Opinion ID: 779999
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Parker's Motive to Kill Lewis

Text: 25 At trial the Government postulated that Parker's motive to kill Lewis was that Lewis had cheated him out of his share of the stolen drugs. In support of this theory, the Government proved that Parker suggested to Lewis that Karl was soft and that Lewis, acting on Parker's advice, robbed Karl and stole his drugs. According to the Government, Parker felt entitled to a share of the robbery proceeds and visited Lewis later that night to get his portion of the drugs. (Transcript, June 6, 2001, pp. 171-72.) Lewis lied to Parker and said that there were only four and a half ounces of crack cocaine even though Karl had told Parker that a half kilogram — about 16 ounces — had been in the Mazda. After Lewis told Parker to come back the next day, Parker again visited Lewis to get his share. Lewis lied again, this time claiming that he had only stolen four ounces. Lewis then told Parker he was only going to give him two quarter ounces and that's all he was giving him. ( Id. at 175.) Because Parker had heard Karl say there was a half kilogram of crack cocaine in the Mazda, and because Parker had searched the Mazda after the robbery and found no additional drugs, it is reasonable to infer, the Government contends, that Parker correctly assumed that Lewis was lying about the robbery proceeds and that Parker's portion of the drugs was unacceptably small. ( Id. at 172.) 26 There were, to be sure, holes in the Government's proof of motive. The Government failed to establish the existence of an agreement by Lewis to share the stolen drugs with Parker or, for that matter, with Moore or with anyone else. While there was brief, inconclusive testimony that Parker may have hoped for a share of the stolen drugs, there is no proof that he was ever promised anything, and the scant testimony on this topic suggests that the division was determined by Lewis unilaterally, not by agreement. Moreover, the record is bereft of any evidence of disagreement between Parker and Lewis over the distribution of the stolen drugs. There is no evidence that they ever quarreled over the robbery proceeds, that Parker ever threatened Lewis, or that Parker ever complained to Lewis, Moore, or anyone else about the division of the stolen drugs. Nevertheless, we do think the evidence presented was sufficient so that a rational jury could find that Parker had a motive to kill Lewis. 27 Parker was not unique in holding that motive, however. The Government proved that Lewis was a dishonest drug dealer who robbed a major drug dealer at gunpoint in full view of other drug dealers, their customers, and their associates, stealing a car and a large quantity of crack cocaine. In addition, Moore — another drug dealer whose testimony formed the cornerstone of the Government's case — testified that Lewis also lied about the amount of drugs stolen when giving Moore his share. Thus, the same assumption necessary to find that Parker had a motive to kill Lewis would also supply other armed drug dealers with equal if not greater motives.