United States v. James Maddox and Bradford G. Knowles

492 F.2d 104, 1974 U.S. App. LEXIS 9313
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedApril 4, 1974
Docket73-2611
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 492 F.2d 104 (United States v. James Maddox and Bradford G. Knowles) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth 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 Maddox and Bradford G. Knowles, 492 F.2d 104, 1974 U.S. App. LEXIS 9313 (5th Cir. 1974).

Opinion

RONEY, Circuit Judge:

Defendants James Maddox and Bradford Knowles were found guilty of conspiring (18 U.S.C.A. § 371) to transport 10,000 stolen shirts in interstate commerce, knowing the shirts to be stolen (18 U.S.C.A. § 2314).

The most troublesome point in these appeals is the assertion by Maddox that the trial court improperly allowed a confession by co-defendant Knowles to be used against him. We have finally concluded, however, that whatever error may have occurred in this regard in the Government’s case in chief was cured when Knowles took the stand and admitted making the statement which implicated Maddox. Finding no merit in the other legal errors asserted on appeal, we affirm both convictions.

Briefly, the facts are these. Suspecting theft as the reason for its inordinate inventory losses, shirt manufacturer Alatex, Inc., solicited the private investigative services of its parent corporation, Cluett-Peabody, Inc., to locate the culprits. Cluett-Peabody’s private agents, making known their desire to “deal” in stolen shirts, were contacted by the defendants and arranged to “fence” the merchandise in Atlanta. The delivery of 300 stolen shirts to the security agents sufficiently fulfilled the conspiratorial overt act.

(1) The defendants argue that the company’s deep involvement in the conspiracy, to the extent of suggesting and arranging for the transportation, amounts to complicity and precludes their conviction because of entrapment as a matter of law. The argument overlooks the fact that private investigators, rather than governmental agents, participated in the arrangements. The entrapment defense does not extend to inducement by private citizens. United States v. Prieto-Olivas, 419 F.2d 149 (5th Cir. 1969); Pearson v. United States, 378 F.2d 555 (5th Cir. 1967). Moreover, the defendants received the benefit of the defense when the District Court submitted the issue of entrapment to the jury for factual determination. United States v. Groessel, 440 F.2d 602 (5th Cir. 1971). The jury found against the defendants. In any. event, the conduct of the private investigators merely afforded opportunities and facilities for the commission of the offense, a continuing illegal enterprise, without initiating the criminal design in the defendants’ minds. See United States v. Russell, 411 U.S. 423, 93 S.Ct. 1637, 36 L.Ed.2d 366 (1973).

(2) Defendants allege the Government did not prove that the goods actually transported in interstate commerce were valued in excess of $5,000. Defendants were convicted of conspiracy, however, and it is not necessary to prove every element of the substantive offense. For a conspiracy conviction, the Government need only prove knowledge of the conspiracy and that some act in furtherance of it was intentionally done. Huff v. United States, 301 F.2d 760, 766 (5th Cir. 1962): The Government sufficiently proved innumerable overt acts in furtherance of a conspiracy to abscond with 10,000 shirts, an amount whose value satisfies the monetary element of 18 U.S.C.A. § 2314.

(3) Defendants claim the Court should have allowed defense attorney Prestwood to testify as to a telephone conversation to explain why he had invited a representative of the Travelers Insurance Company to attend the trial. After introducing the insurance agent to the jury during its opening statement, the defense did not call the agent as a witness. In rebuttal, the Government called Mr. Prestwood and asked if he invited the agent. Prestwood gave an af *107 firmative reply. By way of self-cross-examination, Prestwood attempted to testify to the agent’s comments during a telephone conversation to him. The Government’s hearsay objection was properly sustained. The defense should have called the insurance agent if it wished to produce his testimony.

(4) The District Court acted within its discretion by sustaining the Government's objection to a defense witness’ testimony concerning certain Ala-tex inventory shortages. Inventory summaries were known and available to the defense, and could have been introduced. Defendants seem to argue that because governmental witnesses testified concerning the inventories, their witness should be heard. The defense, however, did not object to the Government’s potentially excludable hearsay testimony. A rule of evidence not invoked is waived. 1 Wigmore on Evidence § 18 (3d ed. 1940).

(5) The voluntariness of Knowles’ confession is challenged on appeal. The private investigators arranged for Alatex employee suspects to be questioned at a local motel concerning the missing merchandise. The employees, still on the company payroll and not under arrest, were maintained at company expense in a casual atmosphere. A T.V. room, sandwiches, and snacks were provided. The employees received their normal pay, including overtime during the questioning. Their freedom to leave was equivalent to that while “on the job.” It was in this context that Knowles confessed his activities.

Defendants’ objection is premised on the private investigator’s failure to give Miranda warnings to Knowles. Miranda is inapplicable to non-custodial questioning by private citizens. Yates v. United States, 384 F.2d 586 (5th Cir. 1967). The facts surrounding the confession were scrutinized by the trial judge at an out-of-the-presence-of-the-j ury hearing on voluntariness requested by the United States Attorney. The jury was subsequently instructed as to voluntariness. The factual determination by the jury is not legally precluded.

(6) Maddox argues that his conviction should be set aside because the Court admitted Knowles’ confession into evidence against him. The statement implicated Maddox:

A fellow by the name of James Maddox called me and told me this guy, Emmett, wanted some shirts and wanted to know if I could get him some.

Made after termination of the conspiracy rather than in the course of the conspiracy, the statement was inadmissible hearsay evidence against Maddox under Krulewitch v. United States, 336 U.S. 440, 69 S.Ct. 716, 93 L.Ed. 790 (1949). Even had the confession been admitted with an instruction that it could be used against Knowles alone, Maddox could claim reversible error under Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968). The Government concedes that the confession was initially admitted by the trial court contrary to the rule in Bruton, but contends that when Knowles later took the stand, denied the truthfulness of the statement, and claimed that he was tricked and coerced into making the statement, Bruton became inapplicable. We agree.

In Bruton the Supreme Court overruled Delli Paoli v.

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Bluebook (online)
492 F.2d 104, 1974 U.S. App. LEXIS 9313, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-james-maddox-and-bradford-g-knowles-ca5-1974.