Opinion ID: 689999
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Doctrine of Dual Criminality

Text: 31 The doctrine of dual or double criminality is distinct from the doctrine of specialty. 32 Double criminality refers to the characterization of the relator's criminal conduct insofar as it constitutes an offense under the laws of the respective states ... 'Double criminality' is in effect a reciprocity requirement which is intended to ensure each of the respective states that they (and the relator) can rely on corresponding treatment, and that no state shall use its processes to surrender a person for conduct which it does not characterize as criminal. 33 United States v. Herbage, 850 F.2d 1463, 1465 (11th Cir.1988) (quoting M. Bassiouni, International Extradition: United States Law and Practice vol. 1, ch. 7, sec. 3, pp. 324-25 (2d rev. ed. Nov. 1987)). Gallo asserts that although [i]n the lower court, all parties treated the issue as involving the rule of specialty ... the concept that the country of Colombia was asserting was the concept of dual criminality. Appellant's Br. at 11. Gallo further argues that [a]ny misuse of labeling does not detract from the substance of what was argued, namely that this instruction violated the agreement. Id. Gallo now argues on appeal that under the doctrine of dual criminality his convictions cannot stand because they are based on a theory of vicarious liability, namely Pinkerton, that Colombia does not recognize. We find, however, that because Gallo did not properly raise the issue of dual criminality before the district court, he has waived his right to raise it here. 34 To preserve an issue for appeal, a general objection or an objection on other grounds will not suffice. United States v. Dennis, 786 F.2d 1029, 1042 (11th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1037, 107 S.Ct. 1973, 95 L.Ed.2d 814 (1987). This court may entertain an argument not raised below if it involves a pure question of law and if refusal to consider it would result in a miscarriage of justice. See Baumann v. Savers Federal Savings & Loan Assoc., 934 F.2d 1506, 1512 (11th Cir.1991), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 1936, 118 L.Ed.2d 543 (1992) (citations omitted). This court, however, will not make an exception if additional facts would have been developed in the trial court had the new theory been presented there. Smith v. Horner, 839 F.2d 1530, 1534-36 (11th Cir.1988) (quoting Higginbotham v. Ford Motor Co., 540 F.2d 762, 768 n. 10 (5th Cir.1976)). 35 In this case, it is unclear from the record why Colombia extradited Gallo for the importation count. Gallo argues that Colombia extradited him only as a principal, however the government argues that Colombia extradited him for importation knowing that he was only vicariously liable for that count. Gallo responds in turn that Colombia does not recognize vicarious criminal liability. Unfortunately, we cannot find the answers to these questions in the record upon which we must rely. Had Gallo properly raised the theory of dual criminality in the district court, this factual dispute could have been more fully developed and perhaps reconciled. Thus, in cases such as this, where the record is incomplete, judicial economy is served and prejudice is avoided by binding the parties to the facts presented and the theories argued below. Horner, 839 F.2d at 1536. Therefore, we decline to consider Gallo's dual criminality argument, and find that, based on the doctrine of specialty, the district court fully complied with the extradition agreement.