Court Opinion

ID: 9458127
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 20:43:49.528341+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:35:38.790972
License: Public Domain

TRASK, Circuit Judge
(dissenting):
The majority reverses this judgment of conviction upon the ground that the “participation of a Government Agent in the crimes was so overreaching as to constitute entrapment as a matter of law.” I respectfully disagree.
The case was tried to a jury and the court sustained the verdict and rendered judgment thereon. There is no question but that Russell did the things he was charged with doing. In his brief to this court he states:
“The jury was instructed as to the law on entrapment as set forth in Notaro v. U. S., 363 F.2d 169 (1966, 9th Cir.) and Walton v. U. S. [United States v. Walton], 411 F.2d 283 (1969, 9th Cir.), and concededly here we do not have an issue of propensity, because the defendant through hearsay *675statements stated that he did sell speed and associated with Connolly who manufactured speed. The jury could find from the testimony that the government had not unlawfully entrapped Russell and that Russell did commit the acts as charged. There is no question that Russell committed the acts.” Appellant’s Brief at 7.
There was no error claimed in any instruction given or refused. The “overreaching participation” relied upon by the majority is the conduct of the government agent in supplying Phenyl-2-Propanone to the defendant and his fellow manufacturers. This chemical is essential to the manufacture of methamphetamine. The opinion states that it could not have been obtained had the government agent not supplied it. I would disagree with the rationale of the majority assuming its recital of facts is correct. I particularly dissent when the facts as I read them completely fail to support the factual recitals upon which the opinion is based. The thesis is that the three individuals involved would not have been able to manufacture the product and sell it without the chemical from the government. The crimes charged occurred in early December, 1969. At one of the meetings which occurred on December 7 between the undercover agent and one of the three, the agent testified to a conversation at Russell’s house:
“He [Connolly] stated to me he had been manufacturing methamphetamine since May of 1969, that since May, up to that time, he had manufactured approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. . . .”
* * * * * *
“At that time John Connolly handed me a small plastic bag containing a white powder. John Connolly stated to me ‘This is the last batch that we made.’ ”1
The government did not supply any of the ingredients for this drug.
The government agent whose conduct is in question because he offered to supply Phenyl-2-Propanone in return for part of the methamphetamine, also testified :
“THE COURT: I have a question. It was yesterday when you were testifying, Mr. Shapiro, and I am not quite sure in my own mind what you said, but did I understand you to testify that you offered to bring more Propanone, and that one of the defendants said they didn’t want it, because they had their own, or something to that effect:
“THE WITNESS: That conversation took place on January 7, 1970.
“THE COURT: That they had their own?
“THE WITNESS: Yes, sir, Mr. Connolly stated that to me.
“THE COURT: Are there any other bottles of Propanone among these exhibits, except the one with the corners folded down.
“THE WITNESS: There was that one, and there was an empty bottle with a Phenyl-2-Propanone label on it, and there was a second bottle approximately half full.
“THE COURT: Of Phenyl-2-Propa-none in these exhibits ?
“THE WITNESS: Yes, sir.”2
It is clear from this testimony that while Phenyl-2-Propanone may have been difficult to obtain, it had been obtained in the past without the assistance of the government agent. We are required in this situation to view the evidence, and all reasonable inferences therefrom, in the light most favorable to the government. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L. Ed. 680 (1942); United States v. Hal-prin, 450 F.2d 322 (9th Cir. 1971). Ac*676cepting that as true, it is correct that the appellant did use the necessary chemical supplied by the government agent on the date of manufacture for which he was convicted. It is not correct that it was impossible or even difficult for the defendant and his co-conspirators to obtain it from their own sources of supply. Under these circumstances it can hardly be argued that there was an “intolerable degree of government participation in the criminal enterprise.”
Apart from my disagreement based upon the facts, I disapprove of what appears to me to be an unnecessary effort to enlarge the doctrine of entrapment beyond the limitations of the opinion of the Court in Sherman v. United States, 356 U.S. 369, 78 S.Ct. 819, 2 L.Ed.2d 848, and place this court among the minority who espouse the “governmental conduct” approach. See United States v. Tatar, 439 F.2d 1300, 1303 (9th Cir. 1971).

. R.T. at 7-8. Patrick Connolly admitted that he had told the agent they had made three pounds since May but denied that his story was true. R.T. at 149. He also admitted that John Connolly handed the agent a sample. R.T. at 149.

. F.T. at 95-6.