Opinion ID: 317124
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proof of Substantive Count

Text: 28 In count two of the indictment the grand jury charged that on or about December 1, 1968, all of the defendants, including the three involved in this appeal, knowingly used telephone, wire and other means of communication in San Diego County, in facilitating the commission of, and attempting to commit the importation, concealment, and sale of heroin and cocaine, narcotic drugs, the penalty for which offenses is provided in 21 U.S.C. 174, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1403(a). 2 As before noted, defendants Murray, Roberts and Walker were convicted on this charge as well as on the conspiracy count. 3 29 Roberts and Walker contend that the evidence is insufficient to support their conviction on count two. Under the concurrent sentence doctrine we could, in the exercise of our discretion, decline to reach this issue. See Benton v. Maryland, 395 U.S. 784, 791, 89 S.Ct. 2056, 23 L.Ed.2d 707 (1969). 30 However, we have elected to consider this question. San Diego County facilities were mecessarily used for any telephone calls from California to Tijuana, and for sending Western Union money orders from California to Tijuana. But no direct evidence of calls made, or money orders sent, by Roberts or Walker to Tijuana was introduced. There was testimony that Richard Wright received narcotics orders by telephone, but there was no evidence showing that this was the way Roberts or Walker placed their orders. 31 The Government contends that an agent's acts may be imputed to his principal, citing Murray v. United States, 403 F.2d 694, 696 (9th Cir. 1968). Roy Cohn and John Payne, the Government argues, were the agents of Walker and Roberts, and tape recordings of telephone calls by Payne and Cohn to Richard Wright in Tijuana were introduced in evidence. However the court in Murray indicated that the requirements for finding an agent-principal relationship in a criminal case are stringent. In this case, there is no evidence showing that Roberts or Walker knew that these calls were made, or that these particular calls had any connection with their particular narcotics transactions. The evidence is insufficient to support the proposition that Cohn and Payne were the agents of Walker and Roberts at the time the calls to Tijuana were made. 32 Although the Government does not raise the point, each conspirator is responsible for the acts of his co-conspirators committed pursuant to and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 646-647, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946). This is true even if one is not aware of the performance of those acts or the existence of the actors. United States v. Roselli, 432 F.2d 879-894 (9th Cir. 1970). However, the jury must be instructed on the Pinkerton theory of criminal liability if a conviction on that theory is to be sustained. Id. at 895, n. 26. No such instruction was given in this case. 33 We hold that the evidence is insufficient to support the conviction of Roberts and Walker on count two of the indictment.