Opinion ID: 76891
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fernández's Liability for Cabello's Death

Text: 27 In addition to Fernández's argument that the Cabello survivors' claims are time-barred, he claims that there is no valid cause of action under either the ATCA or the TVPA. Further, Fernández contends that, even if we find that the ATCA and the TVPA create private causes of action, he cannot be held liable for Cabello's death because he was not present and had no direct involvement in the killing. 2 28 Renewed motions for judgment as a matter of law test the sufficiency of the evidence supporting a jury's verdict; we review such motions de novo and use the same standard as the district court. See Hessen v. Jaguar Cars, Inc., 915 F.2d 641, 644 (11th Cir.1990).
29 Fernández, citing Ford ex rel. v. Garcia , initially argues that the Cabello survivors cannot bring a TVPA cause of action because he had no command responsibility. 289 F.3d 1283 (11th Cir.2002), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1147, 123 S.Ct. 868, 154 L.Ed.2d 849 (2003). This is not a correct reading of Ford . In Ford , survivors of churchwomen who had been tortured and murdered in El Salvador brought an action under the TVPA, pursuant to the command responsibility doctrine, against former Salvadoran officials. Id. We held that the district court did not err when it instructed a jury that plaintiffs were required to show that guardsmen were under the effective control of defendant officials. See Id. at 1290. This holding contemplates that the Cabello survivors may bring an action under the TVPA pursuant to the command responsibility doctrine, however, it does not limit actions brought under the TVPA to this command responsibility theory as Fernández claims. Thus, although Fernández had no command responsibility of actions that led to Cabello's death, the TVPA still provides a cause of action. 30 Fernández further states that the ATCA creates no private cause of action to enforce international law norms. He argues that the ATCA does not provide the Cabello survivors with a forum because they fail to identify any international authority imposing liability upon a soldier who lacked any command authority. Accordingly, Fernández argues that the ATCA does not create a private cause of action that extends liability down the chain of command to a subordinate officer. Additionally, he states, that there was no viable claim because the Cabello survivors failed to show that Fernández (1) either personally killed or tortured Cabello or ordered his killing; (2) that as a junior military officer in the Chilean military, he was merely acting as instructed by his superiors; and (3) that the killing was carried out by his superiors and thus, that he is not liable. 3 31 We have not addressed whether claims based on indirect liability are actionable under the ATCA and the TVPA. However, by their terms, the ATCA and the TVPA are not limited to claims of direct liability. The courts that have addressed the issue have held that the ATCA reaches conspiracies and accomplice liability. See e.g., Hilao v. Estate of Marcos, 103 F.3d 767, 776-77 (9th Cir.1996); Carmichael v. United Tech. Corp., 835 F.2d 109, 113-14 (5th Cir.1988). 32 An examination of legislative history indicates that the TVPA was intended to reach beyond the person who actually committed the acts, to those ordering, abetting, or assisting in the violation. See S.Rep. No. 102-249, at 8-9 (1991). The Senate Report relies on several international agreements that contemplate liability under international norms for indirect responsibility. For instance, Article 4(1) of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment provides: `Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offenses under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in the torture.' Id. at 9 n. 16. Also, Article 3 of the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture similarly provides: `The following shall be held guilty of the crime of torture: (a) A public servant or employee who, acting in that capacity, orders, instigates or induces the use of torture, or directly commits it or who, being able to prevent it, fails to do so'. Id. at 9 n. 16. Additionally, other courts have held that where a defendant has been found directly or secondarily responsible for acts of torture or extrajudicial killing, the acts are in violation of the law of nations within the meaning of the TVPA and ATCA. See, e.g., Burnett v. Al Baraka Inv. & Dev. Corp., 274 F.Supp.2d 86, 99-100 (D.D.C.2003); Mehinovic v. Vuckovic, 198 F.Supp.2d 1322, 1355-56 (N.D.Ga.2002). Because the TVPA and the ATCA permit claims based on direct and indirect theories of liability, the jury's general verdict may be upheld if sufficient evidence supports either theory.
