Opinion ID: 531039
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: issues

Text: 21 The first point on appeal arises from a remark made by the prosecutor concerning an incident not related to this trial in which Reed attempted to remove a confederate flag from the dome of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. Prior to the beginning of the trial of the instant case, the trial judge cautioned the attorneys not to mention the flag incident, which had received media attention. 4 Nevertheless, during opening statement, the prosecuting attorney told the jurors that [t]his case has nothing to do with other activities or the confederate flag or anything else.... Defense counsel immediately objected and the judge instructed the jury to disregard the prosecutor's statement. The court then denied Reed's motion for a mistrial. 22 Reed argues that the prosecutor's remark was inflammatory and prejudicial and that the trial court erred in failing to grant Reed's motion for a mistrial based upon the remark. The United States concedes that, in view of the trial judge's admonition to counsel about the flag incident, the prosecutor should not have made the statement. The United States maintains, however, that the challenged comment was not prejudicial. 23 Prosecutorial misconduct is a basis for reversing an appellant's conviction only if, in the context of the entire trial and in light of any curative instruction, the misconduct may have prejudiced the substantial rights of the accused. United States v. Odom, 858 F.2d 664 (11th Cir.1988); United States v. Collins, 779 F.2d 1520 (11th Cir.1986). A prejudicial remark may be rendered harmless by a curative instruction. United States v. Lichenstein, 610 F.2d 1272 (5th Cir.) cert. denied, 447 U.S. 907, 100 S.Ct. 2991, 64 L.Ed.2d 856 (1980). In the instant case the trial judge immediately issued a curative instruction and the prosecutor thereafter desisted from any such remarks or references. 24 Upon a review of the entire record, we conclude that Reed was not prejudiced by the prosecutor's remark. Thus, the trial court properly denied Reed's motion for a mistrial.
25 In his second point on appeal, Reed asserts that the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion for a new trial based on his contention that a material variance existed between the allegations of the indictment and the proof elicited at trial. 5 In Count IV of the indictment, the government alleged that, on or about the 6th day of August, 1986, Reed caused Bobby Gene Chesser to travel in interstate commerce to distribute the proceeds of bribery. 6 During opening statement, the prosecuting attorney stated that the government would show that the extortion demand and payment took place on July 9 and 10, 1986. Jessie Lea Chesser subsequently testified that she took the cash to Bobby Gene Chesser on the day she obtained it from the finance companies. Bobby Gene Chesser testified that he took the money to Tuskegee and gave it to Reed the same day. As previously noted, Raymond Reagan testified that he accompanied Bobby Gene Chesser to Tuskegee when Chesser met with Reed. None of the witnesses were certain about the date of the payment, and the only evidence tending to establish the date was the passbook and loan documents, 7 which showed that the withdrawal and loans were made on July 9, 1986. 26 When the government charges that an offense occurred on or about a certain date, the defendant is on notice that the charge is not limited to the specific date or dates set out in the indictment. United States v. Creamer, 721 F.2d 342 (11th Cir.1983). Proof of a date reasonably near the specified date is sufficient. United States v. Champion, 813 F.2d 1154 (11th Cir.1987); United States v. Grapp, 653 F.2d 189, 195 (5th Cir. Unit A, 1981). Ordinarily, a variance between the date alleged and the date proved will not trigger reversal as long as the date proved falls within the statute of limitations and before the return of the indictment. United States v. Harrell, 737 F.2d 971, 981 (11th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1164, 105 S.Ct. 923, 83 L.Ed.2d 935 (1985). The fact that an alibi defense is advanced does not render the time a material element of a criminal offense. Creamer, 721 F.2d at 343. 27 Two purposes are served by the requirement that the allegations of the indictment and the proof at trial correspond: (1) the defendant is properly notified of the charges so that he may present a defense; and (2) the defendant is protected against the possibility of another prosecution for the same offense. See Berger v. United States, 295 U.S. 78, 55 S.Ct. 629, 79 L.Ed. 1314 (1935). 8 28 We find no impermissible variance in the instant case. The indictment set forth the material allegations of the offenses charged and specifically stated that Reed caused Bobby Gene Chesser to travel from Georgia to Alabama to distribute the proceeds of bribery. Thus, the substance of the testimony of Bobby Gene Chesser and Raymond Reagan regarding Bobby Gene Chesser's travel to Alabama could not have substantially prejudiced Appellant through surprise. Reed was apprised on the first day of trial the government intended to prove a date that occurred approximately one month earlier than the dates alleged in the indictment. 9 Reed does not contend that he was denied the opportunity to cross-examine all witnesses who testified as to when the act occurred. There is nothing to indicate that differences between the dates in the indictment and the notice of the charges undermined Appellant's right to proper notice of the charge or exposed him to the danger of a second prosecution for the same offense. Thus, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Reed's motion for a new trial based on an alleged material variance.
