Opinion ID: 470998
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: jacek odoner

Text: 154 Jacek Odoner was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846, and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Odoner appeals his conviction and cites nine alleged errors: (1) the district court's refusal to hold an evidentiary hearing on the pretrial publicity; (2) the court's denial of a motion for change of venue; (3) the court's refusal to initially sequester the jurors; (4) the court's denial of a severance motion; (5) the admission of testimony of government witnesses with performance agreements; (6) the admission of coconspirator hearsay; (7) the court's refusal to grant a mistrial; (8) the sufficiency of the evidence; and (9) the imposition of an eight-year sentence.
155 Odoner claims the trial judge erred in refusing to hold an evidentiary hearing to allow the defendants to convince the court of the massive and inflammatory bias created by pretrial publicity. As discussed above in reference to Larry Peters, see section II(A) supra, we find this argument unpersuasive. The district court did not abuse its discretion by waiting until the voir dire to determine the effect of pretrial publicity.
156 Odoner next argues that the publicity in this case was inherently prejudicial and that the trial judge thus abused his discretion in refusing to transfer the trial under Fed.R.Crim.P. 21(a). We disagree, as our previous discussion in section II(B) indicates.
157 Odoner objects that the court's mid-trial sequestration order unduly prejudiced the defendants by causing the jurors to speculate about the cause of the abrupt sequestration. As discussed in regard to Larry Peters, we find this argument unpersuasive. See section II(C) supra.
158 Odoner presents two of the same arguments raised by Larry Peters to establish that the trial court should have severed Anthony Peters' trial from that of the other defendants. Odoner claims severance was warranted by the complexity and length of the case and by the great disparity of evidence between Anthony Peters and Odoner. As discussed in section II(E) above, we find that the jury followed the trial court's instructions and considered the evidence against each defendant separately. 159 The government introduced sufficient evidence to establish Odoner's involvement in the conspiracy based upon his own actions. Several witnesses testified that Odoner delivered cocaine for Anthony Peters to them for several years. Two witnesses testified that Odoner stored cocaine for the conspiracy pending distribution and sale. In addition, one witness testified that Larry Peters indicated Odoner had made several trips to Florida to buy cocaine for Anthony Peters. This evidence, coupled with the trial court's admonitory instructions, ensured that Odoner's conviction was based on his own actions and not upon transference of guilt. 160 Odoner also charges that severance was warranted by an unusual admission by Anthony Peters' counsel. In closing argument Peters' counsel stated that Anthony Peters was involved in a conspiracy to districute cocaine and was guilty as charged in count one of the indictment, but was not guilty of operating a continuing criminal enterprise. Odoner claims that the jury could never compartmentalize the evidence following such an admission. The admission by Peters' counsel referred only to Anthony Peters' involvement in a cocaine conspiracy. Peters' counsel did not go on to list other members of the conspiracy. Although such admissions by counsel for codefendants may cause problems, the statement here at most merely supported the government's contention that a conspiracy existed. This admission, however, did not resolve the issue of whether Odoner participated in the conspiracy. The jury's acquittal of codefendant Pogodzinski on the conspiracy count indicates that, despite Anthony Peters' counsel's unusual statement during final argument, the jury could and indeed did segregate the evidence relating to each defendant. 161 Consequently, for the reasons stated above, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Odoner's severance motion. 162
163 Odoner reiterates Larry Peters' challenge to the admission of the testimony of witnesses who negotiated deals with the government. We have already fully discussed and rejected the argument that the agreements were contingent and therefore violated due process. See section II(D) supra. 164 Odoner also challenges the testimony of five witnesses who received immunity for their testimony. One of these witnesses, Mark Gernetzke, testified that the government threatened him with prosecution and obtained statements from him before he received immunity. Defense counsel did not object to the testimony at the time it was offered, and therefore reversal is warranted only if the admission of this testimony was plain error. Plain error must be conspicuous and such that reversal of the conviction is necessary to avoid a miscarriage of justice. United States v. Silverstein, 732 F.2d 1338, 1348 (7th Cir.1984), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 105 S.Ct. 792, 83 L.Ed.2d 785 (1985). These immunity agreements did not make the risk of perjury so great that the testimony was per se unreliable. See United States v. Cruz, 739 F.2d 395, 396 (8th Cir.1984). The immunity agreement was one factor the jury could weigh in determining the witness' credibility, but the agreement alone did not  'make ... [the] testimony so legally unsubstantial or ... [the person's] credibility as a witness so legally infirm as to require reasonable doubt to be recognized as a matter of law.'  