United States v. Abdalla

346 F. Supp. 3d 415
District Court, S.D. Illinois·Decided October 17, 2018·No. 14 CR 716 (VM)·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

VICTOR MARRERO, United States District Judge

Defendant Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla ("Defendant") and defendants Baktash Akasha Abdalla, Gulam Hussein, Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami, and Muhammad Asif Hafeez are charged with orchestrating an international narcotics conspiracy based in Kenya, with a distribution network that included the United States. (See"Superseding Indictment," Dkt. No. 55.) Trial of Ibrahim and Baktash Akasha Abdalla (collectively, "Defendants") is scheduled to begin before this Court on October 29, 2018. In light of the upcoming trial, Defendant has filed motions in limine seeking to preclude admission of certain evidence at trial. (See"Ibrahim Motion," Dkt. No. 87.)

For the following reasons, the Ibrahim Motion is DENIED in its entirety.

I. BACKGROUND

On December 7, 2017, the Government filed the Superseding Indictment charging Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla and others with conspiring to manufacture and distribute heroin, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States (Count One); conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, knowing and intending that it would be imported *417into the United States (Count Two); distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States (Count Three); distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States (Count Four); conspiring to use and carry firearms during and in relation to the offenses charged in Counts One through Four (Count Five); using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the offenses charged in Counts One through Four and possessing and brandishing firearms in furtherance of the same offenses (Count Six); and conspiring to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding (Count Seven). (See Superseding Indictment.)

On September 23, 2018, Defendant filed motions in limine seeking to preclude admission of certain evidence at trial. (See Ibrahim Motion.) Specifically, Defendant seeks: (1) to preclude the Government from referring to the "Akasha Brothers" or the "Akasha Organization" or similar phrases that refer to Defendants as a collective entity (id. at 1-2); (2) to preclude the Government from referring to Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla as a "gangster" or a member of an "organized crime family" or similar language (id. at 2); (3) to preclude the introduction of audio recordings created by confidential sources (id. at 3); and (4) to limit both expert and lay witness testimony regarding the content of the audio recordings (id. at 3-4).

On September 28, 2018, the Government filed its opposition to the Ibrahim Motion. (See"Government Opposition," Dkt. No. 102.) The Government asserts the following: (1) it is appropriate for the Government to refer to Defendants collectively as the Akasha Brothers and to the Akasha Organization because they are charged with conspiracy and those terms are not unduly prejudicial (id. at 2-3); (2) it is appropriate for the Government to refer to Defendant as a member of a "crime family" because such references will not invite the jury to misattribute evidence (id. at 3-5); (3) at trial, the Government will be able to authenticate and identify the audio recordings by admitting them through the testimony of the confidential sources and a cooperating witness, and Defendant's challenge to the reliability of the recordings and the witnesses is premature (id. at 5-8); and (4) the Government will not introduce testimony regarding the meaning of coded language in the audio recordings, and it is proper for the witnesses to testify about certain other contents of the audio recordings (id. at 8-14).

On October 3, 2018, Defendant filed a reply in further support of his motions in limine. (See"Ibrahim Reply," Dkt. No. 105.) Defendant reiterates his opposition to the use of terms that refer to Ibrahim and Baktash Akasha Abdalla collectively (id. at 1); objects to the Government revealing the identities of its confidential sources on an attorneys' eyes only basis (id. at 2); and reserves his right to object at trial to testimony regarding the audio recordings (id. ).

II. DISCUSSION

A. Motion to Preclude Collective References to Defendants

Defendant argues that the Court should preclude the Government from using the terms "Akasha Brothers," "Akasha Organization," or similar phrases that refer to defendants Ibrahim and Baktash Akasha Abdalla collectively.

Evidence is relevant if "it has any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence," and "the fact is of consequence in determining *418the action." Fed. R. Evid. 401 (" Rule 401"). But relevant evidence may be excluded "if its probative value is substantially outweighed by a danger of one or more of the following: unfair prejudice, confusing the issues, [or] misleading the jury[.]" Fed. R. Evid. 403 (" Rule 403"). "[P]rejudice is unfair only if the evidence has 'an undue tendency to suggest decision on an improper basis.' " Perry v. Ethan Allen, Inc., 115 F.3d 143, 151 (2d Cir. 1997) (quoting Fed. R. Evid. 403 Advisory Committee Notes (1972) ).

The Court is not convinced that references to the "Akasha Brothers," the "Akasha Organization," or similar phrases would unfairly prejudice Defendant, confuse the issues, or mislead the jury. It is factually accurate to describe Ibrahim and Baktash Akasha Abdalla as "brothers." It is also consistent with the charges of conspiracy against the Defendants to refer, at times, to them collectively since a conspiracy, by definition, involves two or more people acting in concert with one another. Furthermore -- and as the Government notes in its opposition -- any risk of unfair prejudice, confusing the issues, or misleading the jury is mitigated by a proper jury instruction. Here, the parties have requested a jury instruction that would make clear to the jury that jurors must weigh the evidence against each defendant individually, not against the Defendants collectively. (See Government Opposition at 4.) The Court therefore denies Defendant's motion to preclude collective references to Defendants.

B. Motion to Preclude Certain References to Defendant

Defendant urges the Court to preclude the Government from referring to him as a "gangster" or a member of an "organized crime family" and from using similar language to describe him. (See Ibrahim Motion at 2.) The Government asserts that it does not intend to refer to Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla as a "gangster," thereby mooting Defendant's first request. (See Government Opposition at 2.) For the reasons outlined supra

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