Opinion ID: 724855
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 112 Defendants Nelson, Alonso and Collazo attack the sufficiency of the evidence supporting their convictions. A defendant challenging the sufficiency of the evidence must demonstrate that viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, ... no rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Brewer, 36 F.3d 266, 268 (2d Cir.1994) (internal quotations and citation omitted). This standard of deference is especially important when reviewing a conviction of conspiracy. United States v. Pitre, 960 F.2d 1112, 1121 (2d Cir.1992).
113 Nelson argues that there was insufficient evidence to support his conspiracy conviction because the government failed to meet its burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the labor exception did not apply. Nelson was acquitted on all four of the substantive extortion counts charged against him, and he claims that the conspiracy conviction was a compromise verdict. 114 As previously noted, the labor exception applied only to efforts to obtain jobs, and did not apply to efforts to obtain coordinator's fees or contracts. The government did not have to disprove Nelson's claim that his conduct fell under the labor exception in the latter respect. The government's proof was sufficient for a reasonable jury to find that Nelson knew of the existence of a scheme to obtain coordinators' fees and contracts and that he knowingly joined and participated in it. See Pitre, 960 F.2d at 1121. 115 Donald Collins testified that Nelson and the Collins brothers took out the shape and stopped jobs together. Nelson was associated closely with Matthew Taylor (who was found guilty in the first trial), and was aware of Taylor's efforts to extort contracts from Turner Construction Company. Nelson received coordinator's fees from both Dedonna Construction and Crossbay Construction Company. Although this evidence concerned different companies than the ones mentioned in the substantive counts against Nelson, it was enough to draw the inference that Nelson knowingly joined and participated in the conspiracy. Nelson's acquittal on the substantive counts does not preclude a jury from finding him guilty of conspiracy. See United States v. Bagaric, 706 F.2d 42, 67-68 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 840, 104 S.Ct. 133, 134, 78 L.Ed.2d 128 (1983). Although Nelson complains that the bulk of this testimony came from cooperating witnesses, we must defer to the jury's resolution of any questions as to the credibility of witnesses. See United States v. LeRoy, 687 F.2d 610, 616 (2d Cir.1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1174, 103 S.Ct. 823, 74 L.Ed.2d 1019 (1983).
116 Alonso argues, generally, that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions for conspiracy and for the extortion of Arson Demolition Company and, specifically, that the government failed to prove that he obstructed, delayed or affected commerce, or conspired to do so, under the definition of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(b)(3). 117 A review of the record shows that there was sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find Alonso's awareness of and participation in the conspiracy and his extortion of Arson Demolition. In addition, the extortionate activities of United Brooklyn interfered with interstate commerce both directly, because some of the construction projects targeted involved airports, highways or government buildings, and indirectly, by depleting the funds available to the targeted contractors for the purchase of goods and supplies in interstate commerce. See United States v. Bolton, 68 F.3d 396, 398-99 (10th Cir.1995), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 966, 133 L.Ed.2d 887 (1996).
118 Collazo contends that the evidence against him was insufficient to support his convictions for conspiracy and for the extortion of Gateway Demolition. Collazo describes his role in United Brooklyn as merely a go-fer and an occasional scout for new job sites. He also contends that the evidence shows that far from committing extortion against Gateway Demolition, he prevented an extortion against Gateway by another coalition. 119 A review of the record shows that the evidence was sufficient to support his convictions. A reasonable jury could have found that any effort Collazo may have made to prevent another coalition from disrupting the work of Gateway Demolition was a component of the United Brooklyn extortion in that it helped to convince the contractor of the need to pay for labor peace.