29 In his third claim, Appellant asserts that the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion for a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence. 10 The newly discovered evidence consisted of the testimony of Reed and his friend Alphonso Marsh that Reed was with Marsh on July 9, 1986. 30 A motion for a new trial is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court, and a decision to deny a new trial motion will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. United States v. Champion, 813 F.2d 1154 (11th Cir.1987). A motion for a new trial must be viewed with great caution. United States v. Hall, 854 F.2d 1269, 1271 (11th Cir.1988) (quoting Bentley v. United States, 701 F.2d 897, 898 (11th Cir.1983)). This Court has consistently required that five elements be satisfied to justify a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence: (1) the evidence must be discovered following trial; (2) the movant must show due diligence to discover the evidence; (3) the evidence must not be merely cumulative or impeaching; (4) the evidence must be material to issues before the court; and (5) the evidence must be of such a nature that a new trial would probably produce a new result. See United States v. DiBernardo, 880 F.2d 1216 (11th Cir.1989); United States v. Burton, 871 F.2d 1566 (11th Cir.1989); United States v. Champion, 813 F.2d 1154 (11th Cir.1987). As a matter of law, the trial court cannot grant a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence once it has determined that the movant has failed to satisfy any part of the five-part test. See United States v. Hall, 854 F.2d 1269 (11th Cir.1988). 11 In the instant case, the trial court found that Reed failed to meet the criteria necessary to entitle him to a new trial. Our review leads us to conclude that Reed failed to satisfy his burden with respect to at least two of the elements necessary to justify a new trial. Accordingly, we find that the trial court acted within its discretion in denying Reed's motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. 31 First, this Court finds that Reed did not satisfactorily explain why he failed to come forward with the evidence until 46 days after the guilty verdict was received and three days prior to his scheduled sentencing hearing. Thus, he failed to show that he acted with due diligence to discover the evidence. 32 Second, we agree with the trial court that this evidence is not of such a nature that it would be likely to produce a new result at trial. In denying Reed's motion for a new trial, the district court judge found that the testimony of Marsh and Reed was not credible. 12 In so finding, the court noted that on November 17, 1988, Marsh was able to recall in detail the events of July 8 and 9, 1986, while, on November 17, 1988, Marsh could not remember where he was on three specific days in September of 1988. The court also found incredible Reed's testimony that he used notes and conversation to reconstruct where he was on July 9 through 11, 1986. 33 Even assuming that the testimony of Marsh and Reed was credible, that testimony is simply not of such a nature that a new trial would probably produce a new result. Contrary to Reed's assertion, the proffered alibi testimony that Reed was with Marsh through the period from July 9 to July 11 would not preclude a finding that Reed committed the offenses reasonably close to the time charged. As discussed above, the indictment charged that the offense occurred on or about a certain date, and therefore the government was not limited to proving the offense occurred on a specific date. Moreover, none of the witnesses testified with any certainty as to the date on which the delivery of money took place. Considering all the evidence, even if the jury accepted the testimony of Marsh and Reed as true, it could still find that the money was in fact delivered to Reed as charged. So, we cannot say that this testimony would probably produce a new result. 13 Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Reed's motion for a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence.
34 Appellant asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting a tape that was not shown by the government to be free of material deletions, additions or alterations. 35 Although the preferred practice is for the government to produce evidence regarding the competence of the tape machine operator, fidelity of the equipment, the absence of alterations to the tape and the identity of the speakers, the trial court has broad discretion to allow tapes into evidence without such a showing so long as there is independent evidence of accuracy. United States v. Richardson, 764 F.2d 1514, 1523-24 (11th Cir.1985). The record of the hearing on Reed's motion to suppress the tape shows that the United States laid an adequate foundation for the introduction of the tape. Accordingly, we find that the trial judge properly acted within his discretion in admitting the tapes.
