Opinion ID: 604198
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Chan's Statement

Text: 25 At trial Royal Hong Kong Police Officer Ng, who took Chan's statements, testified that Chan had said that he sent the shipment of heroin to Bea Kea Hong Imports. Over defense counsel's objection, the prosecution introduced Chan's handwritten note indicating that the shipment was going to Bea Kea Hong Imports, 1301 South Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, California. Chan never took the stand, and the court instructed the jury that these statements were only admissible against Chan. Hoac argues that the admission of this evidence violated his Sixth Amendment right of confrontation under Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968). Alleged Bruton violations are reviewed de novo. Herd v. Kincheloe, 800 F.2d 1526, 1529 (9th Cir.1986). 26 In Bruton, the Supreme Court held that the introduction of a nontestifying codefendant's confession violates a defendant's Sixth Amendment right of confrontation, even if the judge instructs the jury that the confession is admissible only against the nontestifying codefendant. Bruton, 391 U.S. at 135-36, 88 S.Ct. at 1627-28. In Richardson v. Marsh, 481 U.S. 200, 107 S.Ct. 1702, 95 L.Ed.2d 176 (1987), the Court limited Bruton to confessions that are facially incriminating, reasoning: 27 [I]n this case the confession was not incriminating on its face, and became so only when linked with evidence introduced later at trial (the defendant's own testimony). 28 Where the necessity of such linkage is involved, it is a less valid generalization that the jury will not likely obey the instruction to disregard the evidence. Specific testimony that the defendant helped me commit the crime is more vivid than inferential incrimination, and hence more difficult to be thrust out of mind. 29 Id. 481 U.S. at 208, 107 S.Ct. at 1707 (footnote omitted). In accordance with Richardson, this court has held that a codefendant's statement that does not incriminate the defendant unless linked with other evidence introduced at trial does not violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment rights. United States v. Sherlock, 865 F.2d 1069, 1080 (9th Cir.1989), amended, 962 F.2d 1349 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 419, 121 L.Ed.2d 342 (1992). 30 In this case, Chan's confession and note never mentioned Hoac by name; rather, they revealed that Chan shipped the lychee nuts to a certain address in Alhambra, California, which address was linked to Hoac by other evidence. Moreover, the confession and note were not incriminating even when such linkage was established. Hoac never contested that he received the shipment of lychee nuts, but only contended that he was unaware of the contents; Chan's statements led to no inference that Hoac had knowledge of the heroin. Under Richardson, the introduction of Chan's statements was not a violation of Hoac's Sixth Amendment rights.