Opinion ID: 506169
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admission of Cocaine

Text: 103 Defendants Black and Burns assert that under United States v. Palumbo, 639 F.2d 123 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 819, 102 S.Ct. 100, 70 L.Ed.2d 90 (1981), and United States v. Falley, 489 F.2d 33 (2d Cir.1973), the admission into evidence of one gram of cocaine was error because the relevance of the cocaine was outweighed by its prejudicial impact upon the jury. In Falley, the trial judge allowed the government to introduce a suitcase containing a dramatic quantity of hashish a witness had attempted to smuggle into the country, even though the hashish had nothing to do with the smuggling conspiracy charged in the indictment--the hashish was put in solely to prove the witness was a bona fide smuggler. On such facts, the Second Circuit held the admission of the evidence impermissibly prejudicial. Similarly, in Palumbo, there was no evidentiary connection made between the drug possessed by the co-conspirator and the defendant in the conspiracy in issue. 639 F.2d at 127. In this case, however, the cocaine, although it traveled a somewhat picaresque route before coming into the government's possession, was adequately linked to the conspiracy charged in the indictment. 104 Strickland testified he had ordered a quantity of cocaine from Burns, who sent it to the Washington area via a courier. After receiving the cocaine, Strickland and Baker distributed some of the drug to Williams, a local dealer. Shortly thereafter, Williams was arrested, searched pursuant to the arrest, and relieved of the cocaine. It was this cocaine that was introduced at trial. The drug was plainly relevant to demonstrating the conspiracy's purpose, and it was not an abuse of discretion to admit it.B. Limitations on Collateral Impeachment 105 During the trial, the testimony of two prospective witnesses for Burns and a tape recording allegedly of a statement by Barbara Jo Rubin were excluded. Barbara Jo Rubin, a government witness who was also Burns' second cousin and former girlfriend, testified that Burns had purchased a house in Miami, paying cash for it, that Burns told her the house would be deeded to her as partial payment for her role in drug transactions, and that at the settlement for the house she saw a deed putting the property in her name. Rubin also testified that Burns, together with three of his friends who were police officers, evicted her from the house in the midst of a nighttime altercation. Burns wished to call one of the three police officers, Sergeant Matthews, who it is asserted would have testified that the details of the altercation were not as Rubin had claimed, and moreover, that while being evicted Rubin said she did not own the house. The second witness, Burns' former wife, would have authenticated a tape recording Burns sought to have admitted into evidence. The proffered testimony of the former Mrs. Burns was that a woman, whose voice she recognized as Rubin's, left a message on her answering machine one afternoon while she was not at home, admitting the house belonged to Burns. The trial judge refused to allow either witness to testify, largely on the grounds that their testimony concerned only collateral issues. Burns contends this ruling was erroneous. 106 The source of the trial court's power to exclude such evidence is not entirely clear--the government in its brief relies on FED.R.EVID. 608(b), which states that [s]pecific instances of the conduct of a witness, for the purpose of attacking or supporting the witness' credibility ... may not be proved by extrinsic evidence. But by its terms this rule does not apply here, because Matthews would not necessarily have testified about Rubin's conduct, but rather about the details of Rubin's eviction. For example, Rubin said cocaine was in plain view during the eviction, while Matthews would presumably have contradicted her on this point, thereby drawing Rubin's credibility into question, but without referring to her conduct. So although Burns sought Matthews' testimony in order to impeach Rubin's credibility, the proposed impeachment would not consist of showing specific instances of Rubin's conduct (i.e., fraudulent or dishonest behavior) indicative of untruthfulness. We think it only this latter type of evidence that Rule 608(b) addresses. See United States v. Opager, 589 F.2d 799 (5th Cir.1979) (Rule 608(b) applies solely to evidence showing a witness' general character for truthfulness). 