Opinion ID: 18497
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Moreno moved for acquittal at the close of the government's case-in-chief and at the end of trial. A motion for judgment of acquittal challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to convict. See 4 FED. R. CRIM. P. 29(a). Moreno argued that insufficient evidence established her knowledge that she possessed and imported cocaine. The court denied each motion. Post conviction, our review for sufficiency of the evidence is narrow. See United States v. Westbrook, 119 F.3d 1176, 1189 (5th Cir. 1997) (citing United States v. Lopez, 74 F.3d 575, 577 (5th Cir. 1996)). We review the evidence de novo. See United States v. Medina, 161 F.3d 867, 872 (5th Cir. 1998). In doing so, we view the evidence and all reasonable inferences that can be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the verdict. See id.; United States v. Posada-Rios, 158 F.3d 832, 855 (5th Cir. 1998). In addition, all credibility determinations are made in the light most favorable to the verdict. See United States v. Hull, 160 F.3d 265, 272 (5th Cir. 1998). Ordinarily, we must affirm if a rational trier of fact could have found that the government proved the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319 (1979); Medina, 161 F.3d at 867. The evidence need not exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence or be wholly inconsistent with every conclusion except that of guilt, and the jury is free to choose among reasonable constructions of the evidence. See United States v. Ortega Reyna, 148 F.3d 540, 543 (5th Cir. 1998); Westbrook, 119 F.3d at 1189. “If the evidence tends to give ‘equal or nearly equal circumstantial support’ to guilt or innocence, however, reversal is required: When the evidence is essentially in balance, ‘a reasonable jury must necessarily entertain doubt.’” Ortega Reyna, 148 F.3d at 543 (quoting Lopez, 74 F.3d at 577). To establish a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841, po ssession with intent to distribute, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Moreno (1) knowingly (2) possessed cocaine (3) with the intent to distribute it. See Medina, 161 F.3d at 873; United States v. Casilla, 20 F.3d 600, 603 (5th Cir. 1994). Possession may be actual or constructive. See id. The intent to distribute may be inferred from the value and quantity of the substance possessed. See id. The elements of a violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952 and 960, importation of cocaine, are: (1) the defendant played a role in bringing a quantity of a controlled substance into the United States from 5 outside of the country; (2) the defendant knew the substance was controlled; and (3) the defendant knew the substance would enter the United States. See Medina, 161 F.3d at 873; Casilla, 20 F.3d at 603. A jury could find knowledge of drugs if a defendant brings cocaine-laden luggage into the United States and claimed the luggage as hers. See United States v. Martinez, 577 F.2d 960, 962 (5th Cir. 1978). Ordinarily, knowledge of the existence of drugs may be inferred from control over the location in which they are found. When the drugs are secreted in a hidden compartment, however, we require “additional circumstantial evidence that is suspicious in nature or demonstrates guilty knowledge.” Ortega Reyna, 148 F.3d at 544 (quoting United States v. Resio-Trejo, 45 F.3d 907, 911 (5th Cir. 1995)). We require this additional evidence because it “is at least a fair assumption that a third party might have concealed the controlled substance in the [luggage] with the intent to use the unwitting defendant as the carrier in a smuggling enterprise.” Id. (quoting United States v. Diaz-Carreon, 915 F.2d 951, 953 (5th Cir. 1990)). The evidence shows that Moreno identified the briefcase as belonging to her. Once informed that the bag contained cocaine, Moreno recanted and offered an implausible explanation for her error and the ownership of the briefcase. In Casilla, we held that inherent inconsistencies provide the needed indicia of guilty knowledge. See Casilla, 20 F.3d at 606; see also Anchondo-Sandoval, 910 F.2d at 1237 (relying on inconsistent statements regarding travel motives and destinations to indicate guilty knowledge).2 Even though Moreno testified that she was mistaken when she identified the briefcase as hers, the factual dispute must be resolved in favor of the verdict. Additionally, the evidence indicated that Moreno had an absence of nervousness when she was arrested and showed a lack of surprise when the cocaine was discovered.3 2 But see, Ortega Reyna, 148 F.3d at 546 (finding nothing inherently inconsistent in different answers to questions on destination and origin). 3 A non-exclusive list of additional types of behavior that we have relied on as evidence of guilty knowledge include: “(1) nervousness; (2) absence of nervousness, i.e., a cool and calm demeanor; (3) failure to make eye contact; (4) refusal or reluctance to answer questions; (5) lack of 6 The evidence exposes Moreno’s inconsistent statements and implausible explanations which could lead a reasonable trier of fact to doubt Moreno’s credibility. Doubts of Moreno’s credibility likely vitiated the effect of any favorable evidence, including her testimony. Thus, a rational trier of fact could have found t hat Moreno knew of the cocaine in the briefcase and the bags beyond a reasonable doubt. See Martinez, 577 F.2d at 962. We find that sufficient evidence exists to satisfy the knowledge element of Moreno’s conviction.