United States v. James Stanley Bentley

875 F.2d 1114

• Court: Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Decided: August 2, 1989
• Docket: 88-1606
• Status: Published

Opinions

E. GRADY JOLLY, Circuit Judge:

James Stanley Bentley appeals from a conviction for drug offenses, asserting various errors in the trial court. We affirm.

I

On September 16, 1987, a radar operator for the United States Customs Service detected an airplane on the Mexican side of the border heading toward the United States. Radar tracked the plane, and customs aircraft followed it. Eventually, the plane ran out of fuel and crashed near Lubbock, Texas. Bentley, the sole passenger in the plane, ran away from the wreck across a field and then lay face down. Customs agents, who had landed their aircraft nearby, found Bentley conscious but injured, with a brief case containing personal items and a change of clothing. In the wrecked plane, the agents detected a strong odor of marijuana. They also found in the plane a current driver’s license, an expired driver’s license, a credit card and a business card belonging to Bentley, and they found marijuana scattered around the crash site. Bentley was given first aid and taken to the hospital. The pilot, who had been pinned in the wreck, was also taken to the hospital but did not survive.

Bentley was charged with five counts of possessing, smuggling, and importing marijuana and conspiracy, in violation of federal statutes. See 18 U.S.C. § 2 (aiding and abetting); 18 U.S.C. § 545 (fraudulent and knowing concealment and facilitation of the transportation of merchandise imported contrary to law); 19 U.S.C. § 1484 (requirements for entry of merchandise); 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute); 21 U.S.C. § 952 (importation of controlled substance); 21 U.S.C. § 955 (possession of controlled substance aboard an aircraft); and 21 U.S. C. § 963 (drug conspiracy). A pretrial order instructed the prosecution to disclose various items at least three days before trial, including evidence of extraneous offenses, statements made by the defendant to law enforcement officials, and names of witnesses. Defense counsel did not receive this information until Sunday evening, May 1, 1988, the night before trial. The prosecution claims, however, that on the previous Friday it had attempted to contact defense counsel regarding discovery. On defendant’s motion in limine, the trial court declined to sanction the government by excluding evidence of prior extraneous offenses and the defendant’s statements to customs agents.

During trial, the prosecution put into evidence medical records from Lubbock General Hospital, detailing Bentley’s medical condition and treatment after being taken to the hospital from the wreck. The records included the results of a urine test revealing the presence of cannabinoids (found in marijuana) in Bentley’s system. The prosecution also put on the stand the custodian of records at Lubbock General. The defendant’s objection to admission of the records was overruled.

The defendant also objected, at least during an informal discussion, to the following jury instruction relating to the two counts that involved facilitation of transportation of marijuana: “Proof of defendant’s possession of such goods, unless explained to the satisfaction of the jury, shall be deemed evidence sufficient to authorize conviction for violation of this section.” The court deleted the clause “unless explained to the satisfaction of the jury.” The defense then objected generally to any denial of its requested instructions and to the inclusion of any instruction it had opposed. The trial court overruled these objections.

Bentley was convicted of all five counts and filed a timely notice of appeal.

II

We first consider whether Bentley’s conviction must be reversed because, as he argues, the trial court erred in admitting the medical records into evidence. At trial the defendant objected, correctly, that the medical records were hearsay. See Fed.R. Evid. 801. The court admitted the evidence, however, under the business record exception. See Fed.R.Evid. 803(6). The defendant argues that treating the medical records as admissible under the business record exception was contrary to the rules. He relies primarily on United States v. Oates, 560 F.2d 45 (2d Cir.1977). In Oates, the prosecution introduced a report from a government lab that had analyzed and identified a substance as heroin. Id. at 63. Since it was a criminal case, admission of the report as a public record under Rule 803(8) was not allowed. The Second Circuit held that the report expressly excluded under the public record exception was similarly inadmissible under Rule 803(6) as a business record. Id. at 63-84. The Fifth Circuit followed Oates in United States v. Cain, 615 F.2d 380, 382 (5th Cir.1980), stating that “[f]or the reasons set forth in Oates, we conclude that statements inadmissible as public agency reports under Rule 803(8) may not be received merely because they satisfy Rule 803(6) and that section (6) does not open a back door for evidence excluded by section (8)”. But see United States v. Quezada, 754 F.2d 1190, 1193 (5th Cir.1985) (disapproving Oates). Bentley further argues that, even if not technically an error under the rules, the admission of the records was constitutionally improper since he had no opportunity to confront and cross-examine the individual behind the medical report. Specifically, the defense lacked the opportunity to question the type of test used, the chain of custody, the efficacy of the test, possible confusion of substances, the odds of false positives, and the qualifications of the technician, doctor, or whoever performed the test. Bentley contends that, as a result, he was deprived of his sixth amendment right to confront witnesses against him. See generally Ohio v. Roberts, 448 U.S. 56, 100 S.Ct. 2531, 65 L.Ed.2d 597 (1980).