107 The exclusion of Sergeant Matthews' testimony is an application not of Rule 608(b), but of what is referred to as the specific contradiction rule, which states that a witness may not be impeached by extrinsic evidence (contradiction by another witness or evidence) on a collateral issue. United States v. Pugh, 436 F.2d 222, 225 (D.C.Cir.1970). This rule serves to avoid confusion of the issues and undue extension of the trial. This is essentially a matter of administrative policy and concentration of attention. Ewing v. United States, 135 F.2d 633, 643 (D.C.Cir.1942). 8 In an old English case the rule is justified as a consequence of our not having a thousand year life span. See 3A WIGMORE, EVIDENCE SEC. 1002 (Chadbourn rev. 1970) (citing Attorney-General v. Hitchcock, 1 Exch. 91, 104 (1847)). The specific contradiction rule then is a particular instance of the trial court's general power under Fed.R.Evid. 403 to exclude evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed ... by considerations of undue delay, [or] waste of time. See 3 WEINSTEIN, EVIDENCE p 607 at 83. 108 It was undoubtedly within the trial judge's discretion to exclude that part of Matthews' testimony which simply contradicted details of Rubin's eviction, since the eviction was purely collateral to the case and Burns' sole reason for presenting evidence concerning it was to impeach Rubin's credibility. 109 The exclusion of Sergeant Matthews' testimony regarding Rubin's statement that she did not own the house is somewhat more troubling. The government invokes the specific contradiction rule, arguing that because Rubin denied on cross-examination making the statement, the exclusion was proper, for Matthews' testimony was an impermissible attempt to use extrinsic evidence to impeach a witness on a collateral matter. The difficult issue is whether Rubin's denial can properly be characterized as collateral. A commonly used test of collaterality asks: Could the fact, as to which error is predicated, have been shown in evidence for any purpose independently of the contradiction? 3A WIGMORE, EVIDENCE SEC. 1003 (CHADBOURN REV.1970); see Tinker, 417 F.2d at 545 n. 16. The government suggests that under this test the ownership of the house is collateral. This depends, however, despite the seeming definiteness of the test, upon what stage of the trial one takes as his vantage point. Certainly, had the government not introduced any evidence regarding the ownership of the house, Burns could not then himself have introduced evidence on this question, as it bears no relevance to any elements of the crimes charged or to any affirmative defenses to those crimes. To that extent, Burns had no reason independent[ ] of the contradiction to offer the evidence. 110 Nevertheless, once Rubin testified she had participated in drug dealing with Burns and had been paid for her services with the house, the question of ownership assumed a relevance independent of Rubin's credibility--the house was now evidence of Burns' participation in a drug conspiracy, for the government claimed it was a form of payment used by Burns to buy services needed to further the aims of the conspiracy. If Burns could show the house had never been transferred to Rubin as a form of payment, he would have negated a part of the government's case against him. We do not believe, therefore, that the issue of who owned the house can properly be called collateral. See United States v. Dimatteo, 716 F.2d 1361, 1366-67 (11th Cir.1983) (evidence may be admitted to prove or disprove material facts in a case, even though a previous witness has testified to the contrary), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 860, 106 S.Ct. 172, 88 L.Ed.2d 143 (1985); Opager, 589 F.2d at 803 (same). 111 The trial judge, however, did not rely on the erroneous proposition that whether Rubin had been paid with a house was collateral. He said [t]he issue ... as to the purposes for which the house was bought ... is not collateral. Tr. 4277. Instead, Sergeant Matthews' testimony was excluded because it was not sufficiently relevant to the question of ownership--it mainly concerned a dispute on a collateral detail. All the testimony, including the proffer of Sergeant Matthews' testimony, indicated that the night Rubin left Burns' home was very chaotic. Rubin denied having said, while being forcibly evicted, that the house belonged to Burns. Sergeant Matthews would have testified to the contrary. This dispute--whether Rubin made the statement--is certainly collateral to the case, and, furthermore, is not highly probative, given the riotous circumstances in which it was made, of the underlying factual issue of who owned the house. 9 Therefore, keeping in mind the broad discretion entrusted to the trial judge by FED.R.EVID. 403 to exclude relevant evidence on the grounds of confusion, considerations of undue delay or waste of time, we cannot say the exclusion of Sergeant Matthews' testimony was an abuse of discretion. See United States v. DeLoach, 654 F.2d 763, 770 (D.C.Cir.1980), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 1004, 101 S.Ct. 1717, 68 L.Ed.2d 209 (1981). 