Opinion ID: 551541
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Gary King

Text: 34 Defendant-appellant Gary King contests certain closing remarks by the prosecutor. 7 The statements of a prosecutor will justify reversal of a conviction if they undermined  'the fairness of the trial and contributed to a miscarriage of justice.'  United States v. Obregon, 893 F.2d 1307, 1310 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1833, 108 L.Ed.2d 961 (1990) (quoting United States v. Sawyer, 799 F.2d 1494, 1507 (11th Cir.1986) (per curiam)), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1069, 107 S.Ct. 961, 93 L.Ed.2d 1009 (1987); see United States v. Rodriguez-Suarez, 856 F.2d 135, 139 (11th Cir.1988) (Prosecutorial misconduct during closing argument does not require reversal unless the comments are both improper and prejudicial to a substantial right of the defendant.), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 1045, 109 S.Ct. 875, 102 L.Ed.2d 998 (1989). We review allegedly improper comments by the prosecutor on the particular facts of the case and in the context of the entire record. Obregon, 893 F.2d at 1310. Because statements and arguments of counsel are not evidence, improper statements can be rectified by the district court's instruction to the jury that only the evidence in the case be considered. See United States v. Barshov, 733 F.2d 842, 847 (11th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1158, 105 S.Ct. 904, 83 L.Ed.2d 919 (1985); see also Springer v. Wal-Mart Assocs.' Group Health Plan, 908 F.2d 897, 901 (11th Cir.1990) (Counsel's closing argument, of course, is not competent evidence.). In this case, the district court properly instructed the jury that opening and closing statements by counsel were not evidence in the case. 8 35 King has complained that the prosecutor attempted to divert the jury from its task of determining his guilt or innocence by enlisting the jury in the government's war against drugs with the following comments: This is not a nuclear war. This is a war on drugs. And Oscar Smith is symbolic of the enemy. R11-1527. We note that the prosecutor's closing argument followed that of Oscar Smith's counsel, who compared the government's prosecution of this case throughout his closing argument to an atomic bomb approach. R11-1503; see id. at 1505, 1508, 1512, 1516-17. Defense counsel's analogy  'was clearly an invitation to the prosecutor to protest to the contrary.'  United States v. Bascaro, 742 F.2d 1335, 1353 (11th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 472 U.S. 1017, 105 S.Ct. 3476, 87 L.Ed.2d 613; 472 U.S. 1017, 105 S.Ct. 3477, 87 L.Ed.2d 613; 472 U.S. 1021, 105 S.Ct. 3488, 87 L.Ed.2d 622 (1985) (quoting United States v. Eley, 723 F.2d 1522, 1526 (11th Cir.1984)). When the prosecutor goes no further than to take defense counsel up on his invitation, his conduct will not be regarded as impermissibly calculated to incite the passions of the jury. Bascaro, 742 F.2d at 1353; see Knight v. Dugger, 863 F.2d 705, 741 (11th Cir.1988). 36 Closing arguments in this case consumed two days. On the first day, the prosecutor explained to the jury the presumption of innocence for each defendant, and King's counsel referred to those comments made by the prosecutor in his closing argument. R10-1413, 1466. Prosecutorial appeals for the jury to act as the conscience of the community are not impermissible when they are not intended to inflame. United States v. Kopituk, 690 F.2d 1289, 1342-43 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 928, 103 S.Ct. 2089, 77 L.Ed.2d 300; 461 U.S. 928, 103 S.Ct. 2090, 77 L.Ed.2d 300; 463 U.S. 1209, 103 S.Ct. 3542, 77 L.Ed.2d 1391 (1983). In the context of the proceeding, the closing argument by Oscar Smith's counsel, and the initial remarks of the prosecutor and King's counsel, we are unpersuaded that King was prejudiced by the prosecutor's responsive comments. 9 See Bascaro, 742 F.2d at 1353-54 (The United States Attorney's likening the drug problem to a war or enemy invasion, coupled with his statement that he was interested in justice and not convictions for their own sake, could fairly be described as little more than a response to defense counsel's suggestion that the defendants' prosecution was a show put on by government counsel for their own amusement.). 