UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF—APPELLEE v. JOHNNY GREEN, DEFENDANT—APPELLANT

428 F.3d 1131, 2005 WL 3054126
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedNovember 16, 2005
Docket04-3919
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 428 F.3d 1131 (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF—APPELLEE v. JOHNNY GREEN, DEFENDANT—APPELLANT) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF—APPELLEE v. JOHNNY GREEN, DEFENDANT—APPELLANT, 428 F.3d 1131, 2005 WL 3054126 (8th Cir. 2005).

Opinion

BYE, Circuit Judge.

Johnny Green appeals his convictions for three counts of social security fraud in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(7)(B), one count of accessing a computer to steal information used fraudulently to gain credit in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(4), *1133 and three counts of devising a scheme to defraud a financial institution in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 2. Green contends the district court 1 erred by admitting evidence relating to victims not listed in the Superceding Indictment, by admitting posters into evidence without proper limiting instructions, and by not dismissing a juror Green claims was asleep during part of the proceedings. He also challenges his sentence under United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005). We affirm.

I

Green organized an identity-theft scheme during which he paid two SBC Communication, Inc. employees to steal names, addresses, and social security numbers of California customers. Green then used this information to purchase flat-screen televisions from Dell Computers (Dell) online, using instant credit provided by Dell. The televisions were delivered to the houses of Green and his friends and family in St. Louis, Missouri.

Green was tried before a twelve-member jury, but no alternates remained following the exercise of both sides’ challenges. During the trial, the government presented testimony from fifteen victims, only six of whom were specifically named in the Superceding Indictment. Each of the victims traveled from California to St. Louis to testify as to their experience, recounting the steps taken to prove they did not purchase the equipment and to repaii their credit. Two witnesses testified in lieu of elderly or deceased parents.

The government presented evidence connecting the victims to Green, including voluminous records from Dell and SBC. Over Green’s objections, the district court allowed into evidence four large charts, two of which outlined individual transactions and two of which summarized the evidence in spreadsheet form.

During the second day of trial, Green noticed a juror who appeared to be asleep. After bringing this to the attention of the court, the court ordered a brief recess and noted the juror at issue “got up slower” than the others. The district court, however, did not question the juror or make any findings on the record as to whether the juror was asleep.

At the conclusion of the trial, the court gave the following instruction regarding the charts: “You may use those summaries or charts as evidence. It is for you to decide how much weight if any, you will give to them. In making that decision, you should consider all of the testimony you heard about the way in which they were prepared.” The jury reached a verdict of guilty on all seven counts. During the sentencing phase, the jury found beyond a reasonable doubt six sentencing enhancements. However, it did not determine Green obstructed justice beyond a reasonable doubt. Based on these factors, Green’s offense level was twenty-six and his criminal history was category two, resulting in a Guideline range of seventy to eighty-seven months of imprisonment. During sentencing, the court stated although the obstruction enhancement would have been warranted prior tp Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004), it was inapplicable under the circumstances. Green was sentenced to seventy-two months of imprisonment to account for the “serious nature” of the crimes committed and the “objectives *1134 of just punishment, general deterrence, and incapacitation.”

II

We review the district court’s legal interpretation of an evidentiary rule de novo, United States v. Blue Bird, 372 F.3d 989, 991 (8th Cir.2004), but review the district court’s application of the rule for an abuse of discretion. United States v. King, 351 F.3d 859, 866 (8th Cir.2003). Green contends the district court abused its discretion in allowing the testimony of nine victims who were not specifically referenced in the Superceding Indictment because the prejudicial nature of the evidence outweighed its probative value.

Despite Green’s argument to the contrary, the testimony of these victims is relevant. United States v. Swinton, 75 F.3d 374, 378 (8th Cir.1996) (holding facts surrounding uncharged transactions can be admitted if the “collected transactions were all part of a single scheme” or the “uncharged transactions were so blended or connected ... that proof of one incidentally involves” the others) (quoting United States v. Bass, 794 F.2d 1305, 1312 (8th Cir.1986)). “Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice ... or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence.” Fed.R.Evid. 403. Even if evidence is erroneously admitted, we will not overturn the conviction unless the substantial rights of the defendant were affected. United States v. Buffalo, 358 F.3d 519, 527 (8th Cir.2004).

No such error occurred in this case. The evidence presented at trial may have been emotional, but Green cannot show it “lure[d] the factfinder into declaring guilt on a ground different from proof specific to the offense charged.” Old Chief v. United States, 519 U.S. 172, 180, 117 S.Ct. 644, 136 L.Ed.2d 574 (1997). Additionally, even if the district court erred in admitting cumulative evidence, any error was harmless in light of the evidence submitted regarding the victims named in the Su-perceding Indictment.

Green next contends the district court erred in admitting charts without the proper limiting instructions. The admissibility of summary charts, graphs, and exhibits “rests within the sound discretion of the trial judge, whose action in allowing their use may not be disturbed by an appellate court except for an abuse of discretion.” United States v. King,

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428 F.3d 1131, 2005 WL 3054126, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-of-america-plaintiffappellee-v-johnny-green-ca8-2005.