Opinion ID: 555115
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: christopher constantine and michael swaby

Text: 13 Constantine contends that the district court erred in denying his motion for severance. He argues that as a result of being tried with the other defendants he was greatly prejudiced by the introduction of evidence of specific crimes and other bad acts committed by his coconspirators, even though there was no direct evidence of any involvement by him in those transactions. 14 It is the general rule that persons charged in a conspiracy should be tried together, particularly where proof of the charges against the defendants is based upon the same evidence and acts. United States v. Jackson, 549 F.2d 517, 523 (8th Cir.1977), cert. denied, sub nom. Muhammad v. United States, 430 U.S. 985, 97 S.Ct. 1682, 52 L.Ed.2d 379 (1977); accord, United States v. Anderson, 879 F.2d 369, 375 (8th Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 515, 107 L.Ed.2d 516 (1989). This preference for joint trials is not limited by any requirement that the quantum of evidence of each defendant's culpability be quantitatively or qualitatively equivalent. Jackson, supra at 525. Rarely, if ever, will it be improper for coconspirators to be tried together. United States v. Drew, 894 F.2d 965, 968 (8th Cir.1990), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1830, 108 L.Ed.2d 959 (1990). To prevail on this point, Constantine must show clear prejudice and abuse of discretion. United States v. Martin, 866 F.2d 972, 979 (8th Cir.1989). No such showing has been made. Accordingly, we find no error in the district court's denial of the motion for severance.
15 Constantine and Swaby contend that the district court should have granted their motions to dismiss the indictment on the ground that the indictment was defective because it did not contain any allegations as to any overt acts carried out in furtherance of the conspiracy. As the United States points out, 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846 does not require submission or proof of overt acts to sustain a conspiracy conviction thereunder. United States v. Covos, 872 F.2d 805, 809-10 (8th Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 124, 107 L.Ed.2d 85 (1989). We find no error in the district court's denial of these motions. 16
17 On January 9, 1989, Swaby filed a Motion to Dismiss the Indictment and Request for Bill of Particulars, alleging that the indictment was vague and ambiguous and should have been dismissed as void for vagueness. The district court denied this motion and request and Swaby asserts that it was error to do so. In particular, Swaby complains that the indictment failed to specifically identify the place that the alleged conspiracy was carried out. This motion, as well as a subsequent motion in limine, also addressed the use at trial of evidence concerning Swaby's arrest on March 17, 1988 in Kansas City, Kansas for related drug offenses. Swaby contends that the indictment did not address conduct within the State of Kansas; therefore, use of this evidence at trial by the United States resulted in an unlawful variance of the indictment. 18 In response, the Government contends that its open file policy with respect to this case, pursuant to which photocopies of more than a thousand pages of documents were provided, resulted in Swaby and his codefendants having all of the information they needed to understand the charges against them and to present a complete defense thereto. Further, the United States points out that, inasmuch as the indictment expressly alleged that the conspiracy took place at Kansas City, in the Western District of Missouri, and elsewhere, no variance resulted. 19 The trial court has broad discretion in granting or denying a bill of particulars. See, e.g., United States v. Key, 717 F.2d 1206, 1210 (8th Cir.1983). To establish reversible error from the denial of such a motion, a defendant must show that he was actually surprised at trial and suffered prejudice by the denial. United States v. Arenal, 768 F.2d 263, 268-69 (8th Cir.1985). In the present case, Swaby has not shown how he was surprised at trial or how he was prejudiced by the denial of his request for the bill of particulars. We cannot say that the district court abused its discretion in denying the bill of particulars. Similarly, we agree that the introduction of the evidence regarding the Kansas City, Kansas arrest did not constitute a variance of the indictment. 20 In a somewhat related motion in limine, Swaby asked the district court to prohibit the United States from introducing any and all evidence related to his arrest in Kansas City, Kansas, particularly the considerable quantities of cocaine base and cash recovered from his pockets. That motion, too, was denied by the district court. The thrust of Swaby's argument on this point is that such evidence was not relevant to the charge in the instant case, but, rather, was offered to prove his bad character. He contends that this evidence of other bad acts should have been rejected pursuant to Rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. 21 The United States denies that the evidence regarding Swaby's arrest in Kansas City, Kansas was Rule 404(b) evidence, asserting that it was directly related to the conspiracy alleged and, as such, was clearly admissible to prove his guilt of the offense charged. The Government points out that this arrest took place during the period of the alleged conspiracy and resulted in the seizure of evidence which tied that transaction to the larger conspiracy alleged in the indictment. [E]vidence which is probative of a crime with which a defendant is charged, and not solely of some other uncharged crimes, is not evidence of 'other bad acts.'  United States v. Westbrook, 896 F.2d 330, 334 (8th Cir.1990). We agree with the district court's finding that nothing in the indictment precluded evidence of conduct in Kansas City, Kansas from being used as direct evidence against Swaby or his coconspirators and that its admission at trial was proper.
22 Swaby also contends that the vague wording of the indictment has exposed him to prosecution in the State of Kansas upon the same charge of which he was convicted below in violation of his rights under the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment. According to the latest information provided, no charges of any kind, either state or federal, have been filed to date against Swaby arising from his arrest on March 17, 1988. We agree with the United States that this argument is both speculative and premature and find no merit in it.