Opinion ID: 760497
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Admission of the Videotape

Text: 19 Krankel next claims that the trial court committed error in receiving in evidence the videotape of the meeting between the defendant and the undercover police officer, Koehler. Specifically, Krankel contends that the court erred because the tape contained evidence related to the state crime of solicitation to commit murder and the probative value of the tape was outweighed by its alleged prejudicial effect on the jury. This Court reviews a trial court's rulings on the admissibility of evidence under an abuse of discretion standard. See United States v. Kladouris, 964 F.2d 658, 663 (7th Cir.1992) (citation omitted). 20 The videotape in question depicted a meeting between the defendant and Sergeant Koehler in a room at the Drury Inn in Mount Vernon, Illinois. During the meeting, the defendant identified Hamblin as the person he wanted killed and explained the nature of his drug enterprise agreement with Hamblin. Hamblin had asked Krankel to move to Arkansas to open a lab to manufacture and assist in the distribution of methamphetamine. Krankel now wanted to have Hamblin killed because he was forcing him (Krankel) out of the drug business by refusing to provide him with the necessary equipment and chemicals. Although the defense initially filed a motion in limine to suppress the videotape, contending that the content of this tape was prejudicial, the defense attorney asked the court to withdraw the motion on the day of the trial. Furthermore, the defense failed to raise an objection to the introduction of the videotape at trial. 21 This Court has repeatedly held that the appellant's waiver of [an] argument through his failure to raise a timely objection ... makes it unnecessary for [the reviewing court] to decide [the issue]. United States v. Pryor, 957 F.2d 478, 481 (7th Cir.1992). Such an objection must alert [ ] the court and opposing party to the specific grounds for the objection. United States v. Wynn, 845 F.2d 1439, 1442 (7th Cir.1988) (citations omitted). When a defendant fails to timely and properly object at trial to the admission of evidence, the issue is waived by the defendant absent a showing of plain error. See United States v. Moore, 936 F.2d 1508, 1520 (7th Cir.1991), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 991, 112 S.Ct. 607, 116 L.Ed.2d 630 (1991). Under the plain error standard, a defendant must demonstrate that he ... probably would have been acquitted but for the erroneously admitted evidence. Wynn, 845 F.2d at 1443 (citation omitted). More particularly, under a plain error analysis, this Court is allowed to correct only particularly egregious errors for the purpose of preventing a miscarriage of justice[,] ... which implies the conviction of one who but for the error would have been acquitted. United States v. Linwood, 142 F.3d 418, 422 (7th Cir.1998), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 119 S.Ct. 224, 142 L.Ed.2d 184 (1998). In Wynn, 845 F.2d at 1440, the defendant, a postal worker, was convicted of embezzling and opening mail not addressed to him. At trial, the defendant objected to the prosecution's use of witness testimony concerning the postal inspectors' observations during their surveillance of the defendant and the lack of proper foundation for one of the prosecution's witness's testimony. See id., 845 F.2d at 1441. Both objections were overruled. On appeal, the defendant for the first time argued a different theory: that the Government's use of reports of prior investigations of the defendant was improper. See id. at 1442. This Court noted that the defendant's failure to state a timely and proper objection at trial concerning this new theory was a strategic decision. See id. at 1443. We held that [w]here a defendant fails to object to the admission of evidence at trial because of a tactical decision, we are even more reluctant to find plain error. Id. (citations omitted). In such a circumstance, we cannot conclude that had this evidence been excluded [the defendant] probably would have been acquitted. Id. 22 In the case before us, the defendant filed a motion in limine prior to trial concerning the videotape and the court determined that the tape could be introduced after certain redactions were made. However, Krankel changed his strategy on the morning of trial and thus withdrew his motion and furthermore failed to object during trial to the introduction of the evidence. Krankel's attorney stated: I drove down to Perry County, Illinois, and I talked to Mr. Krankle [sic] at the Perry County Jail. And after that discussion I was persuaded to do what he wishes me to do and to permit the tape to come in unedited and unredacted. Thus, due to the tactical change in strategy on the part of the defense, the entire, unredacted tape was admitted in evidence without objection. We fail to understand the defendant's reasoning, for under Wynn, such a tactical decision cannot thereafter form the basis of a plain error finding. 23 The defendant now on appeal contends that the tape was prejudicial because it contained statements by the defendant regarding his desire to have his coconspirator murdered. The defendant argues that under Rule 403 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.... However, because the defendant failed to raise the argument that the tape was more prejudicial than probative before the trial court, under our holding in Moore, where we noted that an objection must be timely made at trial, we will not consider it on appeal. The defendant also makes the argument that since the tape included conversations of criminal conduct beyond the drug conspiracy, the tape was offered to show the defendant's bad character. However, as discussed earlier, the defendant has waived this argument because he failed to object to the introduction of the tape at trial. 24 In summary, the entire videotape depicting the meeting between Krankel and the undercover police officer was introduced and properly received at trial without objection from defense counsel. We disagree with the defendant's contention that the trial judge's decision to include the tape was improper; for upon review, we have not found that plain error occurred as a result of the trial judge's actions. Furthermore, as this Court recently observed in our decision in Wilson v. Williams, 161 F.3d 1078, 1095 (7th Cir.1998), [a] party cannot ... blow 'hot and cold' during the course of litigation. When a party assumes a certain position in a legal proceeding and succeeds in maintaining that position, he may not thereafter assume a contrary position. (citation and internal quotation omitted). 25