Opinion ID: 539182
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The References to Violence and the Mafia

Text: 157 Notwithstanding the court's refusal to permit Berrio to present a defense of duress, his attorney argued at trial that Berrio was not a knowing and voluntary participant in the Johnnycake farm operations because of the control of narcotics operations by the violent Colombian cartels. In support of this argument, his counsel questioned DEA Agent Fred Marano in part as follows: 158 Q. [By Ms. Vaida] And the processing of cocaine both in Colombia and in the United States would be handled by what's called the Colombian mafia or Colombian cartel, would that be fair to say? 159 MR. SCHLENKER [Counsel for Villegas]: I'm going to have to object, judge, this opens the door to just-- 160 THE COURT: No, there was something in the direct examination referring to a cartel. If you're trying to get an explanation of that comment made by Special Agent Marano, I'll allow it. 161 .... 162 THE WITNESS: The majority of that cocaine is linked with a cartel, yes, in Colombia. BY MS. VAIDA: 163 Q. Would you explain to the jury what a cartel is? 164 A. It is a, it's a large group of very powerful people in Colombia who have banded together to develop, process cocaine in Colombia and then effect its trans-shipment to the United States and enjoy a very successful trafficking route. 165 Q. And is the word cartel synonymous with mafia? 166 MR. SCHLENKER: I'm going to object, your Honor. 167 THE COURT: No, not if you can answer that. 168 MR. SCHLENKER: I thought that the Government said that there was no such word, at one time.THE COURT: Depends on which branch of the Government you're talking to. Can you answer that, question, Agent Marano? 169 A. I've never considered mafia and cartel synonymous, although I think very similar. My perception of the 2 clubs, if you will, is very similar. 170 Q. Maybe I'm not phrasing this right. During your investigations over the past 15 years into the Colombian cartel, would it be fair to say that often the word Colombian mafia is often used instead [of] Colombian cartel? 171 A. I have seen it used, yeah. 172 .... 173 Q. Now, you mentioned that you were specifically involved with 8 or 9 drug labs in the United States, is that correct? 174 A. Yes. 175 Q. And one of those drug labs was the Minden lab, is that correct? 176 A. Yes. 177 Q. And in your investigation and involvement with the Minden lab, there were certain threats made to individuals that were arrested in that case, is that correct? 178 A. I'm sorry, I'm not aware of that. I wasn't involved with that aspect of the case. 179 Q. Were you aware of a tongue that was mailed to the Montgomery County jail in that case? 180 A. I heard something about that, yes. 181 (Trial Transcript at 1495-99.) Villegas objected to further questions by Berrio's attorney regarding violence and corruption on grounds of relevance, and this line of questioning was soon curtailed. 182 Garcia contends that the references to violence and the mafia deprived him of a fair trial. We are unpersuaded. The line of questioning was relevant to Berrio's attempt to show intimidation, and it was within the district court's discretion to permit it as having some probative value. We do not view it as unduly prejudicial to the other defendants. The questions and answers did not purport to link Garcia, nor, so far as appears, any other defendant in the case, with the so-called Colombian mafia. There was no suggestion in this testimony that Garcia was an enforcer in the Johnnycake farm operation. Further, there was no objection to the questions on the ground now asserted by Garcia on appeal, namely that the prejudicial effect outweighed its probative value. Rather, the objection at trial, by Villegas, was that the testimony would open[ ] the door to irrelevant evidence. Nor did Garcia ask for any sort of limiting instruction. 183 Given the strength of the case against Garcia, who was one of the defendants found in the manufacturing area of the basement, and who does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to convict him, and the very short stretch of the now-challenged questioning-seven pages in a four-week trial--we cannot conclude that this testimony negated the fairness of the trial.