Opinion ID: 214687
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of Prior Drug Transactions Was Admissible

Text: The court allowed evidence of some of Moore's drug transactions that occurred before the indictment's charged conspiracy start date of October 2002. The court admitted the evidence under the exceptions to the exclusionary rule of Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b). Moore argues that the court erred procedurally by not explaining why it was admitting the evidence, and substantively because the evidence does not meet the rule's standard for admissibility. We find that while the court should have explained its rationale, it did not ultimately err in admitting the evidence. Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) prohibits evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts to prove that a person has a propensity to commit the crime in question. However, evidence otherwise excludable per this rule may be admissible for certain purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Fed.R.Evid. 404(b). We review a district court's decision to allow Rule 404(b) evidence for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Holt, 460 F.3d 934, 936 (7th Cir.2006). Even if there is a mistake, we will not reverse if the error was harmless. United States v. Bonty, 383 F.3d 575, 579 (7th Cir.2004). Therefore, we evaluate evidentiary challenges like Moore's in light of all the evidence that was before the jury. Holt, 460 F.3d at 936. The first set of evidence that Moore contends was improperly admitted involved drug transactions from June of 2000. Police Captain Ron Almaroad testified that he coordinated a controlled buy between Moore and an informant where Moore sold the informant crack cocaine for twenty dollars. A videotape of the controlled buy was admitted as evidence and played for the jury. Still photographs of the transaction were also admitted as evidence, as well as a sealed evidence bag containing the crack cocaine that exchanged hands. Captain Almaroad further testified that another controlled buy involving Moore and the same informant occurred the next day. Photographs of this second transaction, and a sealed evidence bag containing the crack cocaine that was sold, were also admitted as evidence. As a result of these two sales, Moore was convicted in November of 2000 for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, which, under Illinois law, is a felony. The certified court documents of this conviction were admitted into evidence. The second set of prior drug activity evidence was the testimony by Devon Smith. Smith testified that he had limited involvement with Moore in 2000 and 2001 and bought drugs from him in $20, $50, and, rarely, $100 increments. The court admitted the two sets of evidence over Moore's objection pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b), but did not explain under what theory the rule applied. Instead, the court simply said that the evidence would be 404(b), and the court's going to allow that with the cautionary 404(b) instruction. Indeed, before Captain Almaroad's testimony, the court instructed the jury that the evidence you are about to hear is for a limited purpose. You can consider this testimony only on the person's knowledge, intent, and opportunity rather than the propensity for him to commit the crimes charged in this indictment. You should consider this evidence only for this limited purpose. The court also gave an instruction directly before Smith's testimony that was substantively identical. Finally, the court gave another Rule 404(b) limiting instruction at the close of evidence that was similar to the two previous instructions, but replaced the rule's opportunity exception with the lack of mistake exception. The court should have explained its rationale in admitting the evidence pursuant to Rule 404(b) (just as the parties should have requested an explanation in the absence of one). In evaluating potential Rule 404(b) evidence, the court must both identify the exception that applies to the evidence and evaluate whether the probative value of the evidence outweighs its potential prejudicial effect. United States v. Beasley, 809 F.2d 1273, 1279 (7th Cir. 1987). If the court does not explain its decision in admitting Rule 404(b) evidence, we have no way to determine whether this necessary balancing test occurred. This is especially problematic here, where the court gave slightly different Rule 404(b) limiting instructions because it replaced the opportunity exception with the lack of mistake exception during its delivery of the final instructions at the close of evidence. There are important considerations underlying our past guidance that it is prudent for district courts to give the basis for the admission of Rule 404(b) evidence at the time of the ruling. United States v. Albiola, 624 F.3d 431, 439 (7th Cir.2010). But see United States v. Ciesiolka, 614 F.3d 347, 360 n. 2 (7th Cir.2010) (Ripple, J., dissenting) (arguing that a district court may explain its Rule 404(b) weighing after the evidence has been admitted). Explaining evidentiary decisions in a timely manner is important to the defendant, who may be entitled to a new trial based on faulty admission of evidence. It is vital to the judicial system, because its principled and just functioning ... depends on careful observation of the rules that focus attention on the proper grounds of decision. Beasley, 809 F.2d at 1279. And it is critical to the appellate courts, because without it we lose the benefit of the trial court's invaluable perspective and insight in evaluating the propriety of its decisions. Id. at 1278 (Trial judges have a comparative advantage because they alone see all the evidence in context). This is not to say, of course, that the court should explain each and every evidentiary decision; [j]udges need not explain the obvious, even briefly. Id. at 1280. But where, as here, reasonable minds could disagree as to which exception to Rule 404(b) applies, whether an exception applies at all, and whether the strength of the evidence outweighs its potential for undue prejudice, an explanation is warranted. Additionally, when the court explains for the attorneys and the record why it is allowing certain Rule 404(b) evidence, that rationale becomes the basis for its limiting instruction. [4] The committee commentary for our court's model Rule 404(b) instruction explains that such evidence may be admissible for purposes such as proof of predisposition, motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, presence, or absence of mistake or accident. This list does not include every possible basis for the admissibility of this type of evidence, nor does it suggest which one will necessarily apply. The facts and circumstances of the case will determine on what ground certain evidence is admissible. Here, it is possible that the court believed that all of its stated exceptions of knowledge, intent, opportunity, and lack of mistake applied, but it should have explained why. In this case, although the trial court should have explained its decisions, we ultimately conclude that it did not err in admitting the evidence. We use a four-part test to determine whether the district court properly admitted evidence under an exception to Rule 404(b), and will find no error if: (1) the evidence was directed toward a matter in issue other than the defendant's propensity to commit a crime; (2) the evidence shows that the other act is similar enough and close enough in time to be relevant; (3) the evidence is sufficient to support a jury finding that the defendant committed the similar act; and (4) the probative value of the evidence is not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. United States v. Dennis, 497 F.3d 765, 768 (7th Cir.2007).
