United States v. James C. Panas

738 F.2d 278
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedAugust 1, 1984
Docket83-1909
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 738 F.2d 278 (United States v. James C. Panas) 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 v. James C. Panas, 738 F.2d 278 (8th Cir. 1984).

Opinion

*281 JOHN R. GIBSON, Circuit Judge.

James C. Panas was convicted of conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a) (1982). On appeal, he raises numerous allegations of error. The most significant among these are the admission of testimony under the eoconspirator exception to the hearsay rule, the government’s alleged withholding of evidence from discovery, and the district court’s 1 granting of a Protective Order foreclosing discovery of technical data of the transmitter used by undercover agents in his arrest. We have carefully reviewed all of Panas’ arguments and affirm his conviction.

In late 1982, government informant Michael Yanderhoof contacted Dennis Rhine, a drug dealing associate that Yanderhoof had known since 1974. Vanderhoof purchased a small amount of LSD from Rhine on a number of occasions as a foundation for a larger transaction designed to reveal Rhine’s source. In this larger transaction, Vanderhoof was to act as a middleman between Rhine and John J. Bickers, a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper conducting undercover drug investigations.

This larger transaction was arranged through four phone conversations between October 26 and November 2, 1982. The first occurred on October 26. Vanderhoof testified that he called Rhine on that date, that the two discussed plans for the transaction, and that Rhine requested expense money in advance for him and “his friends.” This conversation was taped and played for the jury. The second call was between Bickers and Rhine on October 28. Bickers testified that, during the call, the two agreed on price ($3500.00 per gram), amount (twelve grams), and date (November 3) of the LSD delivery. During this conversation, Rhine indicated that “a friend or a partner” would be accompanying him on the trip to Missouri. A tape of this conversation proved to be inaudible and was not offered as evidence. The third call was between Vanderhoof and Rhine on October 31. Vanderhoof testified that during this conversation Rhine referred to his friend as “Jimmy” and that “he was driving a Mercedes and they were out 'turboing’ around.” 2 This conversation was taped and played for the jury. The fourth and final call was between Vanderhoof and Rhine on November 2. Vanderhoof testified that Rhine stated that everything was ready for the November 3 delivery.

In preparation for the transaction, Bickers and Vanderhoof rented a hotel room near the airport. Bickers intended to wear a “Kel” receiving and recording device during the meeting, but the recording apparatus had been misplaced. He thus borrowed a “T-4” transmitting device from the Kansas City FBI office for the meeting. This enabled DEA Agent Casteel and FBI Agent Triplett to monitor the conversation from an adjoining room, and also allowed FBI Photographer Johnson, stationed in the hotel parking lot, to make an unauthorized-recording of the conversation through reception of the T-4 transmission on his car radio.

Rhine and Panas were seen arriving together at the Kansas City Airport on November 3. They proceeded to the hotel room and met and spoke with Bickers and Vanderhoof for approximately twenty minutes. Panas spoke in depth with Vanderhoof and Bickers about the sale and marketing of LSD. After seeing that Bickers had the $42,000. purchase price, Panas left the room and returned with a small bottle later identified as containing approximately 11.7 grams of LSD. Upon a prearranged signal, Casteel and Triplett entered the room and arrested Rhine and Panas.

Prior to Panas’ trial, Rhine plead guilty to both counts in the indictment and to three additional related charges. Panas *282 was convicted and sentenced to consecutive five-year terms.

I.

Panas first asserts the district court erred in admitting into evidence statements made by Rhine during the telephone conversations with Vanderhoof and Bickers. He claims that these statements are not admissible under the coconspirator exception to the hearsay rule, Fed.R.Evid. 801(d)(2)(E), because there was no evidence independent of the hearsay statements themselves that Panas was illegally associated with Rhine as of October 26.

We recently outlined the standards under which hearsay statements are admissible against a coconspirator:

An out-of-court declaration of a coconspirator is admissible against a defendant if (1) a conspiracy existed; (2) the defendant and the declarant were members of the conspiracy; and (3) the declaration was made during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Where the defendant asserts that no conspiracy existed at the time the challenged statements were made, the government must show by a “preponderance of independent evidence” that a conspiracy existed. This standard provides that a coconspirator’s statements are admissible “if on the independent evidence the district court is satisfied that it is more likely than not that the statement was made during the course ... of an illegal association to which the declarant and the defendant were parties.” While the evidence must be independent, i.e., exclusive of the challenged statements, it may be circumstantial[.] The district court’s determination will not be reversed unless clearly erroneous.

United States v. Singer, 732 F.2d 631, 635-36 (8th Cir.1984) (citations omitted).

The critical question is whether there is independent evidence making it more likely than not that a conspiracy existed between Panas and Rhine as of October 26. The evidence shows that Panas purchased an airline ticket to Kansas City on November 2. He and Rhine flew together to Kansas City on November 3. They exited the plane together and Panas was observed carrying a bag of sourdough bread from which he later extracted the LSD. Panas hailed a cab while Rhine called Vanderhoof to inform him that they had arrived. At the hotel, Panas registered for a room for both of them. During the meeting with Vanderhoof and Bickers, Panas engaged in extensive discussions with them pertaining to the production, use, packaging, sale and price of LSD. He stated that he had two chemists working continuously for him, that he had additional sources of LSD, and that he sold for two other persons. He revealed his intention to “flood the east coast” with LSD. They discussed the possibility of future transactions, and Panas told Vanderhoof that they would need to alternate traveling because “the time that we have to take from the scene hurts me.” He also stated that he could not leave “unless I plan a week ahead of time.” After seeing that Bickers had the $42,000 purchase price, Panas left the room and returned with the bag of sourdough bread. He opened it, removed the bread, pulled out a small plug and extracted a bottle later identified as containing 11.7 grams of LSD. He then closed the curtains because he said LSD was “awful sensitive to light.” He took the money from Bickers and stuffed it in his boots.

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738 F.2d 278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-james-c-panas-ca8-1984.