Opinion ID: 3064121
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Indictment and Continuance Motions

Text: A superseding indictment charged Swaine and four others (Carlfred James Anderson, Jose Luis Jorge, Vernon Winston Kevin Henry, Christopher Alexander Artley) with seven drug and firearm counts. Swaine was charged in two drug counts (Counts I and VI) and a firearm count (Count VII): (1) conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vii), and (b)(1)(B)(ii) and 846 (Count I); (2) possession with intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms of marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and 18 U.S.C. § 2 (Count VI); and (3) possession of firearms in furtherance of Counts I and VI, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2 (Count VII). Before trial, the government filed a notice advising the court that, under Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S. Ct. 1620 (1968), codefendant Henry had to be tried separately from codefendants Swaine and Anderson because Henry had made post-arrest statements implicating Swaine and Anderson that could not 2 be redacted. However, the government stated, “There is no Bruton issue between Swaine and Anderson because neither made a post-arrest statement. Accordingly, they may be tried together.” The government stated that it preferred to try Swaine and Anderson together for efficiency purposes. Swaine did not object to being tried jointly with Anderson or file a motion to sever. In his stipulated motion to continue his trial, Swaine recognized, “CoDefendant Kevin Henry will be tried separately due to a Bruton issue, leaving Defendants Swaine and Anderson to be tried together.” (Underline added). Ultimately, three of Swaine’s four codefendants–Jorge, Henry, and Artley– pled guilty to all or part of the charges against them. Anderson pled guilty to Count I in exchange for a dismissal of Count VI. Anderson proceeded to trial on Count VII, along with Swaine on Counts I, VI, and VII. This appeal involves only codefendant Swaine.