112 It was also within the trial judge's discretion to refuse to admit the tape recording of the message allegedly left by Rubin on the answering machine of Burns' former wife. The original tape had been erased, and Mrs. Burns had made a copy of it prior to erasing the original, although at trial she admitted to not understanding very much about tape recording. Nor did Mrs. Burns play the tape for anyone, including her lawyer, for over five years, even though the message indicated Burns was the real owner of the house, and so directly conflicted with Burns' sworn testimony in a divorce proceeding that he did not own the house--a divorce proceeding in which Mrs. Burns had an obvious interest. Furthermore, the tape had not been in Mrs. Burns' continuous custody for the five years; she testified she had recently given it to a lawyer who was representing her in a civil forfeiture proceeding concerning the house. Under United States v. Sandoval, 709 F.2d 1553, 1554 (D.C.Cir.1983), [t]he admission of tape recordings into evidence is committed to the sound discretion of the district court. The trial judge did not abuse his discretion by refusing to admit this evidence on grounds he was not confident of its reliability. C. Prior Consistent Statements 113 Appellant Burns contends that a prior consistent statement made by Strickland was improperly admitted for the purpose of rebutting a charge of recent fabrication implicitly raised against him in cross-examination. See FED.R.EVID. 801(d)(1)(B). At the time this evidence was admitted, no objection was made, so we may consider Burns' contention only if admission was a plain error[ ] affecting substantial rights. FED.R.EVID. 103(d); FED.R.CRIM.P. 52(b). 114 Strickland testified that, during the course of the conspiracy, he had transferred $250,000 to Black. On direct examination, Strickland characterized this transfer as a payment for Black's introducing him to Burns. On cross-examination, Burns' lawyer read Strickland testimony Strickland had given in another proceeding, in which Strickland characterized the payment as an investment in the Dunbar Corporation and its holdings in Atlantic City. Tr. 1026-29. On redirect examination, the prosecutor read additional testimony given by Strickland at the same previous trial, in which Strickland was asked whether he got anything besides stock in Dunbar Corporation, and Strickland answered Well, I got the introduction to Robert Burns. Tr. 1625. 115 Under FED.R.EVID. 801(d)(1)(B), a prior consistent statement is admissible if the declarant testifies at trial, is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement, and the statement is consistent with declarant's testimony and is offered to rebut an express or implied charge against the declarant of recent fabrication. United States v. Sampol, 636 F.2d 621, 671 (D.C.Cir.1980); see also United States v. Coleman, 631 F.2d 908, 913-14 (D.C.Cir.1980). Strickland's prior consistent statements satisfy these requirements. Furthermore, on redirect Strickland was merely asked to confirm the remainder of the prior statements already introduced on cross-examination, in order to place those statements in context. The opposing party may not pick and choose among prior statements to create an appearance of conflict and then object when this appearance is rebutted by means of a fuller version of the same prior statements. See United States v. Andrade, 788 F.2d 521, 532-33 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 107 S.Ct. 462, 93 L.Ed.2d 408 (1986). It was not error, much less plain error, for the trial judge to admit these statements. D. Co-conspirators' Statements 116 Under FED.R.EVID. 801(d)(2)(E), a statement by a co-conspirator of a party during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy is not hearsay. Appellants Black and Burns assert the admission of several hearsay statements was error, because the statements were not made during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy. The in furtherance of requirement is a limitation on what statements by co-conspirators may be admitted; mere narratives of past successes and failures, for example, are not admissible. United States v. Haldeman, 559 F.2d 31, 110 (D.C.Cir.1976) (en banc), cert. denied, 431 U.S. 933, 97 S.Ct. 2641, 53 L.Ed.2d 250 (1977). Nor are a conspirator's casual comments to people outside or inside the conspiracy admissible under this rule. United States v. Snider, 720 F.2d 985, 992 (8th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1107, 104 S.Ct. 1613, 80 L.Ed.2d 142 (1984). If the statement, however, can reasonably be interpreted as encouraging a co-conspirator or other person to advance the conspiracy, or as enhancing a co-conspirator or other person's usefulness to the conspiracy, then the statement is in furtherance of the conspiracy and may be admitted. See id.; United States v. Patton, 594 F.2d 444, 447 (5th Cir.1979). 