Opinion ID: 201767
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Rodriguez's Connection

Text: 30 Finally, Rodriguez argues that, even if there was a conspiracy and an attempt, his involvement was too peripheral to link him to either. But the government witnesses provided a sufficient basis to link him to both charges. All three government witnesses testified that, at the España Bakery meeting, Rodriguez was acting as the leader and decisionmaker; Rafa testified that Rodriguez was introduced as such. Both Toro and Rafa testified that Pinillos and/or Campusano took direction from Rodriguez by cell phone at the second meeting, and all three government witnesses confirmed that, according to the usual protocol, the leader would only be present for the initial meeting, and certainly not for the actual handoff. Thus, the jury was entitled to infer that he was a member of the conspiracy, and either that he directly aided or abetted the other two defendants in their attempt, or was liable for their foreseeable acts within the scope of the conspiracy. See Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 647, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946). 31 For these reasons, we reject appellants' argument that the evidence was legally insufficient to support the verdict.