United States v. Evans, 697 F.2d 240, 245 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 460 U.S. 1086, 103 S.Ct. 1779, 76 L.Ed.2d 350 (1983) (quoting Williams v. United States, 328 F.2d 256, 259 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 377 U.S. 969, 84 S.Ct. 1651, 12 L.Ed.2d 739 (1964)). Each witness disclosed the details of the immunity agreement under which he testified. The testimony related to known facts; the agreement did not require the witness to seek out incriminating evidence against the appellant. United States v. Librach, 536 F.2d 1228, 1230 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 939, 97 S.Ct. 354, 50 L.Ed.2d 308 (1976). This testimony was properly admitted as the jury was capable of evaluating the testimony in light of the witness' agreement with the government. 165 Furthermore, the court gave complete final instructions cautioning the jury about the testimony of witnesses with agreements with the government. The trial judge instructed the jury to consider the testimony of such witnesses with more caution than the testimony of other witnesses. The judge also indicated that the witnesses may have had reason to lie or exaggerate because they wanted to strike a good bargain with the government about their own cases. The court thus specifically addressed at length the concerns Odoner now raises for the first time on appeal. We find no error in the admission of the testimony of these witnesses with immunity agreements. 166
167 Jacek Odoner challenges both the court's instruction at the time of the admission of hearsay statements of codefendant Pogodzinski and the court's admission of hearsay testimony from John Gingras. 168 As discussed earlier in section I(E) supra, the better course would have been for the trial court to refrain from commenting to the jury about the procedure for admitting coconspirator hearsay. See United States v. Santiago, 582 F.2d 1128, 1136 (7th Cir.1978); United States v. Vinson, 606 F.2d 149, 153 (6th Cir.1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 1074, 100 S.Ct. 1020, 62 L.Ed.2d 756 (1980). We nevertheless conclude that the court's statements did not prejudice any of the defendants or improperly influence the jury's decision. The court's comments did not amount to a clear and unambiguous signal to the jury that the judge was satisfied that a conspiracy existed. Furthermore, the jury had ample evidence, see section III(H) infra, to determine, based upon Odoner's acts, that Odoner was a member of the cocaine conspiracy. Odoner, therefore, was not deprived of an impartial jury, and reversal is not warranted on that ground. 169 Odoner also challenges the trial court's admission of hearsay testimony by John Gingras under the coconspirator's statement exception of Fed.R.Evid. 801(d)(2). 34 Gingras testified that Anthony Peters told him that he (Peters) had sent Edward Odoner, defendant Jacek Odoner's brother, out west with $778,000 and that Ed Odoner never returned. 170 Odoner argues that Gingras' testimony about Ed Odoner should have been excluded to avoid confusing the jury and creating an aura of guilt by association. Odoner thus does not challenge the district court's Santiago determination, 35 but rather mounts an evidentiary attack based on Fed.R.Evid. 403. 36 171 It is fundamental that the balancing of prejudice and probativeness under Rule 403 is committed to the trial court's sound discretion and will not be disturbed on appeal absent abuse. United States v. Falco, 727 F.2d 659, 665 (7th Cir.1984). A trial judge has broad discretion in making this determination, United States v. Vincent, 681 F.2d 462, 465 (6th Cir.1982), and his decision must be accorded great deference. Falco, 727 F.2d at 665. 172 Odoner has not made a clear showing of abuse of discretion by his conclusory statements that the testimony about Edward Odoner confused the jury and necessarily resulted in guilt by association. Odoner does not explain or present any foundation for these conclusions, and we find no support for them in the record. The government presented sufficient evidence to establish Odoner's participation in the conspiracy based upon Odoner's own acts. see section III(H) infra. The jury had no reason to resort to guilt by association to convict Odoner. As stated earlier in response to Lawrence Peters' severance motion, see section II(E) supra, we believe the jury was capable of separating the evidence and determined each defendant's guilt or innocence based only upon evidence implicating that defendant. Nothing in the record suggests that the jury convicted Odoner based upon isolated hearsay concerning his brother. We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the hearsay testimony of John Gingras.
