Opinion ID: 372785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Statements by Co-conspirator

Text: 24 Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E) makes admissible as an exception to the rule against hearsay evidence statements made by co-conspirators. Prior to the admission of any such evidence, however, a determination must be made as to the existence of a conspiracy and the defendant's membership therein. United States v. Martorano, 557 F.2d 1 (1st Cir. 1977), Cert. denied, 435 U.S. 922, 98 S.Ct. 1484, 55 L.Ed.2d 515 (1978). After presenting its evidence in the instant case, the Government moved, pursuant to United States v. Petrozziello, 548 F.2d 20 (1st Cir. 1977), that statements previously introduced and properly limited by the Court to their respective defendants be introduced against the other co-defendants as part of the conspiracy charged in Count One of the indictment. The court found that it was satisfied by the evidence that the Government had made a Prima facie showing of a conspiracy and allowed statements by Archambault to be introduced against Pappas. 25 In Petrozziello, supra, this circuit announced a new test to be applied by district courts when making the preliminary finding of a conspiracy, prerequisite to introduction of statements by alleged co-conspirators against one another. Before Petrozziello, we followed the general rule that the court should provisionally admit hearsay statements against a defendant if it found enough independent, nonhearsay evidence to make a Prima facie case of conspiracy. United States v. Johnson, 467 F.2d 804 (1st Cir. 1972), Cert. denied, 410 U.S. 909, 93 S.Ct. 963, 35 L.Ed.2d 270 (1973); under this approach, the statements were admitted subject to the jury's ultimate determination as to admissibility, and the judge was required to give the jury timely (if perhaps unrealistic) instructions concerning its responsibilities on the matter of admissibility. See, e. g. United States v. Honneus, 508 F.2d 566, 677 (1st Cir. 1974), Cert. denied, 421 U.S. 948, 95 S.Ct. 1677, 44 L.Ed.2d 101 (1975). In Petrozziello, decided after the adoption of the new Federal Rules of Evidence, we held that the Prima facie standard was no longer appropriate. 548 F.2d at 23. Instead, as the ultimate question of admissibility now rests with the court alone, the court was to apply a more likely than not standard if it is more likely than not that the declarant and the defendants were members of a conspiracy when the hearsay statement was made, and that the statement was in furtherance of the conspiracy, the statement is admissible. Id. 26 Pappas argues that the district judge's articulation of the Prima facie standard constitutes reversible error. Moreover, he argues that had the correct more likely than not standard been used, a finding that a conspiracy existed could not be made, since none of the Government's evidence showed the degree of knowledge on Pappas' part sufficient to meet the more likely than not test. 27 The Government answers that Pappas' counsel failed to object to the judge's ruling at trial. Without the benefit of objection by trial counsel, our review is limited to mistakes constituting plain error. 5 While appellant has attempted to persuade us that this error falls within the bounds of the plain error rule in Fed.R.Crim.P. 52(b), we are not convinced. The judge acted pursuant to a motion expressly based on Petrozziello and it is possible indeed in these circumstances it seems likely that his articulation of an incorrect standard was a slip of the tongue which would have been quickly rectified had the error been brought to his attention. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 51. There was more than sufficient evidence to justify a ruling under the proper Petrozziello standard, 548 F.2d at 23, that the declarant Archambault and the defendant Pappas were members of the conspiracy and that the statements were made in furtherance thereof. Thus, the district judge could well have applied the Petrozziello standard and admitted under the Federal Rules of Evidence 801(d) (2)(E) the hearsay declarations of Archambault made in furtherance of the conspiracy. 28 In the absence of objection at trial to the standard articulated by the district judge, we are limited to looking only for plain error and this failure to apply the strict Petrozziello standard does not rise to the level of plain error.