Opinion ID: 492031
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Nersesian

Text: 89 Count Nine of the indictment charged Basil Cannata and Murad Nersesian with distribution and possession with intent to distribute approximately 1300 grams of heroin on or about June 1984, in violation of 21 U.S.C. Secs. 812 and 841. Toward the beginning of trial, Basil Cannata testified for the government that he delivered 1300 grams to Nersesian in Arthursburg, New York. Cannata also testified that he thought the delivery took place in the first week of July, when he was preparing to go to Florida with his wife. Later, Cannata was recalled as a defense witness and testified that he had been going to Florida regularly for twenty years but did not recall exactly when in the summer of 1984 he had gone there or exactly when the delivery of heroin had occurred but that the transaction had taken place at the time he was preparing to leave for Florida. The defense, in an attempt to impeach Cannata's testimony, introduced by stipulation records from the hotel where Cannata had stayed while in Florida which showed that the dates of his visit were from August 18 until September 3, 1984. The hotel had no record that Cannata and his wife stayed there in July 1984. In summation, the government argued that given the uncertainty with which Cannata remembered dates, and the hotel records, the actual date of the heroin delivery to Nersesian may have been in July or perhaps even early August. 90 Nersesian claims on this appeal that the government's argument in summation came as a complete surprise and amounted to a prejudicial variance from the June date charged in the indictment. First, we note that the indictment used the words on or about June 1984. Where on or about language is used, the government is not required to prove the exact date, if a date reasonably near is established. United States v. Grapp, 653 F.2d 189, 195 (5th Cir.1981). This is especially true where, as here, the exact time when an offense was committed is not an essential element of the offense charged. See United States v. Weiss, 752 F.2d 777, 787 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 944, 106 S.Ct. 308, 88 L.Ed.2d 285 (1985). In our view, the government's argument that the date of the actual transaction was possibly July or early August was not an improper material variance from the on or about June 1984 date charged in the indictment. 91 Moreover, any variance between the indictment and the proof does not mandate reversal absent a showing that the variance caused substantial prejudice to the appellant. Id. at 790. Appellant's claim of surprise is belied by what actually transpired at trial. Cannata's testimony for the government linked the Arthursburg drug transaction to his Florida visit which he thought occurred in July. Seeking to impeach Cannata's testimony, Nersesian's counsel examined Cannata at length about the subject transaction and introduced hotel records to show that Cannata's visit had not really occurred until August. The defense properly argued that the hotel records suggested that Cannata was not a credible witness. On the other hand, the government properly argued that the records fundamentally corroborated Cannata's testimony. Nersesian cannot now claim surprise after his counsel demonstrated his awareness of the alleged Arthursburg drug transaction and presented a defense to it.