Opinion ID: 1678037
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Coconspirator Statements.

Text: Benson, Boresi, and McPherson told Weir that their source was a truck driver. Another individual told Weir the source was a truck driver from De Soto. This individual initially arranged the sales between Weir and the trio of Benson, Boresi, and McPherson. Weir, however, arranged the last transaction in telephone conversations with Benson and McPherson. DeCamp objected to this evidence on hearsay grounds. He recognizes that this evidence is admissible upon a showing that the statements were made during and in the furtherance of a conspiracy. DeCamp argues that evidence other than the statements themselves must be presented to establish the conspiracy. DeCamp thinks such evidence is lacking and for that reason the district court erroneously admitted such statements and relied on them. He concludes there must be a reversal because as he saysadmission of hearsay evidence is presumptively prejudicial. Iowa Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E) provides that a statement is not hearsay if [t]he statement is offered against a party and is a statement by a coconspirator of a party during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Before such a statement is admissible the district court must find by a preponderance of the evidence that a conspiracy to commit a crime existed involving the declarant and the nonoffering party. Bourjaily v. United States, 483 U.S. 171, 175-76, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 2778-79, 97 L.Ed.2d 144, 152-53 (1987) (interpreting Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E), which is similar to Iowa Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E)); State v. Florie, 411 N.W.2d 689, 695 (Iowa 1987). Such a finding is implicit whenas here the district court admits the statement into evidence. Florie, 411 N.W.2d at 695. The State must prove the conspiracy by evidence other than the challenged statement. In other words, the evidence relied on to establish the conspiracy must include some proof independent of the coconspirator's statement. Id. at 696. But in making the determination whether such independent proof has been shown, the district court need not completely ignore the coconspirator's statements. Bourjaily, 483 U.S. at 176-81, 107 S.Ct. at 2779-82, 97 L.Ed.2d at 153-56; Florie, 411 N.W.2d at 696. Accord In re Matter of Scott, 508 N.W.2d 653, 655 (Iowa 1993). DeCamp's objection raises the question whether the conspiracy was established by evidence other than the challenged statements. He raises no issue on appeal on whether the challenged statements were made in the course or in the furtherance of the conspiracy. So we need not consider those additional requirements to admissibility under Rule 801(d)(2)(E). Our scope of review in reviewing the district court's determination that a conspiracy existed is governed by the substantial evidence test. Florie, 411 N.W.2d at 695. Our review of the record convinces us that there was substantial evidence to support the district court's implicit determination that Benson, Boresi, McPherson, the cooperating individual and DeCamp were engaged in a conspiracy that ultimately led to the last sale which formed the basis for the forfeiture order. We think all of the cited circumstantial evidenceapart from the challenged statements amply supports our conclusion. The district court, however, was not precluded from considering the challenged statements in deciding whether a conspiracy existed. The challenged statements were corroborated by independent evidence, consisting of the events that transpired right after Benson's arrest and the record of telephone calls that were in evidence. See Bourjaily, 483 U.S. at 180-81, 107 S.Ct. at 2781, 97 L.Ed.2d at 156 (existence of conspiracy and petitioner's participation in it partially established through admission of coconspirator's out-of-court statements which, taken as a whole, were corroborated by independent evidence). The challenged statements were therefore not hearsay under Rule 801(d)(2)(E), and it was not error for the district court to admit and rely on them in the forfeiture proceeding.