Opinion ID: 310289
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Bruton: Right to confront witnesses.

Text: 48 Government witnesses testified concerning a number of conversations with Hauff, in Nasser's absence. With varying degrees of explicitness and completeness, Hauff said in these conversations that Nasser had participated as an IRS attorney in Hauff's tax matters and was currently acting as Hauff's attorney on the same matters. Hauff did not testify and thus Nasser had no opportunity to cross-examine Hauff. Nasser's counsel objected, but the testimony was admitted, usually with a statement by the court that each was admitted against Hauff only. 49 Ultimately, however, the court gave an instruction that if a conspiracy has been established, the declarations of a member of the conspiracy, in furtherance of its objects, may be considered as evidence against another member of the conspiracy. The court did not identify which of Hauff's statements might be deemed in furtherance of any conspiracy. 50 Appellant Nasser argues that several statements by Hauff, incriminating Nasser, were not in furtherance of any conspiracy and therefore were improperly received at the joint trial under principles later announced in Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L. Ed.2d 476 (1968). 51 Bruton held that at a joint trial, proof of a confession by one defendant, incriminating his codefendant as well, makes the first defendant, in effect, a witness against the second. Unless the second defendant has had an opportunity to cross-examine the first, the second defendant will be deprived of the right to confront a witness, and the confession must be excluded, even though otherwise admissible against the defendant who gave it. Bruton is to be applied retroactively, and therefore to the instant case. Roberts v. Russell, 392 U.S. 293, 88 S.Ct. 1921, 20 L.Ed.2d 1100 (1968). 52 Hauff's statements, just referred to, described all the elements of the substantive offenses charged against Nasser. They clearly must have had prejudicial impact. 53 Mrs. McAdams was an employee of Hauff in a restaurant business. She described four apparently casual conversations in which Hauff made statements incriminating Nasser. She testified to a threat by Hauff, several months later, suggesting a violent death for people who talk, but with nothing to indicate the threat related to the Nasser relationship. Hauff's earlier statements to her about the Nasser relationship could not conceivably have been in furtherance of the conspiracy, and could properly be considered against Nasser only on the tenuous theory that they permitted an inference that the threat was designed to suppress the knowledge she had gained from the earlier remarks and was thus in furtherance of the conspiracy. 54 Hauff's girl friend testified that at various times she (1) aided Hauff in deception of Circella for a purpose irrelevant to this case, (2) at Hauff's request falsely represented to Circella that she had paid Nasser his fee for representing Hauff, and (3) at Hauff's request relayed to Circella statements about Nasser's former government employment and current representation of Hauff. Arguably (3) may have furthered a plan to persuade Circella to have Nasser represent him, but (1) and (2) were not even arguably in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy. 55 Circella testified to statements Hauff made to him similar to (3) and these arguably may have furthered that plan. 56 Mr. Weber is an IRS inspector who investigates misconduct by IRS employees. He interviewed Hauff in April, 1964, and Weber described his statements. Much of what Hauff said constituted denial, or was otherwise exculpatory, but there were several admissions as well as statements which, though couched in double talk, could readily be interpreted as verifying Nasser's unlawful representation of Hauff. Hauff emphasized the thought that his testimony would be essential to any case against Nasser, that both the government and Nasser needed Hauff, and that the government case would be hearsay without Hauff. He threatened to leave town if subpoenaed and to take the 'Fifth'  if found. Even though a good portion of these interviews contained denials or evasions, and denials may have been in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy, we can not agree with the government contention that Hauff's incriminating statements to the inspector were, because of any tendency to discourage investigation, in furtherance of the conspiracy and therefore admissible against Nasser. We surmise that, as related by the Inspector, these statements had great impact on the jury. 57 Even if we were satisfied that a criminal conspiracy had been properly proved, Bruton would compel reversal as to Nasser because significant portions of this testimony as to Hauff's statements, incriminating Nasser, could not be admitted at a joint trial. 4 Of course we have decided the conviction on the conspiracy count is to be reversed, but have nevertheless considered whether, on the parallel theory of a proved agency or joint venture, Hauff's statements could be charged against Nasser. We conclude they can not. 58 Harrington v. California, 395 U.S. 250, 89 S.Ct. 1726, 23 L.Ed.2d 284 (1969) established that there may be a case against a defendant relying on Bruton so overwhelming that the violation of Bruton [is] harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, but the government has not asked nor have we deemed it appropriate to find the Bruton error harmless in this case. 59