Opinion ID: 771970
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: False Exculpatory Statements

Text: 23 According to the agent's testimony, Elaiho, when arrested, stated that he did not know Samaria or Glover, had never been to the particular Mailboxes, Etc. location prior to November 18, 1998, and had not lent his car to anyone else who could have driven it to that location for the earlier pick-up. Viewed in the light most favorable to the government, a jury could reasonably find these statements were false and made by Elaiho in an attempt to exculpate himself from involvement in criminality. These statements do not, however, by themselves supply the evidence of Elaiho's knowledge and specific intent otherwise lacking from the government's case. Although false statements may strengthen an inference already supplied by specific indicia of knowledge and intent, they do not, by themselves, prove that Elaiho knowingly and intentionally acted in furtherance of a conspiracy to receive or possess stolen property or engaged in, aided and abetted, or conspired to commit credit card fraud. See United States v. Nusraty, 867 F.2d 759, 765 (2d Cir. 1989) (Standing alone, a false exculpatory statement by [the defendant] could have proved that [he], once arrested, knew that he was caught up in a situation involving criminal activity. However, his statement [does] not establish, nor was it sufficient for an inference to be drawn, that [he] knew of the conspiracy charged.) (internal citation omitted); United States v. Tyler, 758 F.2d 66, 69 (2d Cir. 1985) (In each of the cases in which the jury's disbelief was relied on as a factor supporting affirmance, the evidence apart from the incredibility of the defendant's testimony was sufficient or very close to sufficient.); United States v. Di Stefano, 555 F.2d 1094, 1104 (2d Cir. 1977) (finding plain error in an instruction that false statements indicating consciousness of guilt could be used as circumstantial evidence of the defendant's guilt where other evidence against the defendant was weak).