Opinion ID: 2994966
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Carda Incident

Text: Defendants argued both before the district court and on appeal that the Carda incident is an inadmissible prior bad act under 404(b). We review the court’s decision to admit evidence under sec. 404(b) for abuse of discretion. See United States v. Williams, 216 F.3d 611, 614 (7th Cir. 2000). The district court admitted the Carda incident based in part on its judgment that the incident was probative of the intent element of 18 U.S.C. sec. 242, which makes it a crime to (1) wilfully (2) under color of law (3) deprive a person of rights protected by the Constitution of the laws of the United States, see United States v. Bradley, 196 F.3d 762, 767 (7th Cir. 1999) (citations omitted). Evidence of prior bad acts is properly admitted under 404(b) if the evidence: (1) tends to establish a matter at issue other than the defendant’s propensity to commit the crime charged; (2) is sufficiently similar and close in time to the matter at issue to be relevant; (3) supports a jury finding that the defendant committed the similar act; and (4) has probative value that substantially outweighs the danger of unfair prejudice. See Williams, 216 F.3d at 614. Defendants dispute the first element of the 404(b) test, that the Carda incident sheds light on a matter at issue, because they argue that defendants’ intent was not at issue. Intent is automatically at issue in specific intent crimes. See United States v. Gellene, 182 F.3d 578, 595 (7th Cir. 1999). Contrary to defendants’ argument, sec. 242 is a specific intent crime. See Screws v. United States, 325 U.S. 91, 103 (1944) (But as we have seen, the word ’wilfully’ was added to make [sec. 242] ’less severe.’ We think the inference is permissible that its severity was to be lessened by making it applicable only where the requisite bad purpose was present, thus requiring specific intent not only where discrimination is claimed, but in other situations as well.); Bradley, 196 F.3d at 769-70 (upholding jury instructions which required specific intent as correctly summarizing the wilfulness element of 18 U.S.C. sec. 242); United States v. Johnstone, 107 F.3d 200, 207-09 (3d Cir. 1997) (exploring the role of specific intent in 18 U.S.C. sec. 242); United States v. Reese, 2 F.3d 870, 880-82 (9th Cir. 1993) (discussing the specific intent requirement in 18 U.S.C. sec. 242). Defendants further argue that the Carda incident is unnecessary to prove intent because they did not contest the element. However, intent is a material issue in this case, and, subject to some restrictions not relevant here, the prosecution is entitled to establish it by using admissible evidence of their choosing. See United States v. Williams, 238 F.3d 871, 875 (7th Cir. 2001). Defendants’ most serious challenge to the Carda incident contends that it is not similar enough to the Wilhoit altercation to be probative of defendants’ intent to deprive Wilhoit of his rights. Rather, they argue that it impermissibly speaks to Brown’s propensity for violent behavior. See Fed. R. Evid. 404(b). The admissibility of the Carda incident presents a close case. Whether a prior bad act is similar enough to speak to an issue that 404(b) deems legitimate is case specific and depends on the theory employed by the party lobbying for admission. See United States v. Torres, 977 F.2d 321, 326 (7th Cir. 1992). The government urges that the Carda incident is probative of Brown’s intent to use his police affiliation to effectu ate disproportionate and violent punishment against people who failed to respect his authority. Defendants argue that the Carda incident is not probative because Brown was not acting under color of law when the incident occurred; specifically, Brown was not wearing any police gear. When he worked at the Lounge, however, Brown drew attention to his police authority. He insured the Lounge patrons’ awareness of his affiliation by regularly wearing his police uniform and jumpsuit to his job as a bouncer. Brown’s general emphasis of his police affiliation diminishes the importance of the fact that Brown was not wearing any police uniform on the day of the Carda incident. When Brown was working as a bouncer, Carda disrespected his authority by swearing at him and challenging him for pulling her chair away. Brown responded by violently punishing Carda for her insolence. He slammed Carda to the ground, choked her, and threatened to finish her off. Similarly, Wilhoit defied Brown by ignoring his command to exit the truck. Brown retaliated by damaging Wilhoit’s truck, beating Wilhoit to the ground, and threatening to kill him. Given the government’s theory that Brown intended to punish people who defied his authority, we believe that the Carda incident is probative of Brown’s retaliatory intent to use excessive force whenever his orders are ignored or his authority questioned. The Carda incident demonstrates more than Brown’s general propensity for violence. See, e.g., Torres, 977 F.2d at 326-28. Defendants last contend that the incident was unfairly prejudicial and encouraged the jury to decide the issue of guilt based on Brown’s past actions. The Carda incident, however, added valuable information about Brown’s intent to punish defiant individuals. Further, the judge admonished the jury three times, once immediately before their deliberations, that they should consider the Carda incident only so far as it spoke to Brown’s intent. Given these fac tors, the district court did not abuse its discretion by admitting the Carda incident. At any rate, even if the admission into evidence was error, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Error is rendered harmless when it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have convicted defendants absent the erroneously admitted evidence. See United States v. Swan, 224 F.3d 632, 635 (7th Cir. 2000), amended by 230 F.3d 1040 (7th Cir. 2000). Given the other evidence in this case, a rational jury would have found that the defendants intended to deprive Wilhoit of his right to be free from excessive use of force even without evidence of the Carda incident. Wilhoit’s injuries and the damage to his truck reflect the disproportionate force the defendants used to compel his compliance. This physical evidence and the fact that Wilhoit was in possession of Troxel’s wallet bolsters Wilhoit’s version of the events. Most tellingly, Brown and Troxel failed to file a police report about the Wilhoit incident, which the Gary police department requires when an officer injures a civilian in the course of his duties or is injured himself.