Opinion ID: 1445602
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Linn and Lucas

Text: On the other hand, Linn and Lucas were present and participated in making the plan for murder, according to Lindblad's testimony. They were also present and took part in carrying out the plan, if Lindblad's testimony was to be believed. These were the damaging and crucial facts in the prosecution's case against Linn and Lucas. Although witnesses often testified to conversations with Linn when Lucas was not present, or to conversations with Lucas when Linn was not present, statements made in these conversations were relatively unimportant insofar as proof of the crime charged is concerned. Counsel for the defendants relies largely on Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968), for his argument that each of the defendants should have had a separate trial. In that case, however, Evans and Bruton were jointly tried for armed postal robbery. Evans did not testify but confessed to a postal inspector. The inspector testified at the trial concerning Evans' confession. Since Evans did not testify, it was held the introduction of his confession denied Bruton the right of confrontation and cross-examination, which could not be cured by instruction to the jury. It would appear the Evans confession was a major part of the evidence against Bruton, if not the principal evidence in that case. Such is not the situation in the joint trial we are dealing with, insofar as Linn and Lucas are concerned. Disregarding what was said at Linn's home, where both Linn and Lucas were present, the Linn conversations and Lucas conversations which where testified to did not, for the most part, pertain to the question of whether a plan for murder was made at Linn's home. Such conversations related primarily to subsequent matters. Linn and Lucas are not charged with murdering Olinger. They are charged with being accessories before the fact to his murder. The evidence indicates they were together on that. As far as details of the actual murder are concerned, there is no substantial contradiction of the fact that Stucker and Olinger were murdered in Nevada and their bodies buried in a shallow grave  pretty much as described by Lindblad. We fail to see where either Linn or Lucas was prejudiced by a joint trial of the three defendants named. Rule 11(b), W.R.Cr.P., permits the joinder of defendants with this language: Two or more defendants may be charged in the same indictment or information if they are alleged to have participated in the same act or transaction, or in the same series of acts or transactions, constituting an offense or offenses. Such defendants may be charged in one or more counts together, or separately, and all of the defendants need not be charged in each count. We clearly are dealing with a case where three defendants are alleged to have participated in the same act or transaction  a plan for murder made at the home of Linn in Jackson. And, as a general rule, defendants can be indicted or informed against together unless there are compelling reasons for separate trials. Parker v. United States, 9 Cir.1968, 404 F.2d 1193, 1196, cert. den. 394 U.S. 1004, 89 S.Ct. 1602, 22 L.Ed.2d 782; Golliher v. United States, 8 Cir.1966, 362 F.2d 594, 603; United States v. Fassoulis, D.C.N.Y. 1969, 49 F.R.D. 43. As stated in the Parker case we have just cited: Joint trials of persons charged together with committing the same offense or with being accessory to its commission are the rule, rather than the exception. There is a substantial public interest in this procedure. It expedites the administration of justice, reduces the congestion of trial dockets, conserves judicial time, lessens the burden upon citizens who must sacrifice both time and money to serve upon juries, and avoids the necessity of recalling witnesses who would otherwise be called upon to testify only once. We have indicated, it is our opinion that compelling reasons were indeed present for a separate trial of Goldsmith. We fail to find sufficient reason, however, for a separate trial of either Linn or Lucas.