Opinion ID: 2981346
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Statements by coconspirator

Text: At trial, Corona attacked the Government’s strategy to paint him as the conspiracy’s source of cocaine. He instead insinuated that the Government’s witnesses had framed him to protect Worm, the conspiracy’s true connection for cocaine. To undermine this argument, the Government elicited testimony from Hughes at trial to demonstrate Worm trafficked solely in marijuana. The pertinent testimony is as follows: Hughes: [Richard Robinson] asked me to get in touch with his home boy Worm and let him know everything was all right. That he would holler at him, when everything was over with. Government: Did you, in fact, contact Worm? Hughes: Yes, sir. Government: And when you spoke with Worm at Richard Robinson’s request, did you talk with him about the possibility of buying more drugs? Hughes: I talked to him about - I know I remember one conversation I had I told him it was dry in terms of something to smoke. I wanted to smoke, inquiring about if I could buy personally some marijuana for my own use personally. -4- No. 10-5253, United States v. Vincente Corona Government: What did Worm say, when you asked him that? Hughes: Well, first he said he didn’t mess with the white side of the fence, he only messed with the green side of the fence. That is what I said, yeah, I only want something to smoke. Government: When he said he didn’t mess with the white side of the fence, what did you understand him to mean? Hughes: That he didn’t deal cocaine. R. 485, TT 2/14/08, Hughes p. 32-33. Corona’s attorney objected, arguing that Worm’s statements were hearsay that did not meet any relevant exception. The district court overruled the objection, finding that Worm was a part of the conspiracy and the remark was in furtherance of the conspiracy pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E).