw a s c o rro b o ra ted b yB ra th w a ite, w h o tes tifie d th a t F ra n c is a s k e d h im to p la c e th e s a m e tw o b o x e s o f c o c a in e in th e f

u e l p u m p h o u s e a t th e m a ri n a . In su m , the g o v e rn m e n t p re se n ted m o re th a n a m p le e v id e n c e o f F ra n c is’s g u ilt , and Fr anci s has fai l ed t o m eethi s veryheavybur den of s how i ng thatno r at i onal tr i erof f a c t c o u ld h a v e f

o u n d th e e s s e n tia l e le m e n ts o f th e c ri m e s b e y o n d a re a s o n a b le d o u b t. I I I . C oncl usi on F o r t h e f o re g o in g re a s o n s , w e w ill a f f ir m th e ju d g m e n t o f

c o n v ic tio n .