37 Additionally, King claims that the prosecutor's remark that [w]e don't have to buy those four defendants' lies was an unconstitutional comment on King's choice not to testify. R11-1545. The test for determining whether a statement made in court is a comment on the failure of a defendant to testify is whether the statement was either 'manifestly intended or was of such character that a jury would rationally and necessarily take it to be a comment on the failure of the accused to testify.'  United States v. Dorsey, 819 F.2d 1055, 1061 (11th Cir.1987), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1025, 108 S.Ct. 2002, 100 L.Ed.2d 233 (1988) (quoting United States v. Countryman, 758 F.2d 574, 578 (11th Cir.1985)); see United States v. Watson, 866 F.2d 381, 386 (11th Cir.1989). This standard is applied by examining the comment in context to evaluate the motive behind the statement and its impact on the jury. Dorsey, 819 F.2d at 1061; see United States v. Watkins, 811 F.2d 1408, 1412 (11th Cir.) (per curiam), cert. denied, 482 U.S. 909, 107 S.Ct. 2490, 96 L.Ed.2d 381 (1987). 38 In Dorsey, the prosecutor's closing argument referred to Dorsey's testimony; Dorsey did not testify. This court found that the prosecutor's reference was accidental and that the innocuous nature of the comment was demonstrated by defense counsel's failure to object. When there is no objection and the remark is not so grossly prejudicial that it cannot be remedied by an objection or instruction, the challenged prosecutorial statement is reviewed under the lenient plain error standard. Dorsey, 819 F.2d at 1062 n. 4 (citing United States v. Griggs, 735 F.2d 1318, 1324 (11th Cir.1984) (per curiam)). The prosecutor's statement in Dorsey was determined to be clearly harmless. 819 F.2d at 1062 n. 4. 39 The challenged remark in this case occurred at the end of the prosecutor's closing argument prior to the judge's jury instructions. Defense and prosecution counsel had offered their characterization of the testimony and evidence presented at trial. None of the defense counsel objected to the prosecutor's closing remark. Moreover, it could reasonably be viewed as a comment on logical inferences from all of the evidence rather than an argument requiring a negative inference from the defendant's failure to testify. United States v. Rutkowski, 814 F.2d 594, 597 (11th Cir.1987) (per curiam). Therefore, we conclude that the prosecutor's statement was harmless to King and not improper. Id. 40 King also contends that the district court incorrectly charged the jury on the Travel Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1952. 10  'This Court will not reverse a conviction unless, after examining the entire charge, the Court finds that the issues of law were presented inaccurately, the charge included crimes not contained in the indictment, or the charge improperly guided the jury in such a substantial way as to violate due process.'  United States v. Weissman, 899 F.2d 1111, 1114 (11th Cir.1990) (emphasis added) (quoting United States v. Turner, 871 F.2d 1574, 1578 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 552, 107 L.Ed.2d 548 (1989)). In our review of the entire charge,  'isolated statements which appear prejudicial when taken out of context may be innocuous when viewed in light of the entire trial.'  United States v. Gold, 743 F.2d 800, 822 (11th Cir.1984) (quoting United States v. McCoy, 539 F.2d 1050, 1063 (5th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 431 U.S. 919, 97 S.Ct. 2185, 53 L.Ed.2d 230 (1977)), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1217, 105 S.Ct. 1196, 84 L.Ed.2d 341 (1985). The district court instructed the jury regarding the Travel Act as follows: 41 Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 1952, makes it a federal crime for anyone to travel in interstate commerce for the purpose of carrying on certain unlawful activities. The defendant whose case you are considering at the moment can be found guilty of that offense only if all of the following acts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt. First, that the defendant whose case you are considering at the moment traveled in interstate commerce on or about the time alleged and between the places charged in the indictment. Second, that the defendant engaged in that travel with the specific intent to promote, manage, establish or carry on an unlawful activity, as hereafter defined. And, third, that the defendant thereafter knowingly and willfully committed an act to promote, manage, establish or carry on such unlawful activity. Those three things. 