Opinion ID: 354030
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Phipps other allegations of error

Text: 19 Phipps attempted unsuccessfully to get before the jury the contents of the taped interview between him and Dr. Hendry, referred to above and previously listened to by the district judge. When this attempt was made, Phipps had already testified that he had no present recollection of sending the letters and no present recollection of what he had said in the interview. Phipps' offer of proof and his brief on appeal make clear that what he desired was to get before the jury the part of the tape in which Phipps purported to recall that he had discussed the scheme with Swanson and Adamson as a joke or prank. Also he intended to ask Dr. Hendry whether in his opinion this purported recollection by Phipps reliably reflected what had actually occurred between Phipps and Adamson and Swanson. Arguably this is hearsay and not within any of the exceptions see Fed.R.Evid. 801(c), (d)(1) and Advisory Committee Note to (d)(1), and the exceptions in 803(3), (5) and (24). The statement was made ex parte and without oath. There could be no effective cross-examination of Phipps because already he had testified that he could not recall what he said at the interview. The jury could not judge Phipps' demeanor and credibility at the time the statement was made. As already noted, the tape itself reveals that the interviewing psychiatrist may have suggested the prank theory to Phipps. Moreover, no drug-induced recall of past events which the subject is otherwise unable to recall is any more reliable than the procedure for inducing recall. Here both psychiatrists testified that sodium amytal does not ensure truthful statements. No re-creation or recall, by photograph, demonstration, drug-stimulated recall, or otherwise, would be admissible with so tenuous a predicate. 20 Second, Phipps contends that a motion for mistrial should have been granted because of inflammatory testimony by one of the recipients of the letter. After reviewing the record, we find no statement that could have unduly prejudiced Phipps. 21 Phipps argues that the court should have submitted the issue of insanity to the jury. His counsel withdrew the insanity defense during trial and now suggests either that the court should have submitted the issue sua sponte or, alternatively, that this court should hold that Phipps was denied effective assistance of counsel. Neither of these objections merits reversal. Under Fed.R.Cr.P. 30 failure to object to jury instructions waives the objection. From the failure to object and the earlier withdrawal of the insanity defense, the trial judge was justified in concluding that Phipps did not want the issue submitted to the jury. See U. S. v. Mancuso, 423 F.2d 23 (CA5), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 839, 91 S.Ct. 79, 27 L.Ed.2d 73 (1970); Lyles v. U. S., 103 U.S.App.D.C. 22, 254 F.2d 725 (1957), cert. denied,356 U.S. 961, 78 S.Ct. 997, 2 L.Ed.2d 1067 (1958); 362 U.S. 943, 80 S.Ct. 809, 4 L.Ed.2d 771 (1960); 368 U.S. 992, 82 S.Ct. 610, 7 L.Ed.2d 529 (1962). Phipps' contention that he was denied effective assistance of counsel is refuted by the record. Phipps was zealously represented by competent and dedicated counsel of a quality far beyond the minimum constitutional standard. See, e. g., Herring v. Estelle, 491 F.2d 125 (CA5, 1974). 22 Finally, Phipps argues that the trial court erred in refusing to sever Phipps' trial from Swanson's under Fed.R.Cr.P. 14. Motions for severance rest in the discretion of the court and will not be overturned without an affirmative showing of abuse of that discretion. U. S. v. Perez, 489 F.2d 51 (CA5, 1973), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 945, 94 S.Ct. 3067, 41 L.Ed.2d 664 (1974). Moreover, the interest of judicial economy and the policy favoring joint trials in conspiracy cases must be weighed against the defendant's allegations of prejudice. See id. The test in this circuit for reviewing the denial of a severance is that the defendant must be unable to obtain a fair trial without a severance and must demonstrate compelling prejudice against which the trial court will be unable to afford protection. See id., U. S. v. Martinez, 466 F.2d 679 (CA5, 1972), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1065, 94 S.Ct. 571, 38 L.Ed.2d 469 (1973). Phipps did not meet this test. 23 The trial judge instructed the jury that they must return separate verdicts as to each defendant. The jury charge also required that statements made by one alleged conspirator could be considered only as evidence against the person making the statement. The confession of codefendant Swanson, admitted at trial, had all references to Phipps deleted. See Bruton v. U. S., 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968); U. S. v. Hicks, 524 F.2d 1001 (CA5, 1975), cert. denied, 424 U.S. 946, 96 S.Ct. 1417, 47 L.Ed.2d 353; 425 U.S. 953, 96 S.Ct. 1729, 48 L.Ed.2d 197 (1976). In addition to the prophylactic measures taken by the trial court, Phipps was able to fully cross-examine the codefendant, who took the stand in his own defense. 24 Phipps also contends that severance was required because Swanson's defense was antagonistic to his own. To compel severance, the alleged conspirators' defenses must be not only antagonistic but irreconcilable. Martinez, supra. Here, Swanson's defense of noninvolvement did not preempt Phipps' defense of lack of intent. Phipps did not attempt to refute the heavy circumstantial evidence against him, but rather argued that he lacked the requisite intent. Swanson's story of the events leading up to the mailing of the letters was not inconsistent with Phipps' theory. 25 The denial of severance was not reversible error.