United States v. Shantaya B. Foster

153 F. App'x 674
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedNovember 3, 2005
Docket05-10925; D.C. Docket 04-20597-CR-JAL
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 153 F. App'x 674 (United States v. Shantaya B. Foster) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh 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. Shantaya B. Foster, 153 F. App'x 674 (11th Cir. 2005).

Opinion

*675 PER CURIAM:

Shantaya B. Foster appeals her convictions for knowingly and intentionally importing 100 grams or more of heroin into the United States, 21 U.S.C. § 952(a), and knowingly and intentionally possessing 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Foster raises three arguments on appeal: (1) the district court erroneously excluded evidence supporting an affirmative defense of duress, (2) the district court abused its discretion in its response to a question from the jury, and (3) the evidence was insufficient to support her convictions. We conclude that, because there was insufficient evidence of duress, the district court did not err in either excluding Foster’s proffered evidence or in responding to the question of the jury. We also conclude that there was sufficient evidence to support Foster’s conviction. Although we affirm Foster’s conviction, we remand to the district court for the limited purpose of correcting a clerical error in the judgment.

I. BACKGROUND

On August 2, 2004, Foster and Sherri Monique Noble returned from a trip to Jamaica and passed through customs at Miami International Airport. Customs agents selected Foster and Noble for investigation, separated them, and began to question them. Foster first denied possession of any drugs but after further questioning admitted that she had taped to her body and swallowed pellets of heroin. Noble confessed to importing heroin in the same manner. The customs agents seized 207 grams of heroin from Foster and 255.8 grams from Noble.

Foster and Noble were indicted on four charges: (1) conspiracy to import 100 grams or more of heroin into the United States, (2) knowingly or intentionally importing 100 grams or more of heroin into the United States, (3) conspiracy to postsess 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute it, and (4) knowingly or intentionally possessing 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute it. Noble pleaded guilty to the second count of the indictment, and the other charges were dropped. Foster proceeded to trial on all four charges.

Foster proffered evidence in support of a defense of duress. Foster proposed to testify that Noble had invited her to vacation in Jamaica and that she had no idea that the purpose of the trip was to smuggle heroin. She averred that on the morning of their departure, two Jamaican men entered their hotel room, and one encouraged Foster to “swallow [heroin] pellets until she gagged” and then to “tape[ ] the pellets to her body.” Foster argued that these circumstances led her to believe she would not be able to return home unless she transported the drugs and that the situation caused her to fear for her life. The government moved in limine to exclude evidence of duress because the proffered evidence did not satisfy the elements of the affirmative defense. The district court granted the motion on the ground that the danger to Foster was not immediate and Foster had a reasonable opportunity to avoid committing the illegal act.

During its deliberations, the jury submitted a note that contained two questions to the district court: ‘Was the defendant, Shantaya B. Foster, in fear for her life when she made the decision to swallow and tape the drugs to her body? Was she able to give us this information?” After hearing arguments from Foster and the government, the district court responded with the following statement:

Members of the jury,

The issues raised in your questions are not relevant to your determination of this case.

*676 You have received all the evidence that you are to consider and apply in deciding this case.

You should rely upon your individual and collective recollections of the evidence and follow the Court’s instructions on the law.

The jury convicted Foster on counts two and four of the indictment and acquitted her on counts one and three. Foster moved for a judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict and, alternatively, a new trial. The district court denied both motions. Foster was sentenced to 63 months of imprisonment for each count of the conviction to run concurrently.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review de novo the decision of a district court to preclude the defendant from asserting a defense of duress. See United States v. Bailey, 444 U.S. 394, 412-13, 100 S.Ct. 624, 635-36, 62 L.Ed.2d 575 (1980). To determine whether the evidence is sufficient to support the affirmative defense, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the defendant. United States v. Ruiz, 59 F.3d 1151, 1154 (11th Cir.1995). We review the response of the district court to a jury question for abuse of discretion. United States v. Delgado, 56 F.3d 1357 (11th Cir.1995). We review de novo the denial of a motion for post-verdict judgment of acquittal based on insufficiency of the evidence and view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government to determine whether “a reasonably-minded jury could accept the relevant evidence as adequate and sufficient to support the conclusion of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” United States v. Braithwaite, 709 F.2d 1450, 1457 (11th Cir.1983); see also United States v. Abbell, 271 F.3d 1286, 1291 n. 2 (11th Cir.2001).

III. DISCUSSION

Foster raises three arguments on appeal. First, she argues that the district court erroneously precluded the affirmative defense of duress. Second, Foster contends that the district court abused its discretion in its response to the jury’s question. Third, she argues that the evidence was insufficient to support her convictions. We address each argument in turn.

A. Duress Defense

Foster argues that the district court erroneously precluded her from asserting the affirmative defense of duress. We disagree. A defendant is entitled to have the district court instruct the jury on a defense theory “only if that theory has an evidentiary foundation and the requested instruction presents a cognizable legal defense.” United States v. Fernandez, 837 F.2d 1031, 1035 (11th Cir.1988). Because duress is an affirmative defense, the defendant bears the initial burden to offer evidence of each of the elements of the defense. See United States v. Bailey,

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Bluebook (online)
153 F. App'x 674, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-shantaya-b-foster-ca11-2005.