Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/700/1232/117236/
Timestamp: 2020-02-22 20:53:58
Document Index: 496783543

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 1952', '§ 812', '§ 1952']

United States of America, Appellee, v. Ignacio Perez, Appellant.united States of America, Appellee, v. Luis Quintero, Appellant, 700 F.2d 1232 (8th Cir. 1983) :: Justia
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United States of America, Appellee, v. Ignacio Perez, Appellant.united States of America, Appellee, v. Luis Quintero, Appellant, 700 F.2d 1232 (8th Cir. 1983)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit - 700 F.2d 1232 (8th Cir. 1983) Submitted Dec. 14, 1982. Decided March 4, 1983
Ignacio Perez and Luis Quintero appeal their jury convictions for drug-related offenses. The jury convicted Perez of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a) (1) and 846 (1976), and of two counts of illegally distributing cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1) (1976). The jury convicted Quintero of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a) (1) and 846 (1976), illegally distributing cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1) (1976), and travelling in interstate commerce to promote the distribution of cocaine, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1952(a) (3) (1976). For the reasons outlined below, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand to the district court for a determination whether the illegal entry into the Perez home tainted certain evidence later seized pursuant to a search warrant.
The touchstone of a standing requirement to assert a fourth amendment challenge is whether the individual had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the area searched. Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128, 143, 99 S. Ct. 421, 430, 58 L. Ed. 2d 387 (1978); United States v. Salvucci, 448 U.S. 83, 100 S. Ct. 2547, 2553, 65 L. Ed. 2d 619 (1980). The Rakas decision indicates that the Supreme Court would now deny standing to a "casual visitor" to a house that is searched if the visitor has never been to a room searched, or was in the room only one minute before the search began. Rakas v. Illinois, supra, 439 U.S. at 142, 99 S. Ct. at 430.
The United States Supreme Court has long held that the rule of exigent circumstances provides the basis for a "few specifically established and well-delineated" exceptions to the warrant requirement. Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347, 357, 88 S. Ct. 507, 514, 19 L. Ed. 2d 576 (1967). The destruction of evidence has been used to justify warrantless searches of homes as an exigent circumstance. We have held that " [t]he presence of evidence reasonably believed to be in imminent danger of removal or destruction is well recognized as a circumstance which may permit immediate police action." United States v. Kulcsar, 586 F.2d 1283, 1287 (8th Cir. 1978). We have more recently stated that " [t]o justify a warrantless entry based on imminent destruction of evidence, factual circumstances must demonstrate a sufficient basis for an officer to believe somebody in the residence will likely destroy evidence." United States v. Beck, 662 F.2d 527, 530 (8th Cir. 1981).
In order to ascertain whether a warrantless entry was justified in this case, we must consider the total situation confronting the officers. After reviewing the record, it is evident to us that all the facts available to the police in this case did not justify a warrantless entry. The police had no evidence that Banados was involved in drug dealing, or that she knew or even had reason to know that Perez and Quintero had been arrested. For example, no evidence exists of a callback arrangement between Banados and Quintero or Perez.4 Moreover, the police obtained no evidence that Banados was planning on taking action to destroy any evidence in the house. The only fact the agents asserted to support their entry was their fear that evidence would be lost. Mere fear or apprehension alone that evidence will be destroyed will not justify a warrantless entry of a private home. An officer may not substitute hindsight for prior knowledge that a defendant or his associate is really in a position to destroy the evidence. See United States v. Levine, 500 F. Supp. 777, 780-81 (W.D.N.Y. 1980).
Perez and Quintero assert that the trial court erred in permitting testimony that trace amounts of substances recovered from items seized from the Perez house contained "cocaine" when the same witness conceded that he was unable to ascertain whether the "cocaine" present was a controlled substance within the meaning of the Drug Abuse Prevention Act, 21 U.S.C. § 812(c) (1976). The defendants note that there is a type of cocaine which is not a controlled substance, and thus not illegal to possess. They argue that, based on the testimony given, there is no way to know whether the substances gleaned from the exhibits were controlled substances.
