Opinion ID: 532986
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defendant Troop

Text: 11 As a threshold issue we note that Troop's trial counsel failed to file a motion for judgment of acquittal at the close of the government's case. Because of counsel's failure to challenge the sufficiency of the evidence against Troop on all three counts of the indictment, this court must review Troop's sufficiency of the evidence arguments under the plain error doctrine of Fed.R.Crim.P. 52(b). 5 See United States v. Snyder, 872 F.2d 1351, 1357 (7th Cir.1989); United States v. Wynn, 845 F.2d 1439, 1442-43 (7th Cir.1988). Before a reviewing court reverses a conviction based on an error that defense counsel did not raise at trial, the reviewing court must be convinced that reversal is necessary in order to avert an actual miscarriage of justice, which implies the conviction of one who but for the error probably would have been acquitted. United States v. Silverstein, 732 F.2d 1338, 1349 (7th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1111, 105 S.Ct. 792, 83 L.Ed.2d 785 (1985). For an error to be plain it must be an error that probably changed the outcome of the trial. Id. 12 Troop contends that the evidence adduced at trial was insufficient to support a conviction on any of the three counts in the indictment. The standard of review used to determine whether a jury verdict is supported by sufficient evidence is clearly established. The reviewing court is to consider all the evidence in the light most favorable to the government and will affirm the defendant's conviction if the court finds that any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Grier, 866 F.2d 908, 922 (7th Cir.1989) (quoting Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979) (emphasis in original)); United States v. Hooks, 848 F.2d 785, 788 (7th Cir.1988). Recognizing that Troop therefore bears a heavy burden in overturning the verdict on appeal, we consider Troop's arguments with respect to each of the charges in turn.
13 To prove that Troop participated in a conspiracy to sell cocaine, the government must show (1) the alleged conspiracy existed and (2) Troop knowingly and intentionally became a member of the conspiracy. United States v. Abayomi, 820 F.2d 902, 905 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 866, 108 S.Ct. 189, 98 L.Ed.2d 142 (1987). Troop admits that a conspiracy existed (Def.'s Br. at 10), but denies that he was a member of this conspiracy. We therefore limit our discussion to whether the government showed that Troop was a participant in the conspiracy. 14 A defendant can be convicted of participation in a single conspiracy with other defendants if the government establishes that he in some way participated in the [existing] conspiracy. Abayomi, 820 F.2d at 906 (quoting United States v. Mancillas, 580 F.2d 1301, 1307 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 958, 99 S.Ct. 361, 58 L.Ed.2d 351 (1978)). Although participation cannot be shown by mere knowledge or approval of, association with, or presence at a conspiracy, Abayomi, 820 F.2d at 906; United States v. Dalzotto, 603 F.2d 642, 645 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 994, 100 S.Ct. 530, 62 L.Ed.2d 425 (1979), once the existence of a conspiracy has been established, even if the connection between the defendant and the conspiracy is slight, evidence that establishes the defendant's participation beyond a reasonable doubt is sufficient to convict. United States v. Grier, 866 F.2d 908, 924 (7th Cir.1989) (quoting United States v. Xheka, 704 F.2d 974, 988 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 993, 104 S.Ct. 486, 78 L.Ed.2d 682 (1983)); United States v. Williams, 798 F.2d 1024, 1027 (7th Cir.1986). Additionally, the use of circumstantial evidence is permissible and in fact  'may be the sole support for a conviction.'  Grier, 866 F.2d at 923 (quoting United States v. Nesbitt, 852 F.2d 1502, 1511 (7th Cir.1988), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 808, 102 L.Ed.2d 798 (1989)). 15 Finally, we recognize that juries, in reaching their verdicts, are allowed and expected to draw upon their common sense in evaluating what is reasonable to infer from circumstantial evidence. Id.; Nesbitt, 852 F.2d at 1511. Because determinations as to credibility of witnesses are particularly within the province of the jury, a reviewing court, absent extraordinary circumstances, will defer to the jury's credibility findings. Grier, 866 F.2d at 923-24; United States v. Vega, 860 F.2d 779, 794 (7th Cir.1988). 