Opinion ID: 506589
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Petrozziello Findings

Text: 47 Angiulo and Kazonis challenge the admission into evidence of certain tape recordings of discussions intercepted at 98 Prince Street, including the discussions of Gennaro Angiulo and others concerning plans to murder Harvey Cohen, threats on the life of Walter LaFreniere in relation to his grand jury testimony, and murders carried out in the past to further the interests of the Patriarca Family. These conversations were admitted against the defendants under the co-conspirator provision of the hearsay rule, Fed.R.Evid. 801(d)(2)(E). 14 The defendants contend that the district court erred in finding, pursuant to United States v. Petrozziello, 548 F.2d 20, 23 (1st Cir.1977), that the government satisfied evidentiary prerequisites to the admission of this evidence under that rule. 48 Following typical procedures, at the close of the evidence the trial judge held a hearing, outside the presence of the jury, to make the Petrozziello determination. The court found that the government had shown that it was more likely than not that challenged statements concerning past and future murder plans were made in furtherance of the RICO conspiracy and that both Angiulo and Kazonis--having committed the predicate acts charged in the indictment in furtherance of the Patriarca Family--were members of that conspiracy. 15 While not challenging the district court's general finding that they were members of the alleged RICO conspiracy, the defendants assert that there was no evidence that they knew that the scope of that conspiracy included murders or murder conspiracies. They claim, as a result, that conversations of alleged RICO co-conspirators concerning past or present murders in furtherance of the interests of the Patriarca Family should not have been admitted against them. 16 49 This argument lacks merit. As we recently pointed out in United States v. Cintolo, [i]t is settled law ... that one who joins an ongoing conspiracy is deemed to have adopted the prior acts and declarations of coconspirators, made after the formation and in furtherance of the conspiracy. 818 F.2d at 997; see also United States v. Baines, 812 F.2d 41, 42 (1st Cir.1987). As long as it is shown that a party, having joined a conspiracy, is aware of the conspiracy's features and general aims, statements pertaining to the details of plans to further the conspiracy can be admitted against the party even if the party does not have specific knowledge of the acts spoken of. See id.; United States v. Arruda, 715 F.2d 671, 685 (1st Cir.1983). The defendants do not challenge the court's finding that they were members of the alleged RICO conspiracy and it was not clearly erroneous for the district court to conclude that they were aware, generally, that the Patriarca Family engaged in violent crimes, even murders, to further its own interests. In these circumstances it was proper for the court to allow into evidence statements of alleged RICO co-conspirators concerning murder plans on behalf of the Patriarca Family. See United States v. Cintolo, 818 F.2d at 998; United States v. Baines, 812 F.2d at 42; United States v. Arruda, 715 F.2d at 684-85.