Opinion ID: 782294
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Specific Intent to Join

Text: 26 Defendants argue that there was not sufficient evidence to prove that they specifically intended to join the conspiracy. Specific intent to join is an essential element of the crime of conspiracy. United States v. Elder, 90 F.3d 1110, 1120 (6th Cir.1996). Proof of knowledge is satisfied by proof that the defendant knew the essential object of the conspiracy .... Every member of a conspiracy need not be an active participant in every phase of the conspiracy, so long as he is party to the general conspiratorial agreement. United States v. Christian, 786 F.2d 203, 211 (6th Cir.1986) (quoting United States v. Cuni, 689 F.2d 1353, 1356 (11th Cir.1982)). A defendant's guilty knowledge and voluntary participation may be inferred from surrounding circumstances. Id. However, mere association with conspirators is not enough to establish participation in a conspiracy. United States v. Pearce, 912 F.2d 159, 162 (6th Cir.1990). 27
28 There is sufficient evidence to support a jury's finding that Courtney specifically intended to join the conspiracy. Donnell Simpson testified that he bought cocaine from Courtney, that Courtney was responsible for counting money and measuring dope for co-conspirators Shawn McKinney, Richard Simpson and Roy Wells, that he saw Courtney selling kilos of cocaine at his mother's house with Richard Simpson and Roy Wells, and that all three men had guns and were wearing bullet proof vests. As Donnell put it, one would take the money, one weighed the stuff up. And that's how they did it. Ronald Simpson testified that Courtney would pick up and deliver kilos of cocaine for him, McKinney, Wells, and Richard Simpson, that Courtney would occasionally sell powder cocaine for Richard Simpson, and that Courtney was Simpson's right hand man. He also testified that the co-conspirators cooked powder cocaine into cocaine base at Courtney's home. Sondra Jackson testified that she saw Courtney cook cocaine into crack cocaine for distribution, that Courtney approached her on three occasions about making trips to Miami to purchase cocaine for the conspirators, and that before one of those trips he placed over $100,000 of Richard Simpson's money on her body. This provides ample evidence that Courtney specifically intended to participate in the conspiracy. 29
30 The evidence overwhelmingly establishes Brown's role as a source of drugs and money for the conspiracy. Both Donnell Simpson and Ronald Simpson testified that they bought powder cocaine from Brown, and later processed that powder cocaine into cocaine base for distribution. Donnell Simpson testified that Shawn McKinney was with Brown on at least one of those occasions. Ronald Simpson also testified that Brown was a source of Shawn McKinney's cocaine, which Brown gave to McKinney on consignment so that McKinney and others could re-sell it. 31 Brown raises two arguments relating to his specific intent to join: (1) that Brown's relationship to the other conspirators was nothing more than a buyer-seller relationship; and (2) that there was insufficient evidence to support the jury's finding that Brown was involved in a conspiracy to distribute crack, rather than merely powder cocaine. 32 A mere buyer-seller relationship alone is insufficient to establish a conspiracy. United States v. Anderson, 89 F.3d 1306, 1310 (6th Cir.1996). However, evidence of repeat purchases provides evidence of more than a mere buyer-seller relationship. Id. (quoting United States v. Baker, 905 F.2d 1100, 1106 (7th Cir.1990)). Moreover, [a] large volume of narcotics creates an inference of conspiracy. United States v. Bourjaily, 781 F.2d 539, 545 (6th Cir.1986). The evidence at trial established that the conspirators had a regular arrangement with Brown to purchase very large quantities of powder cocaine. This goes beyond a mere buyer-seller relationship and provides sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict. 33 Brown is right to point out that no witness specifically testified that he knew the conspirators cooked some of the cocaine into crack. However, the government did not need to prove that Brown actively participated in the cooking of powder cocaine into crack, and guilty knowledge and voluntary participation may be inferred from surrounding circumstances. Christian, 786 F.2d at 211. Given the close relationships among the conspirators and the repeated transactions, there was sufficient circumstantial evidence for a rational jury to infer that Brown knew the general gist of the conspiracy when he chose to participate.