Opinion ID: 580870
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 24 Edwyn Pitre, Joseph Pitre, and Otero claim that the evidence presented against them was legally insufficient to support their convictions. 25 Under the well-established standards by which we review claims challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, an appellant making such a challenge bears a very heavy burden. A conviction must be allowed to stand if, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the reviewing court finds that any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979) (emphasis in original). The jury must have a full opportunity to determine credibility, weigh the evidence, and draw justifiable inferences of fact, ... and all permissible inferences must be construed in favor of the government. United States v. Martino, 759 F.2d 998, 1002 (2d Cir.1985) (citation omitted). 26 If substantial evidence exists to support a verdict, it must be sustained, United States v. Zabare, 871 F.2d 282, 286 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 856, 110 S.Ct. 161, 107 L.Ed.2d 119 (1989) (quoting Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942)); the evidence need not have excluded every possible hypothesis of innocence. United States v. Soto, 716 F.2d 989, 993 (2d Cir.1983). Further, a reviewing court must view pieces of evidence not in isolation but in conjunction. United States v. Casamento, 887 F.2d 1141, 1156 (2d Cir.1989), cert. denied, 495 U.S. 958, 110 S.Ct. 2564, 109 L.Ed.2d 746 (1990). 27 The above-mentioned standard of deference is especially important when reviewing a conviction of conspiracy. United States v. Nusraty, 867 F.2d 759, 762 (2d Cir.1989). This is so because a conspiracy by its very nature is a secretive operation, and it is a rare case where all aspects of a conspiracy can be laid bare in court with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel. United States v. Provenzano, 615 F.2d 37, 45 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 953, 100 S.Ct. 2921, 64 L.Ed.2d 810 (1980). The existence of and participation in a conspiracy may be established through circumstantial evidence. Soto, 716 F.2d at 991. However, there must be some evidence from which it can reasonably be inferred that the person charged with conspiracy knew of the existence of the scheme alleged in the indictment and knowingly joined and participated in it. United States v. Gaviria, 740 F.2d 174, 183 (2d Cir.1984). Finally, we note that once a conspiracy is shown to exist, the evidence sufficient to link another defendant to it need not be overwhelming. Casamento, 887 F.2d at 1156. 28 Based on these principles, the jury reasonably could have inferred, inter alia, the following set of common essential facts. On July 11, 1989, Lin informed Hom, who was posing as a narcotics dealer, that he could take ten units of heroin because he had some buyers in Brooklyn. On July 13, 1989, Richard Pitre agreed to purchase seven units of heroin from Hom. The transaction was to take place in a deserted section of Manhattan. Shortly after 9:40 p.m., on July 13, 1989, a four-car caravan, which included the appellants, proceeded from Brooklyn to Manhattan and met Lin and Hom at a pre-designated location. When asked why there were so many people, Richard Pitre explained that they were there to carry the money. Richard Pitre then led Hom to two of the four cars and displayed two bags containing $292,820 and $330,985, respectively. Upon viewing the money, Hom notified his supervisor and the appellants were arrested. Beepers were seized from each appellant incident to their arrests.
29 The jury found Edwyn Pitre guilty of one count of heroin conspiracy. At trial, Edwyn Pitre called one witness, his wife, who testified, inter alia, that she was in Puerto Rico with her husband from June of 1988 until September of 1988. In addition, she stated that she had never seen Edwyn Pitre with a motorcycle. This testimony was introduced to contradict the prior act testimony of Lin. In his summation to the jury, as in his brief on appeal, Edwyn Pitre contended that the government's evidence only established his mere presence at the arrest scene on the night of July 13, 1989. 30 It is clear to us that the evidence shows more than mere presence and was sufficient to sustain Edwyn Pitre's conviction. When viewed in the light most favorable to the government, the evidence revealed that during the transaction, while standing with Peechaphand, Richard Pitre, and Rodriguez, in the vicinity of Division and Orchard Streets, Edwyn Pitre inquired about an individual in a parked car. When informed that the parked car was not a problem, Edwyn Pitre noted the need to be careful. 4 Based on this conduct, the jury reasonably could have inferred that Edwyn Pitre was acting as a look-out in the unfolding narcotics transaction. See United States v. Torres, 845 F.2d 1165, 1168 (2d Cir.1988) (fact that defendant watched, arguably as interested participant and look-out, was factor from which jury could conclude that defendant was active participant in drug conspiracy); United States v. Ocampo, 650 F.2d 421, 429 (2d Cir.1981) (defendant's nervousness and assistance in helping co-defendant look out for another co-defendant's car indicated awareness of planned illegal activity); United States v. Pui Kan Lam, 483 F.2d 1202, 1208 (2d Cir.1973) (jury could interpret defendant's conduct to indicate concern with police surveillance or interference from innocent passers-by, and not conduct of innocent), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 984, 94 S.Ct. 1577, 39 L.Ed.2d 881, and 415 U.S. 984, 94 S.Ct. 1578, 39 L.Ed.2d 881, and 415 U.S. 984, 94 S.Ct. 1578, 39 L.Ed.2d 881 (1974). 31 In addition, when Hom was taken to the back of the Pathfinder, the jury reasonably could have inferred that Edwyn Pitre either stated or heard the statement that the money was in the other car. This coupled with the prior act evidence, from which the jury could have found that Edwyn Pitre was present for at least one prior narcotics deal with Peechaphand and Lin, was sufficient to support a jury finding that Edwyn Pitre intentionally and knowingly participated in a narcotics transaction on the night of July 13, 1989. Also, when arrested that night, a beeper was seized from Edwyn Pitre. The jury was free to infer that Edwyn Pitre carried this beeper to facilitate narcotics transactions. See United States v. Villegas, 928 F.2d 512, 516 (2d Cir.) (Beepers are recognized as a standard tool of the drug trafficking trade.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 137, 116 L.Ed.2d 104 (1991). In sum, we conclude that the evidence was sufficient to sustain the jury's verdict as to Edwyn Pitre.
