Opinion ID: 309617
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Severance of Count XII

Text: In Count XII, defendant Spotts alone was charged, and the evidence of his involvement regarding that particular money order was strong and direct. Knauf testified that Spotts supplied her with the false ID used in the encashment and that he accompanied her in the car when she went to cash the money order. The handwriting expert testified that in his opinion the writing on the order was Spotts'. The trial court ultimately directed a verdict in Spotts' favor on this count because the Government failed to prove interstate movement of the money order. Before trial, Spotts moved for severance of Counts IX through XII, and he now asserts it was error for the trial court not to have severed Count XII (Spotts was not charged in Counts IX through XI). Admitting joinder was proper, Spots claims there was prejudice requiring severance in that the strong evidence on Count XII quite probably would be relied upon by the jury in convicting Spotts on Counts I through VI and VIII, for which the Government's evidence was much weaker, even though in a separate trial of Counts I through VIII the evidence on Count XII would have been inadmissible. There is no merit in defendant's contention. The trial court found joinder of defendants and counts proper under Rule 8(b), Fed.R.Crim.P., because the offenses charged appeared to be closely related in time and manner so as to show a connection between them and a 'series' of transactions which were part of a common plan. Decision and Order, p. 2, filed June 21, 1971. Spotts does not attack this decision, nor could he. See United States v. Scott, 413 F.2d 932 (7th Cir. 1969), cert. den., 396 U.S. 1006, 90 S.Ct. 560, 24 L.Ed.2d 498 (1970); United States v. Spector, 326 F.2d 345, 349-351 (7th Cir. 1963); United States v. Thomas Apothecary, Inc., 266 F.Supp. 890, 892 (S.D.N.Y.1967). Moreover Spotts does not assert that evidence at trial failed to support the court's initial finding. Joinder being proper, this court will reverse the trial court only if abuse of discretion is shown. United States v. Kahn, 381 F.2d 824, 838 (7th Cir.), cert. den., 389 U.S. 1015, 88 S.Ct. 591, 19 L.Ed.2d 661 (1967). The trial court is to balance possible prejudice to the defendant from joinder with the public interest in efficient use of judicial time through joint trial of defendants and offenses which are connected. In a case of multiple defendants, as the instant one, the showing needed for severance appears to be stronger than in a case of a single defendant with multiple counts. See Wright and Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure Sec. 223 (1969). By any standard, however, Spotts has failed to show error on the part of the trial court. First, the record before the trial court at the time of Spotts' pretrial motion for severance (Spotts did not renew the motion at trial) falls far short of showing sufficient prejudice to Spotts to require severance. Spotts himself relies upon evidence brought forth after the motion, including important testimony at trial. It is clear, then, though this is not necessarily dispositive of defendant's claim, that defendant's motion for severance was properly denied when made. See United States v. Haupt, 136 F.2d 661, 673-674 (7 Cir. 1943) (no error in denying motion for severance, but upon hearing all the evidence, it was error not to grant the motion for a new trial). Secondly, a showing of differential proof as to counts is not per se a sufficient showing requiring severance or a new trial. Schaffer v. United States, 362 U.S. 511, 80 S.Ct. 945, 4 L.Ed.2d 921 (1960); United States v. Sherman, 84 F.Supp. 130 (E.D.N.Y.1947), aff'd in part, rev'd in part on other grounds, 171 F.2d 619 (2d Cir. 1948). Thirdly, prejudice requiring severance is not shown if evidence on the severed count would be admissible in the trial of the remaining counts, Drew v. United States, 118 U.S.App.D.C. 11, 331 F.2d 85, 91 (1964). Here, the trial court in its discretion could admit evidence regarding Count XII against Spotts in a trial on Counts I through VIII, not to show mere disposition to commit crime, but to show a common scheme of which both charged and non-charged activity is a part. See United States v. Birrell, 447 F.2d 1168, 1172-1173 (2d Cir. 1971), cert. den., 404 U.S. 1025, 92 S.Ct. 675, 30 L.Ed.2d 675 (1972) (count dismissed for failure to prove interstate aspect of case; evidence thereon nevertheless admissible); United States v. Weber, 437 F.2d 327, 332 (3d Cir. 1970), cert. den., 402 U.S. 932, 91 S.Ct. 1524, 28 L.Ed.2d 867 (1971); Bradley v. United States, 140 U.S.App.D.C. 7, 433 F.2d 1113, 1117-1121 (1969). Cf. United States v. Bucciferro, 274 F.2d 540 (7th Cir.), cert. den., 362 U.S. 988, 80 S.Ct. 1076, 4 L.Ed.2d 1021 (1960). Also, the evidence would lend meaning and strength to other testimony, for instance, that in prior meetings relating to Counts I through VIII with co-participant Knauf, along with co-defendant Rogers, Spotts was not merely passively present, which is insufficient to support a conviction, United States v. Carengella, 198 F. 2d 3 (7th Cir.), cert. den., 344 U.S. 881, 73 S.Ct. 179, 97 L.Ed. 682 (1952), but was in fact an active participant. See United States v. Phillips, 401 F.2d 301, 305 (7th Cir. 1968).