Opinion ID: 513484
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Kinslow's Arguments Regarding Count Six.

Text: 11 Count six charged Kinslow with the interstate transportation of a minor, Malina Blades, for sexual purposes in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2423. Kinslow argues that the district court should have severed this count from the balance of the indictment. In addition, he argues that his cross-examination of Malina Blades with respect to this count was improperly curtailed. Finally, Kinslow argues that sufficient evidence does not exist to uphold his conviction on this count. 12
13 Kinslow contends that count six was improperly joined under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 8(a) and that even if the court's initial joinder were proper, the court should have severed count six on the ground of prejudice under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 14. Rule 8(a) provides for the joinder of two or more offenses if the offenses are (1) of the same or similar character; (2) based on the same act or transaction; or (3) connected together or part of a common scheme or plan. Fed.R.Crim.P. 8(a). Rule 8(a) is to be interpreted broadly in favor of joinder. United States v. Friedman, 445 F.2d 1076, 1082 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 958, 92 S.Ct. 326, 30 L.Ed.2d 275 (1971). 14 In this case, the district court's joinder under Rule 8(a) was proper because all of the counts in the indictment were based on the same transaction and were part of a common plan. Transaction is a word of flexible meaning that may comprehend a series of related occurrences. Id. at 1083. The incidents listed in the indictment all took place within the same 24 hour time period and they all made up part of Kinslow's common plan to get to California with the Blades family as his hostages. Beside the interstate transportation charge involved in count six, Kinslow was also charged with the unlawful transportation of firearms and stolen property. All the illegal transportations occurred in the same vehicle and at the same time. Thus, all the counts of the indictment, including count six, were part of the same transaction. The district court properly permitted the counts to be tried together under Rule 8(a). 15 Kinslow contends that even if Rule 8(a) joinder was proper, the district court should have severed count six under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 14. Rule 14 grants the district court discretion to sever claims if it appears that prejudice will result from their joinder. The test under Rule 14 is whether joinder is so manifestly prejudicial that it outweighs the dominant concern with judicial economy and compels the exercise of the court's discretion to sever. United States v. Brashier, 548 F.2d 1315, 1323 (9th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 1111, 97 S.Ct. 1149, 51 L.Ed.2d 565 (1977). 16 Kinslow argues that after the jury heard the testimony regarding count six, they could not be expected to compartmentalize the proof and objectively evaluate all of the evidence. The record does not indicate, however, that the jury used the evidence adduced on count six to convict Kinslow on the other charges. Indeed, the evidence adduced against Kinslow on the other counts of the indictment was overwhelming; he was caught red-handed, sitting in the Blades' family car with the stolen weapons in his possession. On these facts, it cannot be said that the jury was unable to compartmentalize the evidence and judge each count separately and objectively. Thus, the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing Kinslow's request for severance under Rule 14. 17
18 Kinslow contends that the district court improperly limited his cross-examination of Malina Blades, in violation of his rights under the confrontation clause, when it sustained the government's objection to a question on the grounds of privilege. 1 Whether or not a witness holds a certain privilege in a federal criminal trial is an issue governed exclusively by Federal Rule of Evidence 501. A psychotherapist-patient privilege has been recognized and upheld in federal criminal prosecutions, see United States v. Friedman, 636 F.Supp. 462, 462-63 (S.D.N.Y.1986), and courts have generally recognized the need to balance the benefit gained by free disclosure with the need to protect the patient and the relationship. Id., at 462. See also United States v. Brown, 479 F.Supp. 1247, 1253-54 (D.Md.1979) (recognizing the need to balance the defendant's opportunity to conduct a full cross-examination with the patient's privacy interests). 19 Regardless of whether a valid privilege existed, however, the district court cannot be said to have abused its discretion in sustaining the government's objection. After the government's objection was sustained, Kinslow's counsel failed to pursue the matter with the court or advise the court of his purpose behind this line of questioning. See United States v. Martinez, 776 F.2d 1481, 1485 (10th Cir.1985) (issue of whether the district court erroneously curtailed cross-examination was not properly preserved for appeal where defense counsel failed to object to the curtailment or to explain his purpose behind the line of questioning). On this minimal record, we cannot say that the court committed reversible error in sustaining the government's objection. 20
21 Kinslow contends that the evidence was legally insufficient to support his conviction on count six because sexual misconduct was not a dominant purpose in the transportation of Malina Blades across state lines. In this circuit, a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2423 exists if the immoral activity is one of the dominant purposes of the transportation. United States v. Fox, 425 F.2d 996, 999 (9th Cir.1970). It is not necessary, therefore, that the immoral activity be the only purpose of the trip. 22 Kinslow asserts that his only purpose in taking Malina Blades across state lines was to insure his own safe passage from Arizona to California. While this may have been one of his goals, the jury was entitled to find that Kinslow also intended to assert sexual control over the females in the Blades family and that this was one of the reasons he took them all into California. The evidence showed that before leaving for California, Kinslow raped Mrs. Blades, or at least forced her to engage in some form of sexual activity against her will. A rational trier of fact could have found that one of the dominant purposes in transporting Malina Blades across state lines was to have her available to him for immoral, sexual purposes. 23