Opinion ID: 397892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Conspiracy and Possession 11 The Davises separately raise challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence. Mrs. Davis contends that the lower court erred in denying her motion for judgment of acquittal because the evidence was insufficient to convict her on the conspiracy and the possession counts. The failure of the government to establish venue as to the possession charge disposes of one of her contentions. The government did establish venue on the conspiracy charge, however, so the sufficiency of the evidence on that count must be examined. 12 The standard for assessing both direct and circumstantial evidence is whether, taking the view most favorable to the government, a reasonably minded jury must necessarily have a reasonable doubt as to a defendant's guilt. E.g., United States v. Cardona, 650 F.2d 54, 57 (5th Cir. 1981); United States v. Barrera, 547 F.2d 1250, 1255 (5th Cir. 1977). In applying this standard all reasonable inferences and credibility choices must be made in favor of the jury verdict, and that verdict must be sustained if there is substantial evidence to support it when the facts are viewed in the light most favorable to the government. E.g., Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); United States v. Cardona, 650 F.2d at 57; United States v. Wieschenberg, 604 F.2d 326, 330 (5th Cir. 1979). 13 The essence of conspiracy under section 846 is an agreement to violate the narcotics laws. United States v. Spradlen, 662 F.2d 724, 726 (11th Cir. 1981). The government is not required to prove that Mrs. Davis had knowledge of all the details of the conspiracy, only that she had knowledge of the essential object of the conspiracy. United States v. Alvarez, 625 F.2d 1196, 1198 (5th Cir. 1980) (en banc), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 101 S.Ct. 2017, 68 L.Ed.2d 324 (1981). While it is true that neither close association nor mere presence at the scene of the crime is sufficient to establish participation or conspiracy, see, e.g., United States v. White, 569 F.2d at 268; United States v. Palacios, 556 F.2d 1359, 1365 (5th Cir. 1977); United States v. Martinez, 555 F.2d 1269, 1271 (5th Cir. 1977), more is involved here. Nor can Mrs. Davis escape criminal liability on the basis that she did not join the conspiracy until after its inception or because she played only a minor role in the total scheme. E.g., United States v. Robertson, 659 F.2d 652, 656 (5th Cir. 1981); United States v. Bates, 600 F.2d 505, 509 (5th Cir. 1979); United States v. Wilson, 500 F.2d at 724. In this case the evidence as a whole establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that a conspiracy existed, that Mrs. Davis knew of it, and that she voluntarily participated in it. 9 E.g., United States v. Wilson, 657 F.2d 755, 759 (5th Cir. 1981); United States v. Diaz, 655 F.2d 580, 584 (5th Cir. 1981). The evidence shows that the details of the drug transaction were openly discussed at the Davis home while Mrs. Davis was present, that Mrs. Davis suggested a means for exchanging information without using the tapped Davis telephone, and that Mrs. Davis rented the car used in the drug transaction. Looking at the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, a reasonably minded jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Mrs. Davis agreed with others to violate the narcotics laws. The lower court did not err in denying her motion for judgment of acquittal. Travel Act 14 Mr. Davis asserts that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction on count III of aiding and abetting Cochran in traveling in interstate commerce to carry on an unlawful business enterprise 10 involving possession with intent to distribute methaqualone. Mr. Davis contends that the evidence, taken in the light most favorable to the government, shows only a single sporadic drug transaction that took place in Sanford, Florida, and that neither the discussions between Cochran and Mr. Davis concerning possible future deals nor Cochran's statements that he had been involved in many drug transactions in the past were proof that he had conducted other transactions. 15 While the main purpose of the travel act is to combat organized crime, it is not restricted to particular persons or particular types of offenses, see, e.g., Rewis v. United States, 401 U.S. 808, 811, 91 S.Ct. 1056, 1059, 28 L.Ed.2d 493 (1971); United States v. Roselli, 432 F.2d 879, 884-86 (9th Cir. 1970), cert. denied, 401 U.S. 924, 91 S.Ct. 883, 27 L.Ed.2d 828 (1971), and is properly applied to Mr. Davis under the facts of this case. Section 1952 reflects congressional recognition of the difficulty of proving that a given person or business was associated with a criminal enterprise. Id. at 885. In this case one methaqualone transaction was proved, but the evidence as a whole showed that Mr. Davis and Cochran had for some time engaged in a continuous business relationship in illegal drug trafficking. 11 16 The convictions are affirmed as to the conspiracy and travel act counts and reversed and remanded to vacate as to the possession count because of the failure of the government to prove that venue was properly laid in the trial district. 17 AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED AND REMANDED IN PART.