117 Ribera testified he had discussions with Strickland during which Strickland said that investing in the casino Black was building in Atlantic City would be a good way for us to invest our money, and even to wash or clean up our money, which was this illegal drug money. Tr. 1825. Black's objection to this testimony is twofold. First, Black argues that since Ribera states he did not invest in Black's casino venture, Strickland's remark was merely a part of a casual conversation and not in furtherance of the conspiracy. But the statement is essentially an invitation to participate in a further stage of the conspiracy--that the invitation was declined is irrelevant to whether it was intended to further the conspiracy. Secondly, Black argues that laundering drug proceeds is unrelated to the conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and thus the statements were not in furtherance of the conspiracy charged in the indictment. However, as was shown supra at 1396-97, this argument ignores the nature of the conspiracy charged, which included the laundering of funds. In any event, there is no requirement that the actions invited by the hearsay statements be charged in the indictment or be illegal--any act which furthers the conspiracy (certainly easy transfer of the large sums of money generated by the sale of cocaine would further a conspiracy to distribute cocaine) may be admitted under this rule. 118 Rubin testified that while she was living with Burns, he would act as a middleman for numerous cocaine sales, operating out of his home. Rubin was often home while these deals took place, but in another room. Her testimony concerning many of the details of these transactions would therefore be hearsay but for 801(d)(2)(E)--after the deal was done and the participants had left, Burns would tell her what happened, including details about his profits. Appellants characterize these conversations as mere narrations of past events--not necessary to or in furtherance of the ongoing conspiracy. Appellants' argument would be stronger if Burns had recapitulated the details of these transactions months or years after they had occurred, for then it would be more difficult to see what purpose such narration could have. But where the recounting took place soon after the events at issue, and where Rubin was a participant in the overall conspiracy, acting as a courier and helping to count the money generated by the deals, Burns' reports helped to keep Rubin current on the status of the business. In particular, it is quite plausible that the statements regarding profits could have served as motivation for her continued participation. 10 119 Later on in the trial, Kohn, who acted as bookkeeper for the land project in Texas, testified about statements by Strickland and Maddux concerning the fictitious nature of two $60,000 loans Black had made to the Texas land development corporation. Evidence showed these loans had been washes: Black made out two $60,000 checks only after receiving two payments of $60,000 in cash, thus providing a seemingly legitimate source for the funds used by the land development corporation. It was some time after these phony loans were made that Kohn was informed about them, and for this reason appellant Black objects to the admission of Strickland's statements to Kohn, contending they were mere narratives of past events. As bookkeeper for the organization, however, Kohn needed to understand the nature of the debts nominally listed on the books of the Texas land corporation. This became particularly important when Black began to demand some form of repayment, so as to convince the IRS that the loans were legitimate. Thus, although Strickland's statements to Kohn about the loans did not set in motion transactions that were an integral part of the ... scheme, United States v. Eubanks, 591 F.2d 513, 520 (9th Cir.1979), they did provide important background information to a key player, thereby helping him to carry out his duties. The statements were therefore properly admitted. See Snider, 720 F.2d at 993 (statements were in furtherance of a conspiracy when they aided a co-conspirator's informed participation); Haldeman, 559 F.2d at 110-11 (statements necessary to facilitate coordination among co-conspirators in covering up conspiracy are in furtherance of conspiracy). 120