Opinion ID: 2972220
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Johnny Lee Bullock

Text: Bullock contends that his conviction must be reversed because the trial court admitted into -6- evidence an inaudible audiotape recording of an alleged drug buy with which he was allegedly involved. Although she did not have a transcript of the conversation, the trial judge listened to the tape and determined that it was audible and admitted it into evidence. We review the decision of the district court to admit the audiotape recording for abuse of discretion. United States v. Robinson, 707 F.2d 872, 875 (6th Cir. 1983). The United States, however, maintains that Bullock waived any challenge as to whether the January 7 tape was audible and in fact conceded that the tape recording was comprehensible. The government argues that Bullock may not now take a different position on appeal. If Bullock waived his objection to the admission of the tape as the government contends, this Court reviews the introduction of evidence to determine if it constitutes plain error and affects a party's substantial rights. Fed. R. Evid. 103(d). A defendant waives a claim when he agrees with the district court’s course of conduct and may not charge the lower court with error in following that course. United States v. AparcoCenteno, 280 F.3d 1084, 1088 (6th Cir. 2002). In this case, after listening to the enhanced version of the audio tape recordings at issue in this case, Bullock’s counsel agreed that the “first tape,” which involved the January 7 drug deal, was audible. (“On the first tape, I hear a drug deal go down.” (J.A. at 439-40.)) The trial court confirmed Bullock’s concession. (“I think what Mr. White says as to audibility is he can hear a drug deal go down on the first one. On the second one he says he couldn’t hear a drug deal go down. And, frankly, neither could I.” (J.A. at 440.))3 3 Bullock argues that the trial judge, after ruling on the admissibility of the tape, seemed to indicate that it was inaudible. During a side bar in which counsel were discussing the facts surrounding the alleged drug buy between Stacy Crain and Bullock, counsel for Bullock indicated that “the tape