Applying the four-part admissibility test to Captain Almaroad's testimony and related documents, we find that the court did not err in admitting the evidence. The first prong of the test, which necessitates that the evidence be directed to a matter other than a propensity to commit a crime, is satisfied because Moore was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he did not stipulate to a prior felony conviction. As a result, the government had to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Moore had been convicted of a prior felony. Had Moore stipulated to a prior felony conviction or agreed to the admission of the certified record of conviction, our analysis would be different because either would have been properly admitted into evidence, and the details surrounding the drug transactions would not have been admissible. Old Chief v. United States, 519 U.S. 172, 174, 117 S.Ct. 644, 136 L.Ed.2d 574 (1997); see also United States v. Hampton, 585 F.3d 1033, 1041 n. 2 (7th Cir.2009). The second prong of the test is met because selling crack cocaine twice is similar enough to the charged crime of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and the transactions were close enough in time (two years) to be relevant. See United States v. Wash, 231 F.3d 366, 371 (7th Cir.2000) (similarity prong met where prior bad acts and current conviction both implicated defendant in possessing distribution amount of drugs); United States v. Ruiz, 178 F.3d 877, 880 (7th Cir.1999) (two-year gap in time not an inherently unacceptable gap under Rule 404(b)). The evidence consisting of sworn testimony, video, photographs, the crack cocaine that exchanged hands, and a certified record of conviction was more than sufficient to support the jury's finding that Moore committed the prior similar act, so the third part of the test is met. The final prong of the Rule 404(b) test incorporates Rule 403. Ciesiolka, 614 F.3d at 358. Whether it is satisfied in this case is a close question for the same reason that the sufficiency of the evidence prong is so easily met. Under Rule 403, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, or because of needless presentation of cumulative evidence. Fed.R.Evid. 403. [5] The probative value of the June 2000 drug conviction evidence was high because it went directly to an element of the charged crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The threat of unfair prejudice was tempered because the court diligently provided the jury with a Rule 404(b) limiting instruction right before the evidence was offered, and again at the close of all evidence. And [a]bsent any showing that the jury could not follow the court's limiting instruction, we presume that the jury limited its consideration of the testimony in accordance with the court's instruction. United States v. Zahursky, 580 F.3d 515, 525-26 (7th Cir.2009) (citation omitted); see also United States v. Vargas, 552 F.3d 550, 557 (7th Cir.2008) ([W]e assume that limiting instructions are effective in reducing or eliminating unfair prejudice.). In terms of the cumulative consideration portion of the Rule 404(b) test, it appears at first glance that the admittance of Captain Almaroad's testimony, and the video, and the photographs, and the crack cocaine, and the certified conviction documents, was excessive. And our review is made more difficult because we do not have any statements by the court explaining its rationale in allowing all of this evidence to be admitted. However, our review of the record ultimately convinces us that the evidence was not cumulative. In most cases a certified record of conviction would be sufficient to prove a prior felony conviction beyond a reasonable doubt but here, there was another Anthony Moore that lived in the area. The additional evidence was helpful to the jury because it needed evidence that the Anthony Moore listed on the state conviction records was the same person that was on trial. Also, considering the context of a relatively involved criminal trial that featured 30 government witnesses and 109 government exhibits, the evidence for the June 2000 transactions does not seem excessive. Since the June 2000 evidence satisfies the four-part Rule 404(b) admissibility test, the court did not abuse its discretion in admitting it.
Turning to Smith's testimony, we find that the district court did not err in allowing it into evidence because it also meets the four-part Rule 404(b) test for admittance. Smith testified that he had limited involvement with Moore in 2000 and 2001. Specifically, he said he bought double-ups ($20 crack rocks) from Moore in certain increments at a particular location in the city. The evidence was directed toward Moore's intent and knowledge in distributing drugs, which are crucial considerations in establishing the intent necessary for conspiracy to distribute drugs. See United States v. Green, 258 F.3d 683, 694 (7th Cir.2001) (when a defendant is charged with the specific intent crime of conspiracy to distribute drugs, prior drug transactions may be relevant to show knowledge and intent). And here, all four of Moore's witnesses testified that they never saw him sell drugs from the house or apartment they lived in or frequented, so his intent and knowledge were issues at trial. Smith's testimony that he bought crack cocaine from Moore one to two years before the indictment's charged start date of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine satisfies the similarity and proximity prong. The sufficiency-of-the-evidence prong is met because Smith provided eyewitness testimony featuring specific details about his mode and location in purchasing drugs from Moore. And, finally, the evidence did not violate the final prong of the Rule 404(b) test because it was limited in scope (only 13 lines of question-and-answer trial transcript testimony), and the court offered a limiting instruction before the introduction of the evidence and again at the close of evidence. Although the court should have explained its rationale, it did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence of Moore's prior drug transactions under the exceptions to Rule 404(b).