United States v. Milton Badia, A/K/A "El Americano", A/K/A "Milton Vadis"

827 F.2d 1458, 1987 U.S. App. LEXIS 12530
Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit·Decided September 21, 1987·No. 86-5625·Published·Cited by 35 cases

Opinion

CLARK, Circuit Judge:

Milton Badia appeals his conviction for conspiracy to manufacture firearms without the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate, as required by 26 U.S.C. § 5822, in violation of 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(f), 5871 (1982). Appellant argues before this court that the district court should have (1) suppressed evidence derived from the electronic surveillance of his co-defendant, (2) permitted him to proceed with his defense of CIA involvement; (3) granted his motions for severance; (4) granted his motions acquittal because the evidence was insufficient to support a guilty verdict. Finding no merit to any of these contentions, we affirm.

In 1984, Badia was charged with participation in a conspiracy to manufacture ma *1461 chine guns and silencers without the requisite approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, and to possess unregistered firearms, in one count of a multi-count superseding indictment. The same indictment charged Eduardo Arocena with the conspiracy count and eighteen substantive counts for possession of unregistered and improperly identified firearms.

Badia’s arrest stemmed from a federal investigation of the militant anti-Castro organization known as “Omega-7” which began in 1981. The activities of Omega-7 were directed towards the overthrow of the Castro government. Record, Vol. 13 at 96-98, Record, Vol. 19 at 101-02. During the investigation, Arocena admitted that he was the leader of the group and described its organization. Record, Vol. 12 at 82.

In September, 1981, the government obtained an order to conduct electronic surveillance of Arocena’s telephone pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq. (1982) (FISA). The surveillance lasted until October, 1982. Conversations between Arocena and Badia that took place during the surveillance were recorded, and three were admitted into evidence and played at trial. Record, Vol. 17 at 70 (Dec. 16, 1981); Record, Vol. 18 at 93 (Dec. 28, 1981); Record, Vol. 20 at 8 (Jan. 5, 1982). On December 16, 1981, Arocena contacted Badia to arrange meetings between the two men. Record, Vol. 17 at 70; Government’s Exh. 3048. In a subsequent conversation on December 28, 1981, Badia and Arocena discussed in code the sale of machine guns and silencers. See Record, Vol. 20 at 18, 34; Government’s Exh. 3050. Badia offered to manufacture or convert the weapons that Arocena required, Record, Vol. 20 at 20-31, and acknowledged that he had already ordered the manufacture of certain firearms for Arocena. Record, Vol. 20 at 33-34. Badia also explained his pricing structure and delivery method. On January 5, 1985, Badia contacted Arocena to tell him that the firearms were ready. Subsequently, Arocena’s agent picked up three cardboard boxes filled with weapons and military paraphernalia from Badia’s office for delivery to Arocena. Record, Vol. 19 at 115-16.

After Arocena’s arrest, agents discovered various weapons in his apartment and an address book containing Badia’s name. Search of a storage space rented by Arocena yielded, among weapons and guerilla gear, a box marked “Badia” that contained gun powder fuses. Record, Vol. 15 at 24-29.

Agents arrested Badia on September 24, 1984 and advised him of his constitutional rights. When the agents told Badia about the incriminating surveillance, he bemoaned that he had told Omega-7 members not to talk to him on the telephone. Record, Vol. 18 at 181. When asked why he had used the telephone himself, Badia responded “[w]ell, I am crazy. I am expected to do things like that.”

On November 8, 1984, Badia moved to sever his case from the charges pending against Arocena. The magistrate denied the motion. Badia renewed the motion before the district court, and it was again denied. However, the district court issued several cautionary instructions to the jury that stressed the separate nature of the evidence as it related to each defendant. See, e.g., Record, Vol. 12 at 87-88; Vol. 19 at 120-1.

On November 26, 1984, Badia moved to suppress the wire intercepts obtained by the government pursuant to the electronic surveillance instituted under FISA. The government requested the court to determine the legality of the surveillance. The district court conducted an in camera, ex parte review of the documents relating to the application and authorization for the wiretap, and denied the motion. The documents were not released to Badia on the basis of an affidavit submitted by the Attorney General that stated disclosure would endanger national security. Record, Vol. 2 at Tab 65 (Attachment 1).

On December 20, 1984, the government, believing that Badia might attempt to as *1462 sert a defense of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) involvement, moved to prevent Badia from examining witnesses about matters not noticed pursuant to the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) 18 U.S.C. App. Ill (1982). Record, Vol. 2 at Tab 52. Shortly before trial began, the district court barred Badia from introducing classified information at trial for failure to comply with CIPA. Record, Vol. 10 at 45.

Trial commenced on January 29, 1985. Twice during trial, Badia moved for mistrial. Badia made his first motion after a juror expressed concern for his family’s safety. The district court dismissed the juror and denied the motion. Badia moved again for mistrial after jurors heard a witness testify, in Spanish, that Badia had contracted to have him killed. The interpreter did not translate the statement, and only the four jurors who understood Spanish understood the statement. The district court struck the statement, issued a curative charge, and polled each affected juror before denying Badia’s motion for mistrial. Record, Vol. 19 at 140-44.

The district court denied Badia’s motions for acquittal, made at the close of the government’s case and again at the close of all evidence. On February 12, 1985, the jury found both Badia and Arocena guilty of the counts charged in the indictment. The district court denied Badia’s post-trial motions for judgment of acquittal and for a new trial.

We address each of Badia’s contentions on appeal separately, and find that none warrant a reversal.

I. MOTION TO SUPPRESS

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United States v. Milton Badia, A/K/A "El Americano", A/K/A "Milton Vadis", 827 F.2d 1458, 1987 U.S. App. LEXIS 12530 (11th Cir. 1987).

827 F.2d 1458 (United States v. Milton Badia, A/K/A "El Americano", A/K/A "Milton Vadis") — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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