It is unnecessary to reach these questions, however, if the alleged errors were sufficiently harmless. The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provide that any error which does not affect substantial rights shall be disregarded. Fed.R.Crim. Pro. 52(a). Furthermore, even constitutional error may be deemed harmless when it is found to be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 24, 87 S.Ct. 824, 828, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967). Thus, an error is harmless where, after reviewing the facts of the case, the evidence adduced at trial, and the impact the constitutional violations had on the trial process, the evidence unrelated to the alleged constitutional violation “remains not only sufficient to support the verdict but so overwhelmingly as to establish the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.” Germany v. Estelle, 639 F.2d 1301, 1303 (5th Cir.1981) (quoting Harryman v. Estelle, 616 F.2d 870, 876 (5th Cir.1980)). See also United States v. Hastings, 461 U.S. 499, 512, 103 S.Ct. 1974, 1982, 76 L.Ed.2d 96 (1983). This rule has been applied to cases where evidence was admitted in violation of the constitutional right to confront witnesses. See, e.g., Harrington v. California, 395 U.S. 250, 254, 89 S.Ct. 1726, 1728, 23 L.Ed.2d 284 (1969); Hoover v. Beto, 467 F.2d 516, 534-39 (5th Cir.1972). Furthermore, constitutional error has been found harmless in circumstantial evidence cases. Zilka v. Estelle, 529 F.2d 388, 392 (5th Cir.1976); but see Fontaine v. California, 390 U.S. 593, 596, 88 S.Ct. 1229, 1231, 20 L.Ed.2d 154 (1968) (constitutional error not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt where jury was asked to convict based on circumstantial evidence). Indeed, alleged constitutional error involving a urine test has been found harmless. See Spears v. Circuit Court, Ninth Jud’l Dist., Warren Cty., Miss., 517 F.2d 360 (5th Cir.1975). In Spears, a criminal defendant argued that she was denied her right to confront adverse witnesses by the state’s failure to produce all laboratory personnel who participated in the pregnancy test which was used as evidence of an essential element in the prosecution for abortion. Id. at 364-65. This court held that, assuming arguendo that constitutional error was committed, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt where other evidence fully supported the jury’s finding of pregnancy. Id at 367.

In this case, the other evidence of Bentley’s guilt leaves us with no doubt that any error involving Bentley’s right to confront witnesses was harmless. It is obvious that Bentley was in the airplane that came from Mexico, attempted to evade the authorities and crashed only when it ran out of gas. That he was one of only two people in the airplane, especially when unexplained by any evidence in the case, is thoroughly damning. It is further obvious that a substantial quantity of marijuana was in the airplane and that it was discharged from the airplane while in flight. Customs agents testified that a strong odor of marijuana was present in the airplane even after the crash. An El Paso police officer testified that in 1986 she caught Bentley smoking marijuana and in possession of a small amount of additional marijuana when she pulled him over for speeding. This testimony was admitted into evidence for the purpose of establishing Bentley’s familiarity with marijuana and to prove that, given the strong odor of marijuana in the airplane, Bentley could not have been an unknowing bystander. These facts, completely aside from the medical records challenged on appeal, would have compelled a reasonable jury to convict Bentley. In other words, we are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that, even in the absence of the report showing the presence of canna-binoids in Bentley’s system, no reasonable juror would have voted to acquit. The report added very little to the evidence before the jury. It indicated only that Bentley was familiar with marijuana, including its smell, when that familiarity was independently demonstrated by the El Paso police officer’s testimony. Jurors are instructed to use their common sense. Given these facts, no reasonable person would have concluded that Bentley was an innocent hitchhiker. Thus, even if the admission of the records violated the hearsay rules or the confrontation clause, an issue we do not decide, such error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

Ill

The next question is whether the trial court improperly declined to exclude evidence as a sanction against the government for untimely disclosure of prior extraneous transactions, statements made to officers and a witness list. The defense argues that it had insufficient notice, contrary to a pretrial discovery order, of the prosecution’s intent to introduce evidence of three prior extraneous offenses and evidence of statements made by Bentley to customs agents, as well as a list of intended witnesses. The government responds that it was unable to contact defense counsel, and that it then filed the information with the court. In addition, the government claims that Bentley had no right under the order or otherwise to the officer’s reports. Bentley nevertheless argues that the evidence of extraneous offenses and his statements to customs agents should have been excluded as a sanction against the government for failing to comply with the court’s discovery order.

