Opinion ID: 524661
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Obstructing the Grand Jury

Text: 72 Count 12 of the indictment charges Bucey with violating 18 U.S.C. section 1503 31 on the grounds that Bucey well knowing of the existence of said federal grand jury investigation did corruptly endeavor to influence, obstruct and impede the due administration of justice by advising, counseling and encouraging a person known to him as 'James O'Brien' to give false and misleading testimony when appearing before said grand jury. Indictment p 3 at 27. Bucey's challenge is two-fold: (1) the government failed to prove that he had the requisite corrupt intent to impede a grand jury investigation; and (2) his actions were incapable of interfering with the administration of justice since the putative grand jury witness was a fictional character. 73 To establish a violation of section 1503, the government must demonstrate that the defendant knew of the pending judicial proceeding and specifically intended to impede its administration. United States v. Guzzino, 810 F.2d 687, 696 (7th Cir.) (citation omitted), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1030, 107 S.Ct. 1957, 95 L.Ed.2d 529 (1987). Section 1503 is violated when a defendant interferes with the due administration of justice by tampering with a witness. See United States v. Rovetuso, 768 F.2d 809, 824 (7th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1076, 106 S.Ct. 838, 88 L.Ed.2d 809 (1986), cert. denied, 476 U.S. 1106, 106 S.Ct. 1951, 90 L.Ed.2d 360 (1986). We do not think the fact that O'Brien (agent Dembitz' pseudonym) was a fictional grand jury witness precludes an obstruction of justice conviction. The statute proscribes the endeavor to influence or obstruct the administration of justice; thus, the impossibility of accomplishing the goal of an obstruction of justice does not prevent a prosecution for the endeavor to accomplish the goal. United States v. Brimberry, 744 F.2d 580, 583 (7th Cir.1984) (citing Osborn v. United States, 385 U.S. 323, 333, 87 S.Ct. 429, 435, 17 L.Ed.2d 394 (1966) (where defendant Osborn allegedly employed informer to contact prospective juror, fact that informer never intended to carry out scheme did not preclude defendant's conviction for endeavoring to bribe juror)). See also United States v. Rosner, 485 F.2d 1213, 1228 (2d Cir.1973), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 950, 94 S.Ct. 3080, 41 L.Ed.2d 672 (1974). Thus, Dembitz' fictitious identity as a grand jury witness does not exonerate Bucey from his endeavor to influence the proper administration of the grand jury. 74 In addition, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, we think it was sufficient for the jury to conclude that Bucey possessed the requisite corrupt intent to influence the administration of justice. This court elucidated the requisite intent element for obstruction of justice offenses in United States v. Machi, 811 F.2d 991 (7th Cir.1987), and aligned itself with the Fourth Circuit: 75 In our view, the defendant need only have had knowledge or notice that success in his fraud would have likely have [sic] resulted in an obstruction of justice. Notice is provided by the reasonable foreseeability of the natural and probable consequences of one's acts. 76 Id. at 998 (quoting United States v. Neiswender, 590 F.2d 1269, 1273 (4th Cir.1979)). 77 Bucey, who had been apprised of the ongoing grand jury investigation and of the subpoena purportedly issued to Dembitz, counseled Dembitz on how to role-play his grand jury testimony with his attorney and instructed Dembitz to provide false and misleading testimony to the grand jury. We think a jury could readily infer that Bucey had knowledge or notice that the success of his fraudulent endeavor would likely influence the just administration of the grand jury proceedings. See United States v. Shannon, 836 F.2d 1125 (8th Cir.) (sustaining obstruction of justice conviction based upon defendant's advice to former bank teller, who was prospective grand jury witness, that it would be in her best interest to forget about any large currency transactions which she had processed), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 2830, 100 L.Ed.2d 930 (1988).