Opinion ID: 200903
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jury Instruction — Multiple Conspiracy Defense

Text: 20 Defendants' argument that the trial court erred in failing to give their proposed multiple conspiracy instruction at least in theory has a better chance of success than their two previous arguments because it is governed by a more favorable standard of review. A multiple conspiracy claim ordinarily presents a question of fact for the jury to resolve. See United States v. LiCausi, 167 F.3d 36, 45 (1st Cir.1999). Thus, a court should instruct on the issue if, `on the evidence adduced at trial, a reasonable jury could find more than one such illicit agreement, or could find an agreement different from the one charged.' United States v. Brandon, 17 F.3d 409, 449 (1st Cir.1994) (quoting United States v. Boylan, 898 F.2d 230, 243 (1st Cir.1990)). A court need not give a proposed jury charge, however, if it is incorrect, incomplete, or misleading. See United States v. Lara, 181 F.3d 183, 196 (1st Cir.1999). This is the case here. 21 The trial court correctly instructed the jury that the defendants could not be found guilty unless the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the agreement or conspiracy specified in the indictment, and not some other agreement, or agreements existed, between at least two people to manufacture, possess, or distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants. The proposed instruction elaborates on this basic point by stating [t]he question of whether there is a single conspiracy or multiple conspiracies is one of fact for the jury. It then lists several factors that the jury could consider in determining whether the evidence supported the defendants' multiple conspiracy defense. While the factors listed in the instruction are all drawn from our prior decisions, the instruction adds little to the court's instruction and, in any event, it is misleading because it fails to explain what jurors should do if the evidence suggests that some of the marijuana growing operations were the result of separate conspiracies. As a result, the proposed instruction leaves the misimpression that jurors should acquit if they have a reasonable doubt about whether any of the defendants' marijuana growing operations were the product of separate conspiracies. As we have explained, multiple conspiracy is not a defense unless it creates a reasonable doubt about whether the defendant is guilty of the charged conspiracy. The government did not need to prove that all of the marijuana growing operations were undertaken in furtherance of the charged conspiracy in order to establish the defendants' guilt as long as they were able to demonstrate that the defendants were guilty of the charged conspiracy. Because the proposed instruction suggests otherwise, it is misleading and the court was under no obligation to give it.