Opinion ID: 317124
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Proof of Conspiracy and Severance for Trial.

Text: 7 Defendants Murray and Roberts contend, in effect, that the evidence is insufficient to establish that they participated in a single over-all conspiracy of the kind charged in the indictment and that if the Government proved that either of them participated in one of several more limited conspiracies, such defendant was prejudiced by having that issue tried in the context of an over-all conspiracy. Murray also raises the related argument that, by reason of the likelihood of such prejudice, the trial court erred in denying his timely motion for a severance and separate trial. 8 At the outset of section I of our opinion in the Group I appeals, United States v. Baxter, et al., 492 F.2d 150 (9th Cir. 1973), filed today, we discussed the general considerations to be borne in mind in dealing with challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence to support conspiracy charges. What we there said is equally applicable here, and, in addition, we note that the evidence introduced at this trial pertaining to the background facts of the single over-all conspiracy, is essentially the same as that introduced in the Group I trial, as summarized in the Baxter opinion. We therefore proceed at once to an examination of the record pertaining to the proof of conspiracy in the case of defendants Murray and Roberts. 9 Defendant Murray. Under the evidence considered in the light most favorable to the Government, the following factual pattern appears: The Hernandez 'customer book' contains a page which is headed '(RAPHEAL),' under which reference is mede to 'Lonnie,' with his telephone number and a number for 'Brenda-- Wife.' This page also states the price per ounce 'Lonnie' was to pay for heroin and cocaine. 10 The 'customer book' showed Lonnie's purchases to have aggregated one and one-half pounds of heroin and cocaine, which would have cost him eight thousand six hundred dollars. He paid an additional eight thousand dollars on December 12, 1968, for fifteen ounces of heroin and seven of cocaine. 11 One of the telephone numbers shown in the 'customer book' (751-6880) was actually that of W. E. Lauderdale in Los Angeles. When defendant Willie Lauderdale was arrested at his home in Los Angeles, two pieces of paper found in his bedroom contained Murray's name. A photograph of Murray was found upright on the dresser in Lauderdale's residence. 12 The telephone bills for Murray's own residence in San Francisco, which was under the name 'Elliott Avant,' showed forty-seven calls to the Lauderdale telephone, nine calls to the Brenda Martin telephone, nine calls to the Robert and Helen Hernandez home in Tijuana, and two calls to the Juan Hernandez telephone in Tijuana. Exhibit 511, a handwritten telephone book found at Murray's residence, contains the name 'Hellen,' with the Tijuana telephone number of Robert and Helen Hernandez. 13 There was direct or circumstantial evidence showing that Murray was in contact with Helen Hernandez, Cohn (the Hernandezes' distributor), Juan Hernandez and Wright. On April 2, 1968, approximately ninety-one grams of heroin were found in a garment bag in Murray's possession at the San Francisco International Airport. 14 Murray contends that his photograph, exhibit 546, found on Lauderdale's dresser, has no probative value because Lauderdale was acquitted by the court. We do not know what deficiencies in evidence, or other circumstances, caused the trial court to acquit Lauderdale. But the photograph does have probative value insofar as Murray is concerned, because it tends to show that the 'Lonnie' referred to in the Hernandezes' 'customer book' in connection with the key telephone number at the Lauderdale residence, is defendant Murray. 15 Murray has advanced a variety of arguments pertaining to particular items of evidence which, together, depict the relationship described above. We have examined each of these contentions but find that they are either without merit or are inconsequential. 16 Having in view the background evidence regarding the over-all conspiracy, and that which relates specifically to Murray, as reviewed above, we believe the jury could reasonably find that Murray must have known that other retailers, in addition to himself, were involved with the Hernandez organization in a broad project for the smuggling, distribution and retail sale of narcotics. The jury could also reasonably find that Murray must have realized that the benefits he and the other retailers derived from the operation were dependent upon their mutual participation therein. These basic findings are ample to support the jury determination that Murray, in effect, agreed to participate in the over-all scheme, and did participate therein. See Blumenthal v. United States, 332 U.S. 539, 557, 558, 68 S.Ct. 248, 92 L.Ed. 154 (1947); United States v. Friedman, 445 F.2d 1076, 1080 (9th Cir. 1971); Daily v. United States, 282 F.2d 818, 820 (9th Cir. 1960). 17 We therefore hold the evidence sufficient to establish the existence of the over-all narcotics conspiracy, as charged, and Murray's participation therein. Moreover, as to Murray, since there was no variance between the indictment and the proof, there was no abuse of discretion in refusing to sever Murray's trial. 18 Defendant Roberts. Under the evidence considered in the light most favorable to the Government, the jury could have found the facts to be as follows: 19 A page of the Hernandez 'customer book' is headed 20 'Dumpso-- brings money 300-S 737-3162 DMD-MTFI 550-C 21 Cash' 22 According to the testimony this meant that the customer 'Dumpso' could be reached at telephone number 737-3162 and that he paid three hundred dollars per ounce for heroin and five-hundred fifty dollars per ounce for cocaine. Exhibit 401 shows 'Dompso's' purchases of five pounds of narcotics in one and one-half months, at a total sales price of thirty-two thousand fifty dollars. Two witnesses testified that Roberts was known to them as 'Dumpso.' 23 Lannom delivered narcotics from the Hernandezes to Roberts in Los Angeles during 1966. In about September of 1968, defendant John Payne delivered two packages to Lannom and told Lannom that 'Dumpso' was 'doing fine.' On October 17, 1968, Wright, one of the leading figures in the Hernandez operation, met with Payne who gave Wright thirteen thousand one hundred dollars. At this meeting, Payne told Wright that twelve thousand dollars of this amount was from 'Dumpso,' and twelve thousand dollars was credited to 'Dumpso's' account in the 'customer book.' 24 Roberts admitted that he had known defendant Walker for approximately twenty years and that they had called each other on the telephone between San Francisco and Los Angeles. When Walker was arrested at his residence, a notation of a telephone number listed to Roberts was found. Roberts also admitted that he met codefendant Payne in Los Angeles and that he had talked to Payne by telephone. When Payne was arrested, a piece of paper was found containing, a piece of paper was found Roberts' name and telephone number. 25 The 'customer book' shows a relationship between Roberts and codefendant Gerald Wilson Frunzi. Under the name 'Ed Johnson,' Frunzi registered at the Hacienda Motel, a frequent situs for narcotics deliveries, on the same dates that narcotics were delivered to Roberts and to defendant Walker. 26 The telephone number in the Hernandez 'customer book' (737-3162), referred to above, was listed to 'Otis White' in Los Angeles. A bill for this telepnone shows long distance calls to John Payne's telephone, to two of the telephone numbers given by Roberts to Payne, and to Roberts' own telephone. Alma Finley testified that defendant Roberts had been a guest at her residence, that he stayed overnight from time to time in a guest room, and that there was an extension telephone in the guest room from a telephone belonging to 'Otis White.' Although Roberts denied making any long distance calls, he admitted that he knew 'Otis White,' that he had stayed overnight at the Finley residence about two times in 1968, and that he had used the telephone during his stay there. 27 As in the case of defendant Murray, we believe the general background evidence concerning the nature of the over-all conspiracy, and that which pertains specifically to Roberts, as reviewed above, warranted the jury in finding that Roberts knowingly associated himself with what he must have realized was a general conspiracy to smuggle, distribute and retail narcotic drugs. Accordingly, the evidence was ample to sustain the jury finding as to the existence of the over-all narcotics conspiracy and Roberts' participation therein.