United States v. Spencer Marques, United States of America v. Mark Reason Belcher, United States of America v. Harry Leroy

600 F.2d 742
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedJuly 24, 1979
Docket78-1800, 78-1801 and 78-3011
StatusPublished
Cited by51 cases

This text of 600 F.2d 742 (United States v. Spencer Marques, United States of America v. Mark Reason Belcher, United States of America v. Harry Leroy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth 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. Spencer Marques, United States of America v. Mark Reason Belcher, United States of America v. Harry Leroy, 600 F.2d 742 (9th Cir. 1979).

Opinion

JAMES M. CARTER, Circuit Judge:

All three appellants were convicted of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 846 (1976). They were acquitted of charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and possession with intent to sell (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (1976)). They raise a variety of claims regarding alleged improprieties in the investigation and arrests, and in the manner in which the trial was conducted. We affirm their convictions.

*744 I. FACTS

Sometime in October, 1976, Spencer Marques contacted chemical companies in the San Francisco Bay area and tried to purchase certain chemicals used as precursors in the manufacture of methamphetamine, a controlled substance listed in 21 U.S.C. § 812 (1976) as having a high potential for abuse, some current medical usefulness, but lending itself to psychological dependence. The companies which he contacted told him he could not legally purchase them unless he obtained a “number” from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). To that end, he contacted Ann Carter, a compliance investigator with the DEA, to obtain a number. She allegedly warned him that possession of such chemicals was illegal under California law, but she did not otherwise discourage him from trying to obtain them. She also made notes of her discussions with him, but they were destroyed prior to the trial. Subsequent to Ms. Carter’s first contact with Spencer Marques, she contacted a clandestine laboratory investigating unit and told it of Marques’ interest in the chemicals. That unit in turn contacted various chemical supply houses in the Bay area and asked to be kept informed of further attempts by Marques to obtain the chemicals. It appears that the unit gave certain supply houses permission to sell the chemicals and marked equipment to Marques between November, 1976, and May, 1977.

During this same time period, one DEA agent, Ron Davis, posed as a potential methamphetamine purchaser and insinuated himself into Marques’ confidence. Davis observed chemicals and various items of chemistry equipment in Marques’ possession and being delivered to the home of his brother, William Marques, in Menlo Park, California. Also, in discussions with Davis, Spencer Marques portrayed himself as a big-time manufacturer capable of producing up to 100 pounds of methamphetamine per month, and as a major supplier of that drug to the Hell’s Angels. However, there was no direct evidence that Spencer Marques ever actually produced any Methamphetamine.

On May 23, 1977, Spencer Marques informed Davis that he was about ready to sell and that Davis should call him the next day to arrange delivery. Also on the 23d, other DEA agents assigned to the investigation followed William Marques (previously mentioned by Spencer Marques as a potential dealer) and Daniel Stewart (a frequent associate of William Marques). On May 24th, the agents observed Stewart leaving a Lake Tahoe hotel carrying a brown suitcase and a black attache case. He drove a Rambler automobile to a secluded area in Alpine Meadows, continued up a country road to an unidentified house, and was temporarily lost from the view of the DEA agents. He reappeared shortly and was followed back to Lake Tahoe where he met William Marques in a parking lot, removed the black attache case from the trunk of his car, showed the contents to Marques and placed the case in the back seat of his car. Agents were unable to see inside the attache case. Both Stewart and William Marques then left the Lake Tahoe area and returned to Menlo Park.

Meanwhile, agent Davis had called Spencer Marques as requested and had been told to call back in half an hour. When he called back, Spencer told him he suspected he was being watched by narcotics agents and called off the sale. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested and consented to a search of his residence. Incriminating evidence— but no methamphetamine — was seized.

A warrant to search William Marques’ home in Menlo Park was also executed, and equipment and precursors were found. While that search was still in progress, William Marques and Stewart drove up in the Rambler, having arrived from Lake Tahoe. William Marques was arrested and searched, and a small package of methamphetamine was found on his person. The car was then searched. Inside the |>lack attache case were found two large packages of methamphetamine. This gave the agents probable cause to arrest and search Stewart, and in his wallet was found a note which read: “Danny — call Harry at Ricks *745 at Tahoe — 916-583-6553.” This information was relayed the next day to agents in Lake Tahoe, who traced the phone number to a house in the secluded area in Alpine Meadows to which agents had earlier followed Stewart. One of the agents went to the door, asked for “Harry”, and obtained a sample of methamphetamine from Harry Leroy, one of the appellants here. He was arrested. Agents then obtained a warrant and searched the house. Paraphernalia and small amounts of drugs were found, but no laboratory equipment. Among the items seized were chemistry books, recipes for the manufacture of methamphetamine, and a jacket belonging to appellant Belcher on which methamphetamine residue was found. Persons in the house, including Belcher, were arrested.

En route back to the Lake Tahoe police station, the agents came upon a parked van about one-quarter mile from the house. Observing through the windows, they saw what appeared to be laboratory equipment and chemicals inside. The next day, the van was searched pursuant to a warrant and large amounts of methamphetamine were found in addition to equipment, much of which had been marked by DEA agents prior to its delivery to Spencer Marques. The van had been rented by Harry Leroy about one week earlier.

Convictions and these appeals followed. In a separate trial growing out of the same set of facts, Daniel Stewart was convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). William Marques pled guilty at the same trial. Stewart’s conviction was affirmed by this court in United States v. Stewart, 595 F.2d 500 (9th Cir. 1979), No. 78-1787, West p. 1163, April 19, 1979.

II. ISSUES

The following issues are raised by one or more of the appellants:

A. Was the search of the car and of the attache case found therein, without a warrant, improper, so as to require suppression of evidence seized in that search, and evidence seized as fruits of that search?
B. Does evidence of a compromise verdict and evidence of possible improper influence on one or more jurors require that the verdict be set aside.
C. Did destruction of Ms. Carter’s notes violate United States v. Harris, 543 F.2d 1247 (9th Cir. 1976), and if so, does this require reversal?
D.

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Bluebook (online)
600 F.2d 742, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-spencer-marques-united-states-of-america-v-mark-reason-ca9-1979.