John L. Battaglia v. United States

349 F.2d 556
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedAugust 6, 1965
Docket19513
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 349 F.2d 556 (John L. Battaglia v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
John L. Battaglia v. United States, 349 F.2d 556 (9th Cir. 1965).

Opinion

JERTBERG, Circuit Judge:

Following trial to a jury, appellant and his codefendant, Harold Tenner, were convicted on all six counts of an indictment charging violation of Title 18 U.S. C.A. §§ 2 and 1343. 1 Tenner did not appeal.

This court’s jurisdiction over the appeal is based upon 28 U.S.C.A. §§ 1291 and 1294(1).

Count One of the indictment in substance charges that beginning on or about January 15, 1963, and continuing until on or about June 7, 1963, John L. Battaglia (hereafter appellant) and Harold Tenner devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money from John Kenneth War *558 rens (hereafter Warrens) by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises; said scheme consisted of fraudulent representations concerning a past-posting scheme whereby Warrens would place wagers through appellant and Tenner with bookmakers in Las Vegas on horse races that had been completed; that Warrens was induced to pay over monies to appellant and Tenner by means of the false and fraudulent representations and promises which those charged well knew were false and fraudulent, and which schemes are set forth in Count One. Count One also alleges that on or about February 5, 1963, those charged, for the purpose of executing the scheme, transmitted and caused to be transmitted by means of wire, a telephone call from San Diego, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Count Two realleges the allegations of Count One except the last mentioned communication by wire, and alleges that on or about March 11, 1963, those charged transmitted and caused to be transmitted by means of wire, a telephone call, from Burbank, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada.

We shall first consider appellant’s contention that the evidence was insufficient . to sustain convictions of appellant on Counts One and Two.

The evidence relating to Counts One and Two reflects the following: Warrens was approached by appellant in January, 1963. Appellant told him that he had certain contacts at a Las Vegas bookmaker’s office and at a race track which enabled him to place bets on a horse after it had won the race, and that he needed Warrens’ participation because he was without sufficient funds and was unable to place bets in his own name. Warrens agreed to participate and delivered $5,000 to appellant and was told an employee of a Las Vegas bookmaker, “Harry Mellon”, would be calling to confirm the deposit. “Harry Mellon” was in reality a Las Vegas home improvement salesman named Harold Tenner. Tenner telephoned Warrens from Las Vegas, confirmed the deposit, and told Warrens he was to call a certain telephone number in Las Vegas when he wished to place a bet. The number was that of the T & B Sales Company which was owned by Tenner. Later, after appellant had informed Warrens of the bet to place, Warrens telephoned Tenner and placed the bet. The horse lost. This procedure was repeated a second time in a similar fashion, Warrens hoping thereby to recoup his previous loss. This time he lost $14,000. At appellant’s urging Warrens agreed to place still another bet and borrowed $9,-000 from a friend, Williams, for this purpose, which amount was delivered to appellant by Williams. About a week later, and on March 22, 1963, Williams learned of Warrens previous bets and believing that Warrens was being “conned”, induced Warrens to make a report to the San Diego police. On the same day, Williams and Warrens proceeded to the San Diego police station where they identified pictures of appellant, and Warrens told police officers that he had an appointment arranged for that afternoon with appellant at appellant’s motel. The police officers equipped Warrens with an electronic transmitter which would broadcast to receiving and recording equipment that had been installed in a police truck. At the meeting in appellant’s motel room, appellant discussed with Warrens and Williams the “past-posting” scheme and the three bets. This conversation was overheard and recorded by police officers in the nearby police truck, and testified to by Officer Thompson.

The following week appellant phoned several times to Warrens to reassure him with respect to the return of his money. No evidence was introduced of any further telephone conversations or other conversations or contact between appellant and Warrens.

Appellant argues that there is nothing in the record to establish that the money furnished by Warrens was not, in fact, bet and lost, and that there is evidence in the record that Warrens furnished the money to appellant in connection with a business transaction. In an interview between an F.B.I. agent and appellant, at *559 which time counsel for appellant was present, appellant stated that neither he nor anyone else on his behalf had ever gambled lyith Warrens’ money.

When viewed in the light most favorable to sustain the verdict, Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); Mickelson v. United States, 346 F.2d 952 (9th Cir. 1965), we find ample evidence upon which the jury could properly return verdicts of guilty as to Counts One and Two.

Appellant next contends it was error and a violation of his constitutional rights for the District Court to permit, over objection, Officer Thompson to testify as to the conversation which took place between Warrens, Williams and appellant, which he overheard while recording the conversation while in the nearby police truck.

All of the authorities cited by appellant in support of his contention have previously been considered by us at some length in regard to similar contentions made in Benson v. People of California, 336 F.2d 791 (9th Cir. 1964), C.D. 380 U.S. 951, 85 S.Ct. 1086, 13 L.Ed.2d 970 (1965). We adhere to what we there said and, accordingly, find no error. See, United States v. Beno, 333 F.2d 669 (2d Cir. 1964).

Appellant further objects to the admission of this evidence in reliance upon Escobedo v. Illinois, 378 U.S. 478, 84 S.Ct. 1758, 12 L.Ed.2d 977 (1964), and Massiah v. United States, 377 U.S. 201, 84 S.Ct. 1199 (1964), on the ground that no attorney for appellant was present at the time the conversation took place.

In Escobedo, the admissions were made while the defendant was under arrest and although his attorney was in an adjoining room of the police station, each was denied access to the other. In Massiah, the statements were obtained during the inquisitorial stage of the proceedings after the defendant had been indicted and in the absence of his retained attorney. Here, on the other hand, appellant was neither in custody nor under indictment. Instead, he was still participating in the criminal activity for which he was subsequently indicted. “One is not entitled to counsel while committing his crime * * * Grier, et al. v.

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349 F.2d 556, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/john-l-battaglia-v-united-states-ca9-1965.