Opinion ID: 402336
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Giuseppe Gallina

Text: 32 Gallina raises several issues, none of which require more than brief discussion. 33 Defendant contends that the evidence in the record establishes the existence of two conspiracies, but that the proof connects him with only one. He was present in Italy as Phillipe on the January body-carry smuggle and he conceded that the proof connects him with that crime. But in February he was in New York City and claims that he could not have been a participant in the illegal importation by false-bottom suitcases. The government asserts that there was only one ongoing conspiracy. 34 A jury verdict must be sustained where the evidence viewed in a light most favorable to the government supports it. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942). So viewed, the Gallina brothers were heroin suppliers for both the January and February transactions because they had reached an agreement with the Beltempos to furnish heroin in Italy to be smuggled into the United States by various couriers. This proof constitutes the agreement which is the gist of the crime of conspiracy. United States v. Borelli, 336 F.2d 376, 384 (2d Cir. 1964), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 960, 85 S.Ct. 647, 13 L.Ed.2d 555 (1965). Unlike United States v. Bertolotti, 529 F.2d 149 (2d Cir. 1975), relied upon here by defendant, this is not a spillover involving evidence of separate multiple conspiracies and individuals totally unconnected with one another. See also Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 66 S.Ct. 1239, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946); United States v. Cambindo Valencia, 609 F.2d 603 (2d Cir. 1979), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 940, 100 S.Ct. 2163, 64 L.Ed.2d 795 (1980). Rather the proof shows this to be a single narcotics distribution scheme involving closely related individuals with a common purpose to effect smuggling by whatever method appeared best at the time. The principal participants and their agreement to smuggle heroin from Italy to the United States by means of couriers remained constant. 35 Defendant claims that proof is lacking that the substance involved in the January transaction was heroin. The jury found Gallina guilty of conspiracy for both the January and February transactions. The heroin imported in February was intercepted at customs and was in evidence. Further, as defendant concedes, the nature of the substance may be proved by circumstantial evidence. Brief for Appellant Gallina at 20. All the facts considered as a whole-e.g., white powder, $10,000 paid to one courier to carry it, extreme secrecy used, the February shipment was heroin-provide ample circumstantial evidence that the January shipment was also heroin. See, e.g., United States v. Atkins, 473 F.2d 308, 314 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 412 U.S. 931, 93 S.Ct. 2751, 37 L.Ed.2d 160 (1973); United States v. Fiotto, 454 F.2d 252, 254 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 406 U.S. 918, 92 S.Ct. 1769, 32 L.Ed.2d 117 (1972). 36 Question is raised concerning the admissibility of a $20,000 check drawn in 1979 and cashed by defendant at a Swiss bank. The defense attempted to portray Gallina as a person of modest, even reduced, means through the testimony of his wife. The government countered by introducing three checks totalling $75,000 made out to Gallina all dated January 29, 1981 (shortly after the first smuggling trip). There is little dispute about their relevancy and admissibility. At issue is the $20,000 check which was admitted, but was dated November 1979, about 13 months prior to the incidents for which defendant was on trial. The proof showed that it was cashed by defendant at a bank in St. Gall, Switzerland. At trial Gallina objected to its relevancy; he now claims that it tended to show the commission of prior criminal acts. 9 37 Mrs. Gallina's testimony had not been restricted to the Gallina's present financial picture. She had stated that her middle-aged husband owned a laundromat and occasionally visited a family meat market in Brooklyn. She said that he went to Italy for the weather and for his heart condition. While there she claimed that they stayed at his father's house because they did not have an apartment of their own. She also testified that they owned only one car, never ate out, never travelled except for health reasons and never even went to the movies. To create this image of a poor Brooklyn butcher the defense, as in the line from Oklahoma, went about as far as it could go. We believe that the 1979 check was plainly relevant in view of Mrs. Gallina's testimony. 38 The last two issues involve severance and the claimed bias of a juror. Neither has merit. First, defendant did not move for severance prior to trial and only moved after the verdict for a new trial on the grounds of improper joinder. Such a motion not having been timely made was waived. Fed.R.Crim.P. 12(b)(5) and 12(f). Second, one of the jurors wrote a love letter to the Assistant United States Attorney and invited her to lunch or dinner. He sent a picture of himself and a poem. In commendable fashion the Assistant United States Attorney brought the entire matter to the attention of the trial court and defense counsel. The circumstances disclosed here are not at all similar to those outlined in Remmer v. United States, 347 U.S. 227, 74 S.Ct. 450, 98 L.Ed. 654 (1953), where a private communication to a juror during a trial required a hearing to determine whether the incident prejudiced the accused on trial. Further, Federal Rule of Evidence 606(b) provides that after a verdict a juror may not testify as to ... the effect of anything upon his ... mind or emotions as influencing him to assent to ... the verdict.... The many sound reasons for not inquiring into a juror's state of mind are fully set forth in United States v. Dioguardi, 492 F.2d 70, 78-80 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 829, 95 S.Ct. 49, 42 L.Ed.2d 53 (1974). No recognized ground is presented to impeach the verdict on this issue. 39 With respect to defendant Walberg the mandate of the court shall issue forthwith. 40 The judgments of conviction in each case are affirmed.