Opinion ID: 23933
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effect of the Co-Defendant's Dismissal

Text: 34 McClatchy claims that because his co-defendant, McElmurray, was granted a judgment of acquittal, the verdicts against him on counts one, two, three, and four should be set aside. He argues that because counts one and two of the indictment charge that McClatchy and McElmurray aided and abetted each other, with the intent to defraud and knowingly converted the pledged crops for their use, he should have been dismissed along with McElmurray. According to McClatchy, it is legally inconsistent for one defendant to be convicted and the other to be dismissed in a joint trial for aiding and abetting. Thus, he reasons, the charges in counts one and two against him fail. He further concludes that the charges in counts three and four for money laundering should have been dismissed because they are based in part on the allegations of crop conversion from counts one and two, which fail because of their aiding and abetting language. 35 The government asserts that a careful reading of the indictment reveals that both McClatchy and McElmurray were charged in counts one and two as principal and aider and abettor. It also distinguishes a charge of aiding and abetting from a charge of conspiracy. The government further argues that as the case proceeded without McElmurray, the aiding and abetting language became mere surplusage in the indictment. Moreover, the government claims that McClatchy's arguments are specious because the evidence presented at trial demonstrates that he acted alone in committing the crimes charged in the indictment. 36 McElmurray's acquittal did not compel the acquittal of McClatchy. The federal aider and abettor statute, 18 U.S.C. 2, states in part: Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal. 18 U.S.C. 2. The Supreme Court has held that under 2 the acquittal of the principal does not require the acquittal of the aider and abettor. Standefer v. United States, 447 U.S. 10, 20 (1980). In Standefer, the Court stated that [w]ith the enactment of [ 2], all participants in conduct violating a federal criminal statute are 'principals.' As such, they are punishable for their criminal conduct; the fate of other participants is irrelevant. Id.; see also United States v. Musgrave, 483 F.2d 327, 331 (5th Cir. 1973) (finding that the acquittal of a person charged with being the principal does not preclude the conviction of aiders and abettors). Thus, the trial court did not err in declining to dismiss McClatchy.