173 Odoner claims that the district court erred in refusing to grant a mistrial based on the erroneous admission of testimony of witnesses with government agreements and of hearsay testimony under the coconspirator's exception. As discussed in section II(D) and III(E), the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this testimony, and therefore the court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant a mistrial. United States v. Phillips, 640 F.2d 87, 91 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 451 U.S. 991, 101 S.Ct. 2331, 68 L.Ed.2d 851 (1981).
174 Odoner challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction on one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine. Odoner claims that the government never introduced proof of any direct contact between Odoner and either Anthony or Larry Peters. It is well-established that 175 [t]he appellant mounting an evidentiary sufficiency challenge bears 'a heavy burden.' United States v. Garcia, 562 F.2d 411, 414 (7th Cir.1977), and thus '[o]nly when the record contains no evidence, regardless of how it is weighed, from which the jury could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, may an appellate court overturn the verdict.' Brandom v. United States, 431 F.2d 1391, 1400 (7th Cir.1970), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 1022, 91 S.Ct. 586, 27 L.Ed.2d 634 (1971). Moreover, it is not for this court to reconsider questions of the weight of the evidence or credibility of witnesses, Glasser, 315 U.S. at 80, 62 S.Ct. at 469 [86 L.Ed. 680 (1942)]. 176 United States v. Moore, 764 F.2d 476, 478 (7th Cir.1985) (quoting United States v. Redwine, 715 F.2d 315, 319 (7th Cir.1983)). 177 Odoner correctly states that mere association with conspirators is not sufficient to establish involvement in a conspiracy. Instead, the government must prove that Odoner knew of the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and that Odoner in some way joined the conspiracy. See United States v. Percival, 756 F.2d 600, 610-11 (7th Cir.1985); United States v. Herrera, 757 F.2d 144, 149 (7th Cir.1985). Reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, Percival, 756 F.2d at 610, there was sufficient evidence to support the jury verdict. 178 The testimony of five of the government's witnesses establishes that Odoner played several different roles in the conspiracy. Two witnesses, Mark Gernetzke and Randy Hill, testified that for several years Odoner delivered cocaine ordered from Anthony Peters to them. George Gama told the jury that he went to Odoner's home with Anthony Peters to pick up cocaine he had bought from Peters. Anthony Peters told him at the time that cocaine was stored at Odoner's home. Michael Schroeder's testimony corroborates this, as Schroeder testified he also picked up cocaine at Odoner's home with Larry Peters. Schroeder furthermore testified that he rejected Larry Peters' offer to go to Florida and that Larry told him that Odoner travelled to Florida several times to pick up cocaine for $10,000 a trip. The government introduced hotel and airline records indicating that Odoner travelled from Milwaukee to Miami. In addition, Michael Dale stated that he delivered cocaine with Anthony Peters to Odoner. 179 This testimony belies Odoner's claim that there was no proof of any contact between Odoner and the Peters brothers and that the evidence failed to prove Odoner's guilt. If the jury found these witnesses credible, their testimony establishes that Odoner not only acted as a delivery boy for the conspiracy but also stored the cocaine in his home and went to Florida to buy the cocaine for subsequent distribution in Milwaukee. The evidence was sufficient to establish that Odoner knew of the conspiracy and voluntarily participated in it.