Opinion ID: 540010
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence Concerning an Uncharged Homicide.

Text: 180 Flores claims that the district court committed reversible error by improperly admitting into evidence taped conversations in which Flores discussed a drug-related murder that occurred in the neighborhood of Flores' apartment. Flores also contends that the prejudice was compounded when the prosecution referred to the taped conversations in its cross-examination of Raymond Rivera, a defense witness called by D. Rivera, and in its rebuttal summation. 181 We find no merit in these contentions. Fourteen of the taped conversations offered by the government as evidence concern discussions Flores had with Santiago, Arcelay, L. Rivera, Manuel Vazquez (an indicted defendant who pleaded guilty, see supra note 2), Raymond Rivera, a person named Mario, and one or more additional unidentified males concerning the homicide in question. The conversations reveal that the killing occurred in the course of a narcotics transaction, that the incident involved, in Flores' view, both employees and friends of his, and that Flores intended to arrange bail for one Carlos who was ultimately arrested and charged with the homicide. The district court specifically instructed the jury that no defendant was charged with the homicide, stating: 182 There is no allegation in this case that any defendant on trial here or any other defendant involved that you may find to be associated with any of these defendants in this case was involved in this incident, but it is necessary to present this incident in order to give factual background that may have some relevance to a determination that you make....So there is no allegation of homicide in this case against any of these defendants. 183 The evidence was relevant as background information concerning the Torres Organization and the narcotics conspiracy, and especially concerning Flores' role in both, and the court's limiting instruction was a sufficient safeguard against impermissible prejudice. See United States v. Moon, 718 F.2d 1210, 1232 (2d Cir.1983), cert. denied, 466 U.S. 971, 104 S.Ct. 2344, 80 L.Ed.2d 818 (1984). Furthermore, the defense never made an application to exclude or redact the tapes before trial, even though they were given two months notice that the government intended to use the tapes at trial. The only objection arose when the officer who investigated the shooting was called as a witness, at which juncture the defense requested a stipulation that the sales location was inaccessible during the murder investigation, in lieu of admitting the officer's testimony. The district court responded that the numerous tapes which discussed the homicide were already in evidence, rendering the proposed stipulation pointless. 184 Nor was the use of this evidence during the government's cross-examination of Raymond Rivera impermissible. Rivera had maintained on direct examination that he knew Flores only casually, and the government properly inquired concerning the implication of a more intimate relationship arising from their taped conversation concerning the homicide. Especially since the scope and extent of cross-examination are generally within the sound discretion of the trial court, United States v. Pedroza, 750 F.2d 187, 195 (2d Cir.1984), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 842, 107 S.Ct. 151, 93 L.Ed.2d 92 (1986), we see no reversible error here. 185 Finally, the government's rebuttal summation properly referred to these conversations to rebut Flores' contention, in summation, that Flores was subservient to one Mario, a nondefendant with whom Flores discussed the homicide in one of the taped conversations. Flores was attempting to establish that Flores answered to Mario within the Torres Organization and the narcotics conspiracy. In view of the section 848 charges against Flores, the government was clearly entitled to respond. 186