Perez and Quintero also assert that the trial court failed to instruct the jury properly on the Government's burden in proving that a controlled substance was present. They argue that the trial court incorrectly defined the controlled substance, leaving the jury with a confusing and ambiguous charge. We hold that the district court correctly instructed the jury that L-cocaine was a controlled substance as a matter of law, and that it was the jury's decision as to whether the substances in question consisted of "L-cocaine."6 The trial court had earlier correctly instructed the jury that the Government must prove all elements of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial court therefore made a proper and sufficient charge to the jury on this issue. See United States v. Luschen, 614 F.2d 1164, 1169 n. 2 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 939, 100 S. Ct. 2161, 64 L. Ed. 2d 793 (1980).
Quintero argues that there is insufficient evidence to sustain his conviction under the Travel Act. A violation of the Travel Act requires proof of interstate travel or use of an interstate facility, with intent to promote an unlawful activity, and an overt act in furtherance of the unlawful act. 18 U.S.C. § 1952(a) (3).7 See also United States v. Tavelman, 650 F.2d 1133, 1138 (9th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 939, 102 S. Ct. 1429, 71 L. Ed. 2d 649 (1982); United States v. Wander, 601 F.2d 1251, 1258 (3d Cir. 1979). One isolated incidence of criminal activity, even though involving interstate commerce, is insufficient to sustain a Travel Act conviction. There must be evidence of a continuous enterprise and at least one act in interstate commerce in furtherance of that enterprise. United States v. Tavelman, supra, 650 F.2d at 1140; United States v. Donaway, 447 F.2d 940, 944 (9th Cir. 1971). See also United States v. Teemer, 214 F. Supp. 952, 958 (W.D.W.Va.1963) ("the Act was designed to attack an entrenched operation rather than a sporadic poker game or a floating crap game. No act of travel is to be deemed unlawful unless the enterprise is a continuing one * * *.").
In the case at bar, we hold that the evidence fails to show that Quintero engaged in a continuous course of conduct involving the distribution of cocaine. The best that can be said of the Government's evidence relevant to the travel count is that it established that Quintero had travelled to the United States from Venezuela on several occasions. The Government produced customs inspectors and submitted exhibits showing that Quintero made trips to the United States between November 1980, and August 1981. Although Jainchill gave testimony implicating Quintero in activity related to interstate transportation of narcotics, Jainchill based his testimony on alleged statements by Perez. The Government produced no direct evidence that Quintero brought drugs into the country on any specific occasion or brought drugs into the country as a continuous course of conduct. Without evidence of at least one prior cocaine transaction implicating Quintero, the Government could not establish a continuous course of conduct. A conviction under the Travel Act cannot, therefore, be sustained. Cf. United States v. Kaiser, 660 F.2d 724, 731 (9th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 956, 102 S. Ct. 1467, 71 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1982) (evidence of repeated sales of heroin was sufficient to establish a continuous course of criminal conduct for the purpose of Travel Act conviction). Accordingly, we reverse Quintero's conviction on the Travel Act count.
We reject Perez' and Quintero's assertion on this issue. In a proper case, government counsel may comment upon a defendant's failure to produce witnesses on impeachment matters. United States v. Thompson, 490 F.2d 1218, 1221 (8th Cir. 1974). In addition, the district court properly instructed the jury as to the Government's burden, noting that the law does not require a defendant to call witnesses on his behalf. Reviewing the record as a whole, we conclude that the prosecutor's statement in question did not prejudice the defendants' case.
The prosecutor's final argument also referred to police reports which were not introduced into evidence.8 To the extent that the argument related to matters not in evidence, the district court sustained the objection of defense counsel and subsequently instructed the jury that argument of counsel was not evidence. In the context of an eight-day trial, it can hardly be said that the comment in question had any real effect on Perez' and Quintero's right to a fair trial. We therefore reject their contention in this regard. Cf. United States v. Young, 634 F.2d 1136, 1139 (8th Cir. 1980) (prosecutor's reference during summation to items not in evidence held not prejudicial to defendant).