Opinion ID: 613010
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Muntasser and Mubayyid's Joint Claim[38]

Text: Muntasser, in an argument adopted by Mubayyid, contends that so-called terrorism evidence admitted to prove the conspiracy of which both defendants were ultimately acquitted by the district court was so extensive, inflammatory, and prejudicial that it necessarily spilled over into the jury's consideration of their guilt on other charges. In effect, they argue that their acquittal produced a retroactive misjoinder. [39] See generally United States v. Hamilton, 334 F.3d 170, 181-82 (2d Cir. 2003). Because we reinstate the conspiracy conviction against all three defendants on Count 2, the defendants' contention is without merit. As we explained when addressing the defendants' claim that the variance was prejudicial, the challenged evidence was properly admitted to prove the conspiracy. Additionally, the defendants are unable to show that, though properly admitted for the conspiracy charge, this evidence was so inflammatory that it prejudiced the jury against them on the discrete counts for scheming to conceal material facts from the IRS, filing false tax returns, endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, and making a false statement to the FBI. In order to determine whether a new trial is warranted, we look for a serious risk that the joinder of offenses compromised a specific trial right or prevent[ed] the jury from making a reliable judgment about guilt or innocence. United States v. Houle, 237 F.3d 71, 75-76 (1st Cir.2001) (quoting Zafiro v. United States, 506 U.S. 534, 539, 113 S.Ct. 933, 122 L.Ed.2d 317 (1993)). Here, the district court went to considerable lengths to safeguard against the possibility of prejudicial spillover. [40] The court's timely use of cautionary instructions weakens the inference of prejudice to be drawn from any evidence that would not have been independently admissible. See United States v. Ofray-Campos, 534 F.3d 1, 35 (1st Cir.2008) (citing United States v. Sabatino, 943 F.2d 94, 96-97 (1st Cir.1991)). We have no basis to suppose that the jurors disregarded the trial judge's admonitions and departed on a frolic of their own. United States v. Pierro, 32 F.3d 611, 616 (1st Cir.1994). Additionally, the charges on which Muntasser and Mubayyid were convicted are distinct from the conspiracy charge to which the challenged evidence had primary relevance. This factor increases the likelihood that the jury engaged in the individualized factfinding to which each defendant was entitled. See United States v. Josleyn, 99 F.3d 1182, 1188 (1st Cir.1996). Indeed, the jury asked several incisive questions during deliberation that demonstrated its discriminating appraisal of all the evidence. [41] Moreover, the jury's acquittal of Al-Monla on his false statement charge, pursuant to the same statute under which Muntasser was convicted, further undercuts the defendants' spillover argument. Cf. United States v. Edgar, 82 F.3d 499, 504 (1st Cir.1996) (jury's acquittal on one of several counts demonstrated harmlessness of spillover evidence). Where the jury renders a judgment of conviction against only some of the defendants or on only some of the charges, we are particularly reluctant to presume that the jury was unable to compartmentalize the evidence of each offense. United States v. Casas, 425 F.3d 23, 50 (1st Cir. 2005). Most importantly, however, the evidence against both defendants on the relevant charges was simply overwhelming. We have already detailed the evidence supporting Mubayyid's convictions. Muntasser's conviction is similarly supported by substantial evidence, in part because the offense itself is so straightforward. Cf. Josleyn, 99 F.3d at 1189. FBI Agent Peet testified at trial that he interviewed Muntasser in 2003 as part of an active investigation into both Muntasser and Care. During the interview, Muntasser indicated that he had traveled to Peshwar, Pakistan in 1994 or 1995. Because Agent Peet was aware that Peshwar is only about fifty kilometers from the Afghanistan border, and is a main route into Jalalabad, Afghanistan, he specifically asked whether Muntasser had traveled to Afghanistan or had ever met Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Muntasser responded that he had never, ever traveled to Afghanistan and that he had never met Hekmatyar. During the interview, the agents inquired several more times into whether Muntasser had visited Afghanistan, but, each time, Muntasser denied having done so. Agent Peet testified that, if Muntasser had told him the truth about visiting Afghanistan in 1994 or 1995, it would have drastically changed the course the interview took. [42] At trial, Muntasser conceded that he lied, arguing to the jury only that the lie was not material because Agent Peet already had credible information that he had traveled to Afghanistan and was therefore not misled by Muntasser's statements to the contrary. Thus, although the evidence against Muntasser on this count constituted only a small fraction of that produced over the twenty-four days of trial, we are hard-pressed to imagine that a reasonable jury would have been unable to evaluate such clear evidence objectively.