Opinion ID: 50608
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Keyon Mitchell first maintains that there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction on count one for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of crack cocaine.
-5- Because Keyon Mitchell preserved his challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we review de novo the district court’s denial of his Rule 29 motion for a judgment of acquittal. United States v. Anderson, 174 F.3d 515, 522 (5th Cir. 1999) (citing United States v. Payne, 99 F.3d 1273, 1278 (5th Cir. 1996)). In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we view the evidence and the inferences drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the verdict, and we determine whether a rational jury could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. (citing United States v. Burton, 126 F.3d 666, 669 (5th Cir. 1997); Payne, 99 F.3d at 1278). “The evidence need not exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence or be wholly inconsistent with every conclusion except that of guilt, and the jury is free to choose among reasonable constructions of the evidence.” Id. (quoting Burton, 126 F.3d at 669-70). “Moreover, our standard of review does not change if the evidence that sustains the conviction is circumstantial rather than direct.” Id. (citing Burton, 126 F.3d at 670; United States v. Cardenas, 9 F.3d 1139, 1156 (5th Cir. 1993); United States v. Bell, 678 F.2d 547, 549 n.3 (Former 5th Cir. 1982)).
Count one charged that Keyon Mitchell, together with other -6- named and unnamed individuals, conspired to possess with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of a cocaine mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of crack cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 18 U.S.C. § 2. To have proved Keyon Mitchell’s guilt on count one, the government must have established (1) the existence of an agreement between two or more persons to possess with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of crack cocaine, (2) that Keyon Mitchell knew of the conspiracy and intended to join it, and (3) that he participated in the conspiracy. United States v. Morris, 46 F.3d 410, 414-15 (5th Cir. 1995) (citing United States v. Maseratti, 1 F.3d 330, 337 (5th Cir. 1993)). “Direct evidence of a conspiracy is unnecessary; each element may be inferred from circumstantial evidence.” United States v. Casilla, 20 F.3d 600, 603 (5th Cir. 1994) (citing Cardenas, 9 F.3d at 1157). “An agreement may be inferred from a ‘concert of action.’” Id. (citing Cardenas, 9 F.3d at 1157; United States v. Natel, 812 F.2d 937, 940 (5th Cir. 1987)). Keyon Mitchell contends that the government failed to present sufficient evidence of an agreement between the alleged co-conspirators. He argues that the government proved merely that there were numerous buyer/seller relationships, not that there was a conspiracy. He concedes that there was sufficient evidence that he and other defendants trafficked in crack cocaine, but he asserts that the traffickers were acting -7- independently rather than in concert. He points to the testimony of alleged co-conspirators that each controlled what he sold, where he sold, and the prices he charged, and that no profits were shared between them. But the evidence amply supports a finding that Keyon Mitchell entered into an agreement with Jeffrey and Robinson to purchase crack cocaine together for distribution in Paris. On numerous occasions, the three men agreed to drive to Dallas together, they agreed to have Robinson conduct the transaction with “Bowleg” on behalf of all three of them, and they agreed on a method of transporting the drugs back to Paris for distribution. And each trip involved the purchase of at least twelve ounces of crack cocaine in total (four ounces each), which is significantly greater than 50 grams. Even in the absence of any formal agreement to violate the narcotics laws, the jury certainly could have inferred such an agreement from the individuals’ concert of action. We therefore conclude that there was sufficient evidence from which a jury could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Keyon Mitchell conspired to possess with intent to distribute more than fifty grams of crack cocaine.