Opinion ID: 567915
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jerry Allen LeQuire

Text: 53 During his closing argument, the prosecutor made the following remark to the jury: 54 Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have piled on more evidence in this case than just about those incidents, we have proven literally 70 to a hundred an[d] eight loads came in at the direction of Jerry Allen LeQuire, assisted by the people who sit with him, and others who are charged in this indictment. 55 One thing Jerry Allen LeQuire does not have going for him, he doesn't have the guts to tell it about the Colombians and get on that stand-- 56 (R. 19-2372) (emphasis added). Counsel for Jerry LeQuire, later joined by counsel for the other non-testifying defendants, demanded a mistrial, claiming that this was an impermissible reference upon the defendants' failure to testify. The government replied that the statement was not intentional, but instead was made in response to defense counsel's earlier argument that the government's case was made up of liars on parade. 57 The district court denied the motion for mistrial, finding that although the remark was improper, it constituted harmless error in the context in which it was made. Because of the seriousness of the prosecutor's needless comment, we must carefully examine the remark's impact on the fairness of LeQuire's trial. 58 It is a basic constitutional precept that reversible error will exist in a criminal case if the prosecution comments on the fact that the defendant does not testify. Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609, 612, 85 S.Ct. 1229, 1232, 14 L.Ed.2d 106, 108 (1965). A prosecutor's comment on the failure of the accused to testify may not, however, always mandate reversal. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 22, 87 S.Ct. 824, 827, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967); Marsden v. Moore, 847 F.2d 1536, 1548 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 983, 109 S.Ct. 534, 102 L.Ed.2d 566 (1988). 59 In determining if a prosecutorial remark impairs the integrity of the defendant's right not to testify the test is whether the defense can show that the remark was intended to comment on the defendant's silence or was of such character that a jury would naturally and necessarily construe it as a comment on the defendant's silence. United States v. Stuart-Caballero, 686 F.2d 890, 892 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1209, 103 S.Ct. 1202, 75 L.Ed.2d 444 (1983). See also United States v. Carrodeguas, 747 F.2d 1390, 1395 (11th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 816, 106 S.Ct. 60, 88 L.Ed.2d 49 (1985) (test ... is whether or not the statement was manifestly intended or of such character that a jury would naturally and necessarily take it to be a comment on the failure of the accused to testify). Moreover, the remark must be examined in the context in which it is made. Rogers v. McMullen, 673 F.2d 1185 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1110, 103 S.Ct. 740, 74 L.Ed.2d 961 (1983). 60 Applying this test to the remark complained of in the instant case leads us to conclude that it was probably not manifestly intended. No manifest intent exists where another, equally plausible explanation for the remark is present. Carrodeguas, 747 F.2d at 1395. In this case, the prosecutor contends that he did not manifestly intend to comment on Jerry LeQuire's failure to testify. Instead, he argues that his remark was intended only to rebut the accusation of the defense that the government's witnesses were liars. In response to an attack on the government and the conduct of its case, a prosecutor may present what even amounts to a bolstering argument if it is specifically done in rebuttal to assertions made by defense counsel in order to remove any stigma cast upon the government or its witnesses. United States v. Dorr, 636 F.2d 117, 120 (5th Cir. Unit A 1981). 61 After a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the prosecutor's remark, we find his invited argument explanation for the remark to be at least as plausible as any argument that he manifestly intended to comment on Jerry LeQuire's failure to take the stand. Accordingly, we conclude, as did the trial judge, that the prosecutor had no manifest intent to comment on Jerry LeQuire's failure to testify. 62 The second part of the test, however, is more problematic. The prosecutor's remark that Jerry LeQuire doesn't have the guts to tell about the Colombians and get on that stand could not have been interpreted by the jury as anything but a comment on Jerry LeQuire's silence. 19 The argument must now focus on whether the prosecutor's direct comment mandates reversal. 