42 Now, in connection with this, I charge you that the term interstate commerce means transportation or movement between one state and another state. That's what interstate commerce means, from one state to another state. And while it must be proved that the defendant traveled in interstate commerce, with the specific intent to promote, manage, establish or carry on an unlawful activity, it need not be proved that such purpose was the only reason or motive promoting the defendant's travel. Now, the term unlawful activity includes the possession with intent to distribute cocaine. 43 So the indictment charges that the defendants named in those counts traveled in interstate commerce with the intent to promote, manage, establish or carry on an unlawful activity. However, the law is worded in the disjunctive. That is, the various modes or methods of violating the statute are separated by the word or. So if you find beyond a reasonable doubt that any one method or way of violating the law occurred, that is sufficient so long as you agree unanimously upon the particular way or method involved. 44 So you will tell us by your verdict on these travel counts--travel counts being 23 and 24--whether the defendants who are named in those counts--that is, the defendants who are before you for your consideration--are guilty or not guilty on those counts. 45 R11-1586-88. We note that the district court's instruction contains the essential elements which constitute a violation of the Travel Act and that the defense did not request a definition of business enterprise. King faults the court's instruction because it did not define business enterprise as being continuous conduct rather than occasional involvement in illegal activity. 46 The Travel Act does not define the term 'enterprise,' and the case law simply describes it generally as 'a continuous course of conduct, rather than a sporadic, casual course of events.'  United States v. Corona, 885 F.2d 766, 771 (11th Cir.1989) (quoting United States v. Lignarolo, 770 F.2d 971, 979 (11th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 476 U.S. 1105, 106 S.Ct. 1948, 90 L.Ed.2d 358 (1986)), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1838, 108 L.Ed.2d 966 (1990). Although one unlawful drug transaction has been established, convictions have been sustained under the Travel Act when a continuous course of conduct was found. United States v. Bates, 840 F.2d 858, 863 (11th Cir.1988); see United States v. Davis, 666 F.2d 195, 202 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982) ([O]ne methaqualone transaction was proved, but the evidence as a whole showed that ... [the defendants] had for some time engaged in a continuous business relationship in illegal drug trafficking.). We find no error in the district court's instruction, and conclude that the jury properly could convict King under the Travel Act for his participation in an ongoing, profitable cocaine importation operation. 47 King's final claims, which we accord brief discussion, relate to his sentencing. First, King argues that the district court was unaware that it could sentence him beneath the Sentencing Guidelines. While a defendant may not appeal a sentencing judge's refusal to make a downward departure from the Sentencing Guidelines, review is available for a sentencing challenge based upon the judge's belief that he had no authority to depart from the Sentencing Guidelines range. 11 United States v. Fossett, 881 F.2d 976, 979 (11th Cir.1989); see 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3742(a)(1), (2); United States v. Wright, 895 F.2d 718, 720 (11th Cir.1990) (per curiam). 48 King's argument is without merit because the trial judge sentenced codefendant Thom below the Sentencing Guidelines range, an obvious indication that the judge was cognizant that he could give a lesser sentence than the Sentencing Guidelines specify. Additionally, we note that King's assistance to the authorities apparently did not warrant a government motion under Sentencing Guidelines Sec. 5K1.1 for a downward departure, since that motion was not made. 12 49 Second, King contests the calculation of his sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines because he contends that a greater amount of cocaine than he actually transported was used in determining his sentence. Affording deference to the opportunity of the district court to determine the credibility of witnesses and its application of the Sentencing Guidelines to the facts, we review an appeal from a sentence imposed under the Sentencing Guidelines by the clearly erroneous standard. 