The district court has the power to remedy a party’s failure to comply with discovery. Fed.R.Crim.Pro. 16(d)(2). The district court has broad discretion under this rule. United States v. Sarcinelli, 667 F.2d 5 (5th Cir.1982). In exercising this discretion, the district court should consider factors such as the reasons why disclosure was not made, the prejudice to the opposing party, the feasibility of rectifying that prejudice by granting a continuance, and other relevant circumstances. Id. at 6-7. “This means that the court should impose the least severe sanction that will accomplish the desired result—prompt and full compliance with the court’s discovery order.” Id. at 7. The defendant here has not shown that any violation of the discovery order by the government necessitated the most extreme sanction possible. Accordingly, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it decided not to exclude the evidence of extraneous offenses and Bentley’s statements, as requested by the defense.

IY

Finally, we address whether the jury instruction on evidence of possession as sufficient to prove fraudulent and knowing concealment and facilitation of transportation was erroneous, and whether any objection was waived. Bentley argues that the jury instruction on counts one and five allows evidence of mere possession to shift the burden to the criminal defendant of disproving fraudulent and knowing concealment and transportation; he complains that shifting the burden violated his right to remain silent and his right to have the government prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The government primarily relies on its position that any objection was waived. Defense counsel successfully requested the deletion of the clause “unless explained to the satisfaction of the jury.” Counsel appears to have been fully satisfied with the court’s ruling since he pressed no further objection except for a later general objection. Under the circumstances, the government is correct that the specific objection was not preserved. Thus we will not reverse the conviction based on Bentley’s argument that the instruction violated his constitutional rights unless the jury instruction was plain error. See Fed.R.Crim. Pro. 52(b). Plain errors are those which strike at the fundamental fairness, honesty, or public reputation of the trial. United States v. Ortega-Chavez, 682 F.2d 1086, 1088 (5th Cir.1982) (quoting United States v. Perez, 651 F.2d 268, 273 (5th Cir.1981)).

We hold that the instruction was not plain error. In addition, even if the instruction were erroneous, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapman, 368 U.S. at 24, 87 S.Ct. at 828. The instruction, as originally proposed, came directly from the statute, which provides in part:

Whoever fraudulently or knowingly imports or brings into the United States, any merchandise contrary to law, or receives, conceals, buys, sells, or in any manner facilitates the transportation, concealment, or sale of such merchandise after importation, knowing the same to have been imported or brought into the United States contrary to law—

Shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Proof of defendant’s possession of such goods, unless explained to the satisfaction of the jury, shall be deemed evidence sufficient to authorize conviction for violation of this section.

18 U.S.C. § 545. The instruction required all that this statute requires. As a result, Bentley’s appeal on this issue translates into an argument that the statutory presumption itself is unconstitutional. Whatever the merits of such an argument may be in other cases, see, e.g., United States v. Matalon, 425 F.2d 70 (2d Cir.1970) (instruction including statutory presumption in 18 U.S.C. § 545 was not unconstitutional), Bentley’s fundamental rights have not been violated here. For the reasons we have earlier noted, the government presented evidence sufficient to compel an inference of guilt as to all elements of the offenses charged beyond a reasonable doubt, independently of the statutory presumption allowing conviction for smuggling upon proof of mere possession. See, e.g., Walker v. United States, 433 F.2d 306 (5th Cir.1970) (although presuming importation of marijuana from fact of possession under 21 U.S.C. § 176a is unconstitutional, error was harmless where no reliance was placed on the presumption); Matalon, 425 F.2d at 74 (“[t]he Government’s case was so conclusive that the jury, quite apart from any reliance upon the Section 545 statutory permissible inference, could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt”). Moreover, the charge as given did not expressly suggest that the burden of proving Bentley’s guilt had shifted from the government, or that Bentley was required to prove his innocence. Thus, we see no plain error, and in addition hold that any error in the instruction was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

y

In conclusion, we find no basis for reversing Bentley’s conviction. First, any error committed by allowing the medical records into evidence was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Second, the district court did not abuse its discretion in deciding not to exclude evidence as a discovery sanction. Finally, the jury instruction did not constitute plain error. Bentley’s conviction is therefore

AFFIRMED.