Opinion ID: 676098
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Propriety of Conspiracy Instruction

Text: 46 When charging the jury on Count I of the indictment, the district court followed our pattern instruction Sec. 5.11, and stated that [i]n determining whether the alleged conspiracy existed, and whether a particular defendant became a member of the conspiracy, you may consider the actions and statements of all the alleged participants. The agreement may be inferred from all the circumstances and the conduct of all the alleged participants. The instruction further stated that [i]n determining whether a particular defendant became a member of the conspiracy you may consider only the acts and statements of that particular defendant. Espino argues that this instruction was erroneous because the district court failed to instruct the jury that they were not to consider the testimony of Lafayette Grady, Anthony Glapa, and Senovio Rodriguez, which pointed to Espino as the source of the cocaine, in deciding whether Espino joined the conspiracy. Because Espino did not object to the jury instruction at trial pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 30, 4 he has waived the argument, 5 and the plain error rule does not apply. Lakich, 23 F.3d at 1207-08. 47 Even if the court were to apply a plain error analysis, Espino would not be entitled to relief. In United States v. Martinez de Ortiz, 907 F.2d 629 (7th Cir.1990) (en banc), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1029, 111 S.Ct. 684, 112 L.Ed.2d 676 (1991), we ruled that this circuit's pattern instruction Sec. 5.11 was misleading because, in light of Fed.R.Evid. 104 and Bourjaily v. United States, 483 U.S. 171, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987), the jury was allowed to consider declarations of co-conspirators against the defendant. 907 F.2d at 633-34. While the jury instruction in this case misstated the law, it worked to Espino's advantage by preventing the jury from considering incriminating evidence of his participation in the conspiracy. Martinez de Ortiz, 907 F.2d at 635; United States v. Brown, 940 F.2d 1090, 1094 (7th Cir.1991). In addition, the district court's instructions requiring that Espino wilfully participate in the conspiracy, that the jury give separate consideration to each defendant, and that the jury consider the witnesses' testimony with caution and great care, indicated to the jurors that they should focus on whether Espino's acts and words established his involvement in the conspiracy. United States v. Goines, 988 F.2d 750, 773 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 241, 126 L.Ed.2d 195 (1993). Consequently, no plain error resulted from the use of this instruction. 6