Opinion ID: 365884
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: tapes and transcripts

Text: 68 At trial, foundation for the admission of the tape recordings was provided by Agent Kinne, who directed the interception at the bond office, Agent Roberts, who was in charge of the Lopez telephone intercept, Agent Batley, who participated in the installation of the two microphones at the bond office, the agents who monitored the conversations and Agent Buresh, who as a frequent visitor to the bond office, provided some of the voice identifications. 69 Cuesta and Matassini urge that the government failed to establish an adequate foundation for admission of the tapes. In particular, Cuesta argues that the government failed to establish the accuracy of the tape recordings. Both Cuesta and Matassini assert that the government failed to adequately identify their voices on the tapes. 70 While this Court has rejected the adoption of any formulistic standard to guide the admissibility of tapes and transcripts, United States v. Greenfield, 574 F.2d 305, 307 (5th Cir. 1978), we have noted that the party seeking introduction of a sound recording into evidence must go forward with respect to the competency of the operator, the fidelity of the recording equipment, the absence of material deletions, additions, or alterations in the relevant portions of the recording, and the identification of the relevant speakers. United States v. Biggins, 551 F.2d 64, 66 (5th Cir. 1977). 71 This burden has been met by the government. Both agents Kinne and Roberts testified that prior to the commencement of their respective surveillances, monitoring agents were instructed on the use of the recording machines. Agent Batley, technical coordinator for the Tampa Division of the FBI, testified that the monitoring agents all had experience in operating the equipment used on this case and that he personally instructed them on the use of the equipment. The monitoring agents also testified to having received instruction on the operation of the recording machines prior to commencement of the interceptions. 72 Agent Batley, who participated in the installation of the microphones in the bond office, testified that he tested the microphones by using a lineman's test set, and that before any interception occurred, he tested the recording machines. Batley noted that the microphones and the recording machines were operating properly. Similarly, Batley described how he connected the Lopez telephone intercept and verified that he had, in fact, tapped the proper line. The Lopez tape recording machines were tested prior to their use by monitoring agents. 73 Two recording machines for each intercept were activated by a single switch. This set-up allowed for the simultaneous recording of two sets of tapes. Logs were maintained by the monitoring agents as the conversations were taking place. Agent Kinne compared these logs with the tapes in order to verify the accuracy of the tapes. In addition, one copy of each original was sealed by the court. The duplicate tape was used to prepare the trial tape. Kinne testified that he compared the trial tape to the duplicate in a check for accuracy. 74 The agents responsible for making and maintaining custody of the tapes testified that they were not altered or edited except to the extent that certain portions were chosen for the trial tape. Moreover, it appears that appellants used the tapes at trial to play additional portions of the tapes which were not played by the government. Coupled with our resolution of the voice identification issue set forth below, we hold that this evidence met the government's burden as outlined in Biggins and the tapes were properly admissible. 75 Rule 901(b)(5) of the Federal Rules of Evidence provides that voice identification may be made by opinion based upon hearing the voice at any time under circumstances connecting it with the alleged speaker. At trial, agent Buresh, who had been a frequent visitor to the bond office, identified the voices of Patterson, Lopez and Callahan based on his conversations with them. Kinne identified all the remaining appellants except J. T. Bowles based upon their references to each other by name and also upon personal interviews with appellants. J. T. Bowles identified himself during a telephone conversation made from the bond office. In addition, Kinne, who prepared the tape transcripts used at trial, also testified that his identification of particular parties on the transcript was based on observations of the traffic at the bond office and interviews with the appellants. No objection was made to the transcript identifications at trial. 76 These identifications were sufficient to sustain introduction of the tapes and transcripts at trial. Rule 901(b)(5) merely requires that the witness have some familiarity with the voice which he identifies. See United States v. Ladd, 527 F.2d 1341 (5th Cir. 1976). Once this minimal showing has been made, the jury determines the weight to accord the identification testimony. See United States v. Knohl, 379 F.2d 427 (2d Cir.), Cert. denied, 389 U.S. 973, 88 S.Ct. 472, 19 L.Ed.2d 465 (1967); Pilcher v. United States, 113 F. 248 (5th Cir. 1902). With or without objection, the substantial testimony identifying the voices of all appellants except J. T. Bowles, more than satisfies all legal requirements. J. T. provided his own identification.