13 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3742(e); United States v. Scroggins, 880 F.2d 1204, 1206 n. 5 (11th Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1816, 108 L.Ed.2d 946 (1990). Specifically, under the Sentencing Guidelines, the trial judge's determination of whether a defendant is a minor or minimal participant is a factual finding subject to the clearly erroneous standard. United States v. Alston, 895 F.2d 1362, 1369 (11th Cir.1990); see Sentencing Guidelines Sec. 3B1.2; United States v. Taxacher, 902 F.2d 867, 873 (11th Cir.1990); United States v. Erves, 880 F.2d 376, 381 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 416, 107 L.Ed.2d 381 (1989). A defendant may be found guilty of conspiracy even if he did not join it until after its inception, and even if he played only a minor role in the total scheme. United States v. Roper, 874 F.2d 782, 787 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 189, 107 L.Ed.2d 144; --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 369, 107 L.Ed.2d 355 (1989) (citing United States v. Alvarez, 625 F.2d 1196, 1198 (5th Cir.1980) (en banc), cert. denied, 451 U.S. 938, 101 S.Ct. 2017, 68 L.Ed.2d 324 (1981)). All that is required to sustain a conspiracy conviction is that the evidence demonstrates that the defendant knew the essential objective of the conspiracy; knowing all the details of the conspiracy or playing more than a minor role is not necessary for conviction. United States v. Walker, 720 F.2d 1527, 1538 (11th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1108, 104 S.Ct. 1614, 80 L.Ed.2d 143 (1984); see United States v. Carter, 760 F.2d 1568, 1582 (11th Cir.1985) (A conspirator need not be privy to all the details of the conspiracy, aware of all the other conspirators, or participate in every stage of the conspiracy in order to have his conviction upheld.); United States v. Garcia, 721 F.2d 721, 725 (11th Cir.1983) (A leadership role is irrelevant, an individual cannot escape criminal responsibility merely because he played a minor role in the conspiracy.). 50 Based upon culpability, the Sentencing Guidelines Sec. 3B1.2 commentary defines and illustrates a minimal or minor participant in any criminal activity, enabling the district court to give a convicted defendant a downward adjustment in sentencing: 51 1. Subsection (a) applies to a defendant who plays a minimal role in concerted activity. It is intended to cover defendants who are plainly among the least culpable of those involved in the conduct of a group. Under this provision, the defendant's lack of knowledge or understanding of the scope and structure of the enterprise and of the activities of others is indicative of a role as minimal participant. 52 2. It is intended that the downward adjustment for a minimal participant will be used infrequently. It would be appropriate, for example, for someone who played no other role in a very large drug smuggling operation than to offload part of a single marihuana shipment, or in a case where an individual was recruited as a courier for a single smuggling transaction involving a small amount of drugs. 53 Sentencing Guidelines Sec. 3B1.2, Commentary, Application Notes 1, 2. Depending on his culpability, a drug courier is not necessarily a minor or minimal participant within the meaning of the Sentencing Guidelines. United States v. Velasquez, 868 F.2d 714, 715 (5th Cir.1989); United States v. Gallegos, 868 F.2d 711, 713 (5th Cir.1989); see United States v. Buenrostro, 868 F.2d 135, 139 (5th Cir.1989) (A one-time courier of eighteen kilograms of cocaine was not a minimal participant; Sec. 3B1.2 turns upon culpability, not courier status. A defendant may be a courier without being substantially less culpable than the average participant.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1957, 109 L.Ed.2d 319 (1990). 54 King was convicted of conspiracy to import 162 kilograms of cocaine. He was sentenced under the Sentencing Guidelines formula for only the fifty kilograms with which he was directly involved, and he was given the minimum sentence for that amount. Obviously, the district court did consider King's culpability in sentencing him and we cannot find that his sentence was clearly erroneous given the record evidence of his knowledge and involvement in the subject Panamanian cocaine importation operation.