United States v. Gerald Wayne Gardner

347 F.2d 405
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedJuly 9, 1965
Docket14720
StatusPublished
Cited by41 cases

This text of 347 F.2d 405 (United States v. Gerald Wayne Gardner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Gerald Wayne Gardner, 347 F.2d 405 (7th Cir. 1965).

Opinion

HASTINGS, Chief Judge.

Defendant Gerald Wayne Gardner was indicted in three counts on January 7, 1964, together with Billy Gene Odam and Ted Allen Starnes. Count I of the indictment charged defendant with a violation of 18 U.S.C.A. § 2113(a) (entering a bank with the intention of committing a felony). Count II charged a violation of 18 U.S.C.A. § 2113(d) (entering a bank with the intention of committing a felony and putting in jeopardy the life of a customer of the bank by using a dangerous weapon). Count III charged a violation of 18 U.S.C.A. § 371 (conspiracy to unlawfully enter a bank with the intention of committing a felony).

Gardner was represented at trial by court appointed counsel.

A jury verdict found the three defendants guilty on all counts and the court entered judgment thereon. Defendant Gardner was committed to the custody of the Attorney General for ten years on Count I, ten years on Count II and five years on Count III, the sentences to run concurrently. Defendant Gardner has appealed from the judgment of conviction.

On appeal, defendant contends the district court committed reversible error by denying defendant’s motion for severance and a separate trial from Odam and admitting into evidence a statement defendant made to Deputy Marshall Fisher. Defendant further contends he was denied a fair trial and that the district court improperly imposed a separate sentence for each offense charged in Count I and Count II.

I

Prior to trial, defendant filed a motion for severance from Odam, which was denied. Defendant contends the district court abused its discretion in denying this motion.

The issue of severance is within the discretion of the trial court and is not subject to review in the absence of an affirmative showing that such discretion was abused. Baker v. United States, 10 Cir., 329 F.2d 786, 787 (1964); Milam v. United States, 5 Cir., 322 F.2d 104,110 (1963); United States v. Haupt, 7 Cir., 136 F.2d 661, 672 (1943). No such showing was made in this case. We hold the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant severance.

Defendant argues he was prejudiced and denied a fair trial by being tried with Odam and Starnes. He asserts prejudice for the reason that Starnes testified and identified two pistols as having been purchased and fired by defendant; Virginia Gunter, a former girl friend of Starnes, testified that Starnes told her defendant was in on the bank robbery; a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent testified concerning the oral and written confession of Odam, which confession included actions of defendant; and this written confession was admitted into evidence.

In a joint trial, incriminating statements made by one defendant which mention another defendant and his conduct are admissible into evidence but only against the declarant. This is also true of a written confession by one defendant which names joint defendants. Delli Paoli v. United States, 352 U.S. 232, 237, 77 S.Ct. 294, 1 L.Ed.2d 278 (1957). Such evidence is hearsay but it is admissible as to the declarant under the admission against interest exception *407 to the hearsay rule. Id. at 240, 77 S.Ct. 294. The trial court should be careful at the time of the admission of such evidence and by its instructions make clear to the jury that the evidence is limited to the declarant only and is not to be considered as to other defendants. Id. at 238, 77 S.Ct. 294.

During the direct examination of Virginia Gunter, defendant’s attorney stated, “We make the objection now at this time on the basis that if there was a statement that was made by Starnes out of the presence of the other defendants, this statement would not be admissible as against them. * * * ”

Government counsel replied, “Offered as to defendant Starnes only, Your Honor.”

The court then admonished the jury, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the conversation between this witness and defendant Starnes will be received as to the defendant Starnes, only, and not as to the defendants Gardner and Odam. You may proceed.” Similar objections were made by defendant and like admonitions were given by the court to the jury applicable to the FBI agent’s testimony concerning Odam’s oral and written confession and to the introduction into evidence of Odam’s written confession.

The court in its instructions to the jury gave a limiting instruction which stated, in pertinent part: “Whenever evidence was received as to one or more of the defendants and not as to the other defendant or defendants, it should not be considered for any purpose against one or more of the defendants against whom it was excluded.” The trial court was not required to delete portions of Odam’s concession which mentioned defendant, as contended now on appeal. Id. at 237, 77 S.Ct. at 297.

We hold that the court’s admonitions and limiting instruction complied with the standards of Delli Paoli, supra, and fully protected defendant, and that defendant was not prejudiced or denied a fair trial as a result of being tried jointly with Odam and Starnes.

The court denied a motion to instruct the jury that Starnes’ testimony identifying two pistols as having been purchased and fired by defendant, supra, be considered only as to Starnes and not as to defendant. Such testimony is not hearsay and is admissible into evidence. This denial was not error.

II

On January 13, 1964, Deputy Marshal Fisher took defendant and another prisoner, Millage Belcher, to the Federal Building in East St. Louis, Illinois to confer with their attorneys.

While traveling in an automobile to the Federal Building, Belcher stated how foolish he was to have burglarized a post office and only obtain thirty dollars. Defendant replied, “You think that’s foolish. How about robbing a bank that is burglar proof or bullet proof, and getting nothing out of it.”

Fisher then explained to Belcher, “They [defendant, Odam and Starnes] got in the bank, and the bullet-proof mechanism kept them from getting into the back part of the bank, and also had a door which could be locked from behind the tellers’ cages. They had to break a window to get out.” Defendant disagreed stating, “I had to go through an iron door.” Fisher replied, “Iron door? I thought it was a window * Defendant said, “No, it was an iron door. * * * [I broke through] with brute strength, I used every muscle in my body.”

Fisher testified for Government as to the above conversation. Defendant moved to strike Fisher’s testimony, which motion was denied.

Defendant urges that this denial is reversible error, citing Massiah v. United States, 377 U.S. 201, 84 S.Ct. 1199, 12 L.Ed.2d 246 (1964), wherein the Supreme Court held, “that the petitioner was denied the basic protections of that guarantee [the Sixth Amendment] when there was used against him at his trial evidence of his own incriminating words, which federal agents had deliberately

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347 F.2d 405, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-gerald-wayne-gardner-ca7-1965.