United States v. Wallie A. Scott

7 F.3d 1046, 1993 WL 411596
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedOctober 8, 1993
Docket92-6272
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 7 F.3d 1046 (United States v. Wallie A. Scott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth 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. Wallie A. Scott, 7 F.3d 1046, 1993 WL 411596 (10th Cir. 1993).

Opinion

7 F.3d 1046

NOTICE: Although citation of unpublished opinions remains unfavored, unpublished opinions may now be cited if the opinion has persuasive value on a material issue, and a copy is attached to the citing document or, if cited in oral argument, copies are furnished to the Court and all parties. See General Order of November 29, 1993, suspending 10th Cir. Rule 36.3 until December 31, 1995, or further order.

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Wallie A. SCOTT, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 92-6272.

United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.

Oct. 8, 1993.

Before BRORBY, SETH and HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judges.

ORDER AND JUDGMENT*

HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judge.

Wallie A. Scott appeals from his convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). We affirm.

* In the summer of 1989, Elzie Hooks, a man facing state criminal drug charges, offered to assist Oklahoma City police in a drug investigation. Hooks agreed to try to buy cocaine from a man whose street name was "Y.C.," whom Hooks identified at trial as Scott. IV R. 280-81. Hooks testified that he had previously been involved in five or six or perhaps seven or eight drug deals with Scott in a two-month period before July 14, 1989. These were deals in crack cocaine involving at least a half-ounce or more. Id. at 329-30.

With Hooks working as a confidential informant, the investigation began on the evening of July 14, 1989. Id. at 279. The government's evidence at trial was that Hooks, under police supervision, arranged two meetings with Scott during the evening, and after each turned over to police officers packages containing cocaine that he testified he bought from Scott. Id. at 289-91, 313-318. Trial evