Opinion ID: 741779
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: U.S. v. Lee

Text: 33 At the close of the government's evidence, Lee moved for judgment of acquittal on the robbery and assault charges. His motion was denied and he was convicted. 34 Because Lee did not actively participate in, or even witness, the assault and robbery, he does not believe that he can be convicted of those crimes. He does not otherwise challenge his conviction. As a member of the conspiracy, however, Lee, under appropriate circumstances, can be convicted of crimes committed by his co-conspirators. Under the Pinkerton doctrine, a defendant can be convicted of substantive offenses committed by a co-conspirator if the government proves beyond a reasonable doubt that: (1) the essential elements of the substantive offense were established, (2) the defendant was a member of the conspiracy at the time the substantive offense was committed and (3) the substantive offense was committed in furtherance of or was a natural consequence of the conspiracy and was reasonably foreseeable by the defendant. Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 645-48, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 1183-85, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946); see also United States v. Rodriguez, 67 F.3d 1312, 1324 (7th Cir.1995), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 1582, 134 L.Ed.2d 679 (1996). 35 The essential elements of the assault and robbery have been established by Buchannan's conviction and by our affirmance of that conviction. Additionally, Lee does not deny that he was a member of the conspiracy during the relevant time period. 36 Thus, the only disputed element in the question is whether the assault and robbery was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy and [was] reasonably foreseeable as a necessary or natural consequence of the conspiracy. Rodriguez, 67 F.3d at 1324 (emphasis added). Lee did not address the Pinkerton doctrine in his brief. However, at oral argument, his attorney conceded that the Pinkerton doctrine was applicable, and that the assault and robbery was in furtherance of or was a natural consequence of the conspiracy. Therefore, the issue distills to whether Buchannan's assault and robbery was reasonably foreseeable to Lee. Lee would have us believe that Buchannan's actions were singular, bizarre and completely unforeseeable, particularly in light of the fact that neither Lee nor Buchannan brought a weapon to the scene. He alleges that the attack would not have occurred without Gregory's refusal to purchase the package of wax. 37 Alternatively, the government contends that Seventh Circuit precedent establishes that drug deals are inherently violent. See, e.g., Edwards, 36 F.3d at 644. The fact that Buchannan and Lee were trying to sell wax that they represented as cocaine increased the likelihood of violence. Finally, Lee must have realized that a conflict was, at the very least, possible when Buchannan returned to the car for the second package. 38 Gregory testified that Buchannan leaned into the car in which Lee was sitting when he went to retrieve the second package. The natural inference is that Buchannan explained to Lee why the deal was still incomplete. At that time, Lee could have attempted to persuade Buchannan to abandon the deal, but he did not. Lee and Buchannan took Gregory to a secluded location to complete the transaction, thus making violence more feasible. Kempfer, and another cooperating witness, Dee Ann Hudson, testified that Lee and Buchannan had ripped off other customers. If violence is a foreseeable consequence of fair drug deals, then violence may be exponentially more foreseeable in drug deals where the seller attempts to rip off the buyer. 39 The instruction given by the district court clearly and accurately presented the elements of the Pinkerton doctrine to the jury. Since there is sufficient evidence to support co-conspirator liability, Lee's conviction must be affirmed.