16 Applying the standards of proof set forth above, it is clear that a jury exercising well-reasoned judgment could find that Troop was part of the conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The evidence presented at trial to connect Troop with the conspiracy included testimony showing that three times between October 27, 1988, and November 3, 1988, law enforcement personnel observed Troop at places where drug operations were being carried out. Specifically, Officer Debraska testified that Troop was at the 39th Street apartment on October 27, 1988, operating the barricades and observing Officer Debraska make his undercover purchase of cocaine. When Officer Williams made an arrest at the apartment later that day, Troop was there again and misidentified himself. Finally, Officer Debraska arrested Troop on November 2, 1988, at Hutt's apartment when the Milwaukee police executed a search warrant. 17 Testimony of Pernell also linked Troop to the conspiracy. Pernell was charged along with Troop and Cooper in the three count indictment. Prior to testifying at trial, Pernell pleaded guilty to all three charges and agreed to cooperate with the government in return for having the firearm charge against him dropped. Pernell testified that Troop gave him permission to give out the number of the beeper that Troop carried to cocaine customers who would then call on the beeper to arrange to buy cocaine. Pernell also stated that Troop spent November 7th at Hutt's apartment with Cooper and himself. Troop was in the living room with Pernell and Cooper when the two told the informant that they would get the cocaine. Pernell testified that Troop was with Cooper and himself at the scenes of the first two attempts to consummate the November 7th sale. On the ride to the Taco Bell, the scene of the second attempted sale, Troop rode in the back seat of the car and the cocaine was in the back of the car against the rear window. Pernell testified further that, while at Taco Bell, Troop relayed a message to him from the Informant concerning when they could expect the prospective buyers to arrive. 18 In addition to Troop's presence at both apartments and at the locations of all three of the attempted sales, there was expert testimony that drug houses often use a division of labor and that one job is to work the barricades on the doors. Pernell also testified that Troop had worked the doors on previous occasions. 19 Troop attempts to paint a picture very different from that presented by the government. Troop contends that he had only a buyer-seller relationship with the conspirators in which he bought small amounts of cocaine for personal use. These purchases, he argues, explain his presence at the drug houses. He also argues that his lack of participation in either negotiations with the DEA agents or in drug-related conversations with the conspirators further shows he was not a member of the conspiracy. Troop claims that he accompanied the others to the various locations on November 7th because Barnes had promised him a ride home and contends that he did not know that nearly half a kilo of cocaine was in the car at any time. 20 Although it might be possible to view each part of the picture as Troop would have us do, we have previously observed that 21 it is also imperative that we not rend the fabric of evidence and examine each shred in isolation; rather, the reviewing court 'must use its experience with people and events in weighing the chances that the evidence correctly points to guilt against the possibility of [inaccurate] or ambiguous inference....'  22 United States v. Abayomi, 820 F.2d 902, 906 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 866, 108 S.Ct. 189, 98 L.Ed.2d 142 (1987) (quoting United States v. Redwine, 715 F.2d 315, 319 (7th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1216, 104 S.Ct. 2661, 81 L.Ed.2d 367 (1984) (citation omitted)). We also recognize that 23 [i]f the government proves its case by circumstantial evidence, it need not exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence so long as the total evidence permits a conclusion of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. ... The trier of fact is free to choose among various reasonable constructions of the evidence. 24 United States v. Nesbitt, 852 F.2d at 1511 (quoting United States v. Radtke, 799 F.2d 298, 302 (7th Cir.1986)). 25 After reviewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the government, we conclude that the jury rationally could have determined that Troop was more than only a personal drug user who wanted a ride home and got caught in a drug conspiracy as an innocent bystander. Rather, the jury could have found, and did find, that Troop was involved in a conspiracy to sell cocaine in violation of Sec. 846 and Sec. 2. 26
