Opinion ID: 1249230
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: admission of computer records

Text: Over objection, the district court admitted as coconspirator statements testimony and related exhibits regarding the Quickbooks financial data recovered from Wayne Anderson's computer. Appellants contend that the admission of these records against them was error because the records were not kept in furtherance of the conspiracy. We review for an abuse of discretion the district court's decision to admit coconspirators' statements, and review for clear error the district court's underlying factual determinations that a conspiracy existed and that the statements were made in furtherance of that conspiracy. United States v. Shryock, 342 F.3d 948, 981 (9th Cir.2003) (citing United States v. Bowman, 215 F.3d 951, 960 (9th Cir.2000)). When offered against a party, a statement by a coconspirator of a party during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy is not barred by the hearsay rule. Fed. R.Evid. 801(d)(2)(E); Bowman, 215 F.3d at 960-61 (citing Bourjaily v. United States, 483 U.S. 171, 175, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987)). Appellants argue that Anderson was keeping the books for his own purposes, not in furtherance of a conspiracy. Statements made for personal objectives outside the conspiracy or as part of idle conversation are not admissible under Rule 801(d)(2)(E). See, e.g., United States v. Bibbero, 749 F.2d 581, 584 (9th Cir.1984) (holding statements in idle conversation inadmissible). However, statements made to keep coconspirators abreast of an ongoing conspiracy's activities satisfy the `in furtherance' of requirement. United States v. Yarbrough, 852 F.2d 1522, 1536 (9th Cir.1988). The district court determined that the government had shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the computer records were statements by Wayne Anderson in furtherance of the conspiracy. The computer was seized from a home belonging to Anderson. Access to the computer was protected with a password. At least one account was in Anderson's name. The computer contained numerous documents relating to AAA, including a Quickbooks database reflecting financial data about the various AAA principals, clients and programs. Taken together, these facts tend to show that the computer records were used to keep track of transactions which were a part of AAA's fraudulent schemes; as the district court observed, [I]n any conspiracy that involves complex financial transactions, it is in furtherance of the conspiracy to maintain a record of those transactions. While appellants offered evidence that the records were inaccurate, suggesting that they were meant to deceive, not inform Anderson's coconspirators, which would render them inadmissible, they have not demonstrated clear error in finding them to be coconspirators' statements. Finally, the alleged evidence of inaccuracies in the computer records does not affect their admissibility, but merely goes to their weight. See Bourjaily, 483 U.S. at 183, 107 S.Ct. 2775 ([A] court need not independently inquire into the reliability of [coconspirator] statements.). The district court did not err in admitting the Quickbooks data.