33 The jury was instructed that it could find Fernández liable only if he actively participated in the offenses. The jury was told to consider whether he directly participated in the offenses or whether he participated as a conspirator or as an aider or abettor. Fernández argues that the jury verdict should be reversed because their decision was unsupported by the evidence. 34
35 We turn to the evidence to consider whether it is sufficient to support the jury's general verdict. The trial testimony includes evidence that while Fernández was in Copiapó, Patricio Barruet, one of Cabello's fellow prisoners, was awakened by an unidentified person who woke Cabello and escorted him from his room. Cabello was killed that night. According to Victor Bravo Cabello was among the dead. Bravo's testimony indicates that Cabello had cuts on his ear and a gaping wound running from his ear to throat. Fernández admitted that he had the only corvo in Copiapó and had not loaned it to anyone. Dr. Elvira Miranda, who examined Cabello's body after the exhumation, found tears in his clothing and blood stains consistent with knife wounds that could have been caused by a corvo. Although the evidence supporting direct liability is not as strong as that supporting indirect liability, as discussed below, we find that a jury could reasonably have concluded from this circumstantial evidence that Fernández was directly liable for Cabello's torture or death. We need not focus on direct liability, however, because overwhelming substantial evidence supports a finding of indirect liability. 36
37 Fernández can be found indirectly liable for Cabello's death on two different theories: (1) aiding and abetting or (2) conspiracy. The district court instructed the jury that to find Fernández indirectly liable for aiding and abetting, the Cabello survivors needed to prove active participation by preponderance of the evidence. In assessing active participation, the jury was instructed to consider if (1) one or more of the wrongful acts that comprise the claim were committed, (2) Fernández substantially assisted some person or persons who personally committed or caused one or more of the wrongful acts that comprise the claim, and (3) Fernández knew that his actions would assist in the illegal or wrongful activity at the time he provided the assistance. 38 From the physical evidence described above and from historical context, the jury reasonably could have concluded that a wrongful act of the type alleged actually occurred. Cabello's wounds comport with other politically motivated killings during Pinochet's coup, such that a jury could reasonably conclude that Cabello was the victim of a crime against humanity, mistreatment, torture, or extrajudicial killing. 39 Fernández's substantial assistance in Cabello's killing, torture, or mistreatment is adequately supported by the evidence. The jury could reasonably conclude that Fernández was indirectly liable based on Fernández's admission that he served as Arellano's bodyguard. According to the deposition of Enrique Vidal Aller (Vidal), an aide to the garrison's commander, Fernández bragged that he was Arellano's right hand man and that his spiked weapon would be used to caress the little pigeons, which Vidal understood as a threat to the prisoners. Vidal also saw Fernández enter the office in which prisoner's files were kept. Dr. Ivan Murua Chevesich (Murua), a prisoner who was being interrogated in that office, testified that he saw Fernández with Arellano when Arellano selected files of prisoners and said that they would be eliminated. Murua also testified that those files were marked with red circles. Another witness saw Fernández himself selecting and reviewing prisoners' files. 40 Moreover, the statements attributed to Fernández reflect his knowledge that he was assisting in wrongful activity. Aside from those statements described above, Vidal testified that Fernández told him that you will soon find out why his squad was in Copiapó. Fernández was also present when Arellano stated that certain prisoners would be eliminated. 41 From these facts, the jury could have reasonably concluded that Fernández aided and abetted in Cabello's killing. Because there is sufficient evidence to support a finding of aiding and abetting, the jury's general verdict should stand. 42 The second theory on which Fernández could be found indirectly liable is that of conspiracy. For the jury to find Fernández indirectly liable by means of conspiracy, the Cabello survivors needed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that (1) two or more persons agreed to commit a wrongful act, (2) Fernández joined the conspiracy knowing of at least one of the goals of the conspiracy and intending to help accomplish it, and (3) one or more of the violations was committed by someone who was a member of the conspiracy and acted in furtherance of the conspiracy. See Halberstam v. Welch, 705 F.2d 472, 481, 487 (C.A.D.C. 1983). 43 For proof of the first required criterion, agreement, the jury was presented with evidence of a common plan — that the officers at Copiapó were in accord that their goal was to kill prisoners there. Considering the evidence of a plan, in addition to Fernández's comments (such as saying that he was Arellano's right hand man and that his spiked weapon would be used to caress the little pigeons), Arellano's comments (such as saying that prisoners would be eliminated), and Fernández's involvement with killings before and after Copiapó, the evidence of an agreement to commit wrongful acts was sufficient. 44 Evidence at trial also indicated that before Fernández reached Copiapó, his squad had killed fifteen prisoners in La Serena. As described above, the jury heard evidence that one of the squad's objectives was to kill the civilian prisoners whose files were selected by Arellano, likely with the aid of Fernández. Evidence also showed that following the events alleged in this action, Fernández's squad participated in the killing of more civilians in Antofagasta and Calama. A jury could reasonably conclude that, at the very least, it was foreseeable to Fernández that Cabello would be tortured and killed by his co-conspirators at Copiapó. Another reasonable inference from the evidence is that Fernández had actual knowledge that members of the conspiracy were going to kill Cabello. Thus, the evidence presented was sufficient to show that Fernández joined the conspiracy with knowledge of the conspiracy's plan and with the intent of helping to accomplish those goals. 45 Further, it is undisputed that Fernández's military colleagues, if not Fernández himself, were responsible for Cabello's death. Because killing civilians presumably opposed to the junta is an act in furtherance of the conspiracy, the jury reasonably could have found the third and final element had been satisfied. 46 The trial evidence is sufficient to support the general jury verdict based on any of the possible theories of liability. Since we are bound to uphold the general verdict if we find any of the theories of liability supported by sufficient evidence, the jury's general verdict must stand.