63 Jerry LeQuire contends that United States v. Griggs, 735 F.2d 1318 (11th Cir.1984), mandates reversal. In Griggs, the prosecutor made the following fatal error by saying: 64 There is absolutely no evidence, there is no testimony, not a single person has said Mr. Griggs was afraid of an unjustified conviction. Mr. Thomas [Griggs' attorney] has just asked you to assume that, even though the defendant has not testified about it and no one has testified about it. 65 Griggs, 735 F.2d at 1320. 66 The court held that the defendant in Griggs was entitled to a new trial for the improper remark of the prosecutor; the Griggs opinion, however, makes no reference to the harmless error doctrine, as stated in Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967), holding that before a federal constitutional error can be held harmless, the court must be able to declare a belief that it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. 67 Nor did Griggs consider United States v. Hasting, 461 U.S. 499, 103 S.Ct. 1974, 76 L.Ed.2d 96 (1983), decided about thirteen months prior to Griggs. Hasting referred to a prosecutor's statement in failing to rebut the prosecution's case. On the government's appeal following the action of the Seventh Circuit in setting aside a jury verdict of guilty, the Supreme Court expressed the view that the Seventh Circuit was exercising its supervisory powers to discipline the prosecutor, and that the harmless-error rule of Chapman cannot be voided by an assertion of supervisory power over a prosecutor. In positing the issue it was said (p. 510, 103 S.Ct. p. 1981): 68 The question a reviewing court must ask is this: absent the prosecutor's allusion to the failure of the defendant to proffer evidence to rebut the testimony of the victims, is it clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the jury would have returned a verdict of guilty? 69 Because the evidence demonstrated a compelling case of guilt, the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals in ordering a new trial based on the prosecutor's argument. 70 As we were concerned that Griggs failed to mention Chapman, Hasting, and the harmless-error rule, we have examined the briefs filed in Griggs. 20 As anticipated the prosecution's argument on harmless-error is confined to one paragraph, ten lines in length. The force of the prosecution's argument was directed to other aspects of the case. Understandably, the defendant did not mention the harmless-error doctrine; but did discuss United States v. Hasting, 660 F.2d 301 (7th Cir.1980), which was later reversed by the Supreme Court. The prosecution, after the opinion had been filed in Griggs, then petitioned for rehearing concentrating essentially all of its argument on the harmless-error rule, but the petition for rehearing was denied. The timing of the briefs with no emphasis on harmless-error may well have contributed to the per curiam opinion in Griggs. In light of the failure of the court in Griggs to consider this relevant and binding Supreme Court precedent, we decline to follow Griggs to the extent that it does not consider the harmless error rule. Accordingly, we now examine the application of the harmless error rule in the present case. Accord Marsden v. Moore, 847 F.2d 1536, 1548 (11th Cir.1988). 71 The government contends, in essence, that the overwhelming evidence against Jerry LeQuire, combined with the curative instruction 21 given by the judge renders this improper comment harmless. 72 In declaring a constitutional error to be harmless, however, this court must be able to declare a belief that it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967). Given the inflammatory nature of the prosecutor's comment and his gesture made towards the witness stand, we would not conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that this was harmless error but for the fact that the jury returned not guilty verdicts in Jerry LeQuire's favor on issues pertaining directly to the Colombians (i.e., Counts VII, VIII, IX and X). 73 In addition, where Counts I, II, and III are concerned, trial counsel for Jerry LeQuire stipulated and conceded his client's guilt in flying marijuana into Marathon, Florida, on December 5, 1981; in also flying a load of marijuana into Madisonville, Tennessee, and in finally causing the transportation of a load of cocaine into Montgomery, Alabama. The overwhelming evidence of guilt on the RICO and CCE charges, as to Jerry LeQuire, and the curative instruction do negate the fact that an improper seed was planted in the minds of the jurors, thus possibly influencing their verdict. We, therefore, affirm Jerry LeQuire's conviction on these counts. 74