36 In his fifth point on appeal, Reed asserts that the trial court committed prejudicial error in allowing Woodson Chesser to testify that, in 1986, Bobby Chesser told him that Reed would assist Anthony Chesser for $10,000. The government offered the challenged testimony to reaffirm the credibility of Bobby Chesser's testimony on direct. The trial court found that the testimony fell within the prior consistent statement exception of Rule 801(d)(1)(B) because defense counsel had implied during his cross-examination of Bobby Gene Chesser that Chesser recently fabricated his testimony. 37 A district court is granted broad discretion in determining the admissibility of a prior consistent statement and will not be disturbed on appeal absent a clear showing of an abuse of discretion. United States v. Mock, 640 F.2d 629 (5th Cir.1981). Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(1)(B) provides in relevant part that: 38 A statement is not hearsay if ... [t]he declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement, and the statement is ... consistent with the declarant's testimony and is offered to rebut an express or implied charge against the declarant of recent fabrication or improper influence or motive.... 39 Reed argues that although the defense conducted a probing cross-examination of Bobby Gene Chesser to show potential bias or ulterior motive, the cross-examination did not reach the level of a charge of recent fabrication and, therefore, the Rule 801(d)(1)(B) exception was erroneously applied. Reed also asserts that the statement should not have been admitted because it contains hearsay within hearsay 14 and that each level of the statement does not qualify as an exception. Reed cites U.S. v. Pendas-Martinez, 845 F.2d 938 (11th Cir.1988), in support of these claims. 40 The defendants in Pendas-Martinez were charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana on board a vessel of the United States. During trial, the court admitted a coast guard officer's report concerning the chase and arrest of the defendant. The defendants appealed their convictions and argued, inter alia, that the report constituted written summaries of the government's case which should not have been introduced. The government contended that the trial court properly admitted the officer's report as a prior consistent statement to rebut a charge of that the officer fabricated his testimony that marijuana seeds were discovered on the defendants' boat. 41 This Court rejected the government's argument that the officer's report was admissible under Rule 801(d)(1)(B), finding that the defendant's counsel had not implied that a witness had fabricated a story to strengthen the State's case. We further held that, even if counsel had implied fabrication, the report was inadmissible under Rule 805 because it contained numerous examples of hearsay within hearsay which were unrelated to the officer's testimony concerning the marijuana seeds and which the trial court had refused to delete from the report. 42 The instant case is readily distinguishable from Pendas-Martinez. In his opening statement, defense counsel stated that the defense would prove that Bobby Gene Chesser is a con man who concocted it all and made up these lies ... on Tom Reed. The record in this case clearly reflects that defense counsel implied on cross-examination that Bobby Gene Chesser fabricated his testimony regarding his agreement with Reed. 15 43 We are also unpersuaded by Reed's argument that the challenged statement involves hearsay not admissible as a prior consistent statement under Rule 801(d)(1)(B). Chesser testified and underwent rigorous cross-examination concerning his agreement with Reed. The statement related specifically to a matter on which Bobby Gene Chesser had been impeached and was consistent with Chesser's testimony. Accordingly, we find that the trial court properly admitted the statement under Rule 801(d)(1)(B) as a prior consistent statement offered to rebut an implied charge of recent fabrication or improper motive.
44 In this issue, Reed argues that the trial court erred in refusing to grant a motion for mistrial or new trial based upon the fact that the jury took a transcript of a tape recorded conversation which was not admitted into evidence into the jury room. The transcript had been used during the trial to assist the jury in understanding the tape recording. The propriety of the government's use of transcripts of tape recordings as an aid to the jury is well-established, and the use of such transcripts is not restricted to the time of presenting the tapes to the jury. United States v. Brown, 872 F.2d 385 (11th Cir.1989). [A]bsent a showing that the transcripts are inaccurate or that specific prejudice occurred, there is no error in allowing transcripts to go into the jury room. Id. at 392. 45 In this case, Reed has not questioned the accuracy of the transcripts. Further, Reed has asserted only a general claim that he was prejudiced by the jury's alleged use of the transcripts. We conclude that the trial court did not err in denying Appellant's motion for a mistrial or new trial on this ground.