Opinion ID: 382978
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Sufficiency of the Evidence

Text: 22 Appellant also alleges that the district court lacked jurisdiction over this case because there was no evidence to establish that either the agreement to conspire or an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy was committed within the United States. This issue has been decided adversely to the appellant. United States v. Ricardo, 619 F.2d 1124 (5th Cir. 1980). As regards 21 U.S.C. § 963, Ricardo held that (t)he fact that appellants intended the conspiracy to be consummated within the territorial boundaries satisfies jurisdictional requisites. Id., at 1129. See United States v. Perez-Herrera, 610 F.2d 289 (5th Cir. 1980) (Congress intended the crime of attempting to import a controlled substance into the United States, 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a) and 963, to reach exclusively extra-territorial conduct.) 23 Appellant next attacks the verdict on the ground that the evidence was insufficient to establish that he intended to import the marijuana into the United States. In considering appellant's sufficiency of the evidence arguments we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942). The test for sufficiency of the evidence is whether reasonable minds could conclude that the evidence is inconsistent with any reasonable hypothesis of the accused's innocence. United States v. Henderson, 588 F.2d 157 (5th Cir. 1979). 24 At trial only one witness addressed the issue of whether DeWeese intended to import the marijuana aboard the Cowboy into the United States. Commander Howard Gehring, who was qualified as an expert in navigation and oceanography, concluded that the Cowboy was en route to a United States port. Record, Vol. IV, at B-142. Gehring's opinion was based on the assumption that a prudent mariner would take advantage of ocean currents, weather, bottom topography, and tides. Id., at 111. The Cowboy had maintained two headings: 290 to 300 degrees, or northwest, and 340 degrees, or north-northwest. Gehring found that a vessel maintaining such headings in the Straits of Yucatan was positioned to take advantage of currents which would carry it north to the United States. The Cowboy's headings would not have favored a destination of Mexico, Cuba, or the Bahamas. Id., at 130. 25 Gehring also analyzed the navigational charts discovered aboard the Cowboy. He concluded that only the charts for Mobile Bay, Alabama and the west coast of Florida, primarily Tampa Bay and Tarpon Springs, provided sufficient detail for a safe entry into port. It was noted that the only tidal tables on board the Cowboy were for Tarpon Springs. Gehring stated that the absence of detailed charts for Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, or anywhere outside of Mobile and west coast of Florida, would have prevented the Cowboy from safely entering foreign ports. 26 Based on Commander Gehring's testimony we find that a reasonable jury could have concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that the Cowboy's destination was an American port. 27 We also note that the evidence is sufficient to find that DeWeese was engaged in a conspiracy to import. United States v. Alfrey, 620 F.2d 551 (5th Cir. 1980). In Alfrey we concluded that the probable length of the voyage, the large quantity of marijuana on board, and the necessarily close relationship between the captain and his crew were factors from which the jury could reasonably find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Id., at 556. See United States v. Christian, 505 F.2d 94, 96 (5th Cir. 1974). The comparable facts in the present case are no less compelling. We find particularly persuasive the government's argument that it is illogical to believe that one person would attempt to smuggle eight million dollars of marijuana from Colombia to the United States without pre-arranged assistance.