Opinion ID: 518397
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Evidence of Aiding and Abetting

Text: 42 Finally, we must examine whether there was sufficient evidence that Nusraty aided and abetted a principal in the possession of the heroin with intent to distribute or in the importation of the heroin. The jury was adequately instructed as to the charge of aiding and abetting with respect to Counts Two and Three, and so, drawing all inferences in favor of the government, we must examine whether the convictions can be sustained on these grounds. 43 As this court recently observed, to convict a defendant under a theory of aiding and abetting a crime the government must show, inter alia,  'that the person charged joined the venture, shared in it, and that his efforts contributed towards its success.'  Aiello, at 263 (quoting United States v. Wiley, 846 F.2d 150, 154 (2d Cir.1988); United States v. Zambrano, 776 F.2d 1091, 1097 (2d Cir.1985)). Like conspiracy, the offense of aiding and abetting requires that the defendant have knowingly involved himself in a criminal act. Though the offense of conspiracy requires that the defendant have agreed to a criminal act, and the crime of aiding and abetting the commission of a substantive offense requires that the defendant have furthered the criminal act, see Tyler, 758 F.2d at 70-71, a conviction for either of these crimes requires that the defendant have known a crime was to be committed, United States v. Gallishaw, 428 F.2d 760, 763 (2d Cir.1970). 44 As we have discussed above in relation to the appellant's conviction for conspiracy, the evidence here was insufficient to establish that Nusraty knew of the scheme to import the heroin. Similarly, the evidence could not support a conviction for aiding and abetting since there was not a sufficient showing that Nusraty knew of the commission of a substantive offense. As we noted in United States v. Mariani, 539 F.2d 915 (2d Cir.1976): 45 It is a basic principle of criminal law that to be convicted of aiding and abetting, more than mere presence at the scene is required. Rather, the defendant must be shown to have knowingly associated with and participated in the criminal venture in a manner designed to accomplish its goal. 46 Id. at 919; see United States v. Peoni, 100 F.2d 401, 402 (2d Cir.1938) (L. Hand, C.J.) (to be convicted of aiding and abetting, defendant must have had a purposive attitude towards the criminal venture). 47 The government's proof need not, of course, have been so strong as to exclude all possible inferences but those of guilt. United States v. Lubrano, 529 F.2d 633, 636 (2d Cir.1975), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 818, 97 S.Ct. 61, 50 L.Ed.2d 78 (1976). Nevertheless, for the reasons stated above, the key evidence against the appellant--that he was at the airport when Dr. Detrich arrived and joined him, and that he subsequently gave a false statement about his reasons for being there--does not warrant an inference that Nusraty knew he was involved in the commission of a crime to possess or to import drugs. See Wiley, 846 F.2d at 154 ( '[A] general suspicion or knowledge [of illegality is] ... not enough.'  (quoting Zambrano, 776 F.2d at 1097)).