32 The jury found Joseph Pitre guilty of the one count of heroin conspiracy charged against him. At trial, Joseph Pitre called two witnesses. Both testified as to Joseph Pitre's good character. In addition, one of the witnesses, Joseph Pitre's employer, testified that Joseph Pitre was required to carry a beeper twenty-four hours a day for work purposes. However, on cross-examination, this witness admitted that the beeper seized from Joseph Pitre was not the beeper provided to him for use in his work. 33 From the trial testimony, it was reasonable for the jury to infer that, on the night of his arrest, Joseph Pitre, who was driving a Mustang, accompanied Richard Pitre, who was in a Pathfinder, and Otero, who was driving a Samurai, to a site in Brooklyn where Peechaphand was present. There was testimony indicating that from this location the three cars followed Peechaphand, who was in a Maxima, to a pre-designated area in a deserted section of Manhattan where Lin and Hom were waiting. Hom testified that Richard Pitre led him to the parked Mustang, opened the door, reached into the back seat, unzipped a bag containing money, and stated that additionally there was another bag of money. Hom also testified that when this happened Joseph Pitre was seated in the driver's seat of the Mustang. Following his arrest, a beeper was seized from Joseph Pitre and $292,820 was recovered from the Mustang. In addition, Lin testified that Richard Pitre stated that the extra people were present to carry the money. Based on this evidence, the jury reasonably could infer that Joseph Pitre was aware that he was transporting money to be used to purchase narcotics, cf. United States v. Sisca, 503 F.2d 1337, 1343 (2d Cir.) (suggestion that members of a conspiracy would entrust $60,000 in cash and a large quantity of narcotics to one who was not a full partner strains credulity), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 1008, 95 S.Ct. 328, 42 L.Ed.2d 283 (1974), and acted intentionally and knowingly as a driver in furtherance of the charged narcotics conspiracy. See United States v. Tussa, 816 F.2d 58, 63 (2d Cir.1987) (evidence sufficient to sustain conviction for heroin conspiracy where, inter alia, defendant waited in parked car for delivery, and bag, containing heroin, was placed on back seat); United States v. Diez, 736 F.2d 840, 843 (2d Cir.1984) (evidence sufficient to sustain conviction for cocaine conspiracy where, inter alia, defendant provided transportation and was present during a narcotics transaction). In sum, we find that sufficient evidence was presented to sustain the conviction of Joseph Pitre.C. Angel Otero 34 The jury found Otero guilty of the one count of heroin conspiracy charged against him. At trial, Otero testified on his own behalf. He stated that on the night of his arrest, he and Joseph Pitre had planned to go to the movies. According to Otero, Joseph Pitre suggested they go to the garage to ask the guys to join them. Otero agreed, but wished to take a separate car so that he could visit his girlfriend after the movie. Otero testified that, after following Joseph Pitre to a garage in Brooklyn, he noticed Richard Pitre talking to an Oriental guy. 35 According to Otero, Richard Pitre told Otero and Joseph Pitre that before going to the movies, Richard Pitre had to go somewhere and that they should follow him. Otero testified that en route to the movies Richard Pitre stopped on a dark street in Manhattan. Otero testified that, while he was parked and waiting, someone opened his door, pushed the seat forward, and opened a bag that was inside the car. Otero was then arrested and a beeper was seized from him. According to Otero, he had found the beeper that was seized from him in April or May of 1989. In addition to his own testimony, Otero called three character witnesses, one of whom testified as to how Otero came into possession of the beeper seized on the night of the arrest. In his summation, Otero's attorney argued that although Otero was present at the arrest scene, he was not knowingly involved in a narcotics conspiracy. 36 On appeal, Otero contends that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the jury's verdict. Like Joseph Pitre, Otero was present with the other defendants in Brooklyn, and drove to Manhattan as part of the four-car procession. In doing so, Otero transported a bag containing $330,985. On a deserted street in Manhattan, while Otero was seated in the Samurai, Richard Pitre opened the car door, opened a bag on the front seat, and referred to the money. In addition, when arrested, a beeper was seized from Otero. However, unlike the evidence pertaining to Joseph Pitre's situation, there was testimony that the bag of money in the Samurai was on the front seat. We believe this distinction provides an even stronger basis for a jury to infer that Otero was a knowing participant in the charged conspiracy. Applying the same analysis applied to Joseph Pitre's sufficiency claim, we conclude that the verdict against Otero also was supported by sufficient evidence.