27 To convict Troop of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 480 grams of cocaine, the government had the burden of proving Troop (1) knowingly or intentionally possessed cocaine; (2) possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it; and (3) knew the substance was a controlled substance. See 21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1). At the close of the trial, the jury was instructed on the theory of constructive possession and on the Pinkerton doctrine. 28 Under the Pinkerton doctrine established in Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946), a conspirator can be found guilty for a co-conspirator's crimes but the jury must be instructed on this theory of guilt. See United States v. Manzella, 791 F.2d 1263, 1267 (7th Cir.1986); United States v. Wozniak, 781 F.2d 95, 97 (7th Cir.1985). The doctrine is based on the idea that the conspirators are agents of each other and just as a principal is bound by the acts of his agents within the scope of the agency, so is a conspirator bound by the act of his co-conspirators. 29 Troop argues that the Pinkerton doctrine cannot provide a basis for his conviction because he was not a member of the conspiracy. We have already determined, however, that the evidence was sufficient to support Troop's conviction for conspiracy charged in Count I of the indictment. See supra Part I.A.1. Thus, the only question remaining is whether the trial judge adequately instructed the jury on the Pinkerton doctrine. 30 We conclude that the instruction given by the trial judge was adequate to instruct the jury on the Pinkerton doctrine. The record reveals that the trial judge instructed the jury as follows: 31 A conspirator is responsible for offenses committed by his fellow conspirators, if he was a member of the conspiracy when this offense was committed, and if the offense was committed in furtherance of or as a natural consequence of the conspiracy. Therefore, if you find a defendant guilty of the conspiracy charged in count one, and if you find beyond a reasonable doubt that while he was a member of the conspiracy, his fellow conspirators committed an offense alleged in another count of the indictment, in furtherance of or as a natural consequence of that conspiracy, then you should find him guilty of the offense charged in the other count. 32 We upheld a substantially similar Pinkerton instruction in United States v. Galiffa, 734 F.2d 306 (7th Cir.1984). 6 Although we note that the instruction might have been more complete, see, e.g. United States v. Zabic, 745 F.2d 464 (7th Cir.1984), 7 we find that the instruction given by the trial judge in this instance includes all the elements of the Pinkerton doctrine and presents the doctrine to the jury in an intelligible manner. 8 Given the sufficiency of the evidence to show Troop's participation in the conspiracy and the adequacy of the Pinkerton instruction given by the trial judge, we conclude that a well-reasoned jury could have found Troop guilty under the Pinkerton doctrine of possession and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Sec. 841(a)(1) and Sec. 2. Because we hold that Troop's conviction can be supported by this doctrine, we need not address the issue of constructive possession.
33 To convict Troop of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, the government must show (1) Pernell was a willful member of the conspiracy alleged in Count I; (2) Pernell carried or used the firearm described in the indictment during and in relation to the conspiracy charged in Count I; (3) Pernell carried or used the firearm in furtherance of or as a natural, foreseeable consequence of the conspiracy; and (4) Troop was a member of the conspiracy at the time Pernell carried or used the firearm. See 18 U.S.C. Sec. 924(c); United States v. Gironda, 758 F.2d 1201, 1213-14 (7th Cir.1985). 34 At trial Pernell testified he had his gun with him at the Taco Bell, and that during the second sale attempt and while waiting for the prospective buyers, he accidentally fired the gun through one of the car doors. Cooper then took the gun for safekeeping. Troop was inside the Taco Bell when the gun went off and was subsequently informed of the event by Cooper. 35 Troop only contests the sufficiency of the evidence as to the fourth element of the firearm charge. Troop argues that no reasonable jury could have found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of this crime because no rational trier of fact could have found that he was a member of the conspiracy. This is Troop's sole argument. We have already determined that the evidence was sufficient to support a conviction for conspiracy. See supra Part II.A.1. We therefore conclude that his claim that the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction for possession of a firearm during a drug-related offense in violation Sec. 924(c) and Sec. 2 is without merit. 36 Because there is sufficient evidence to support Troop's convictions on all three counts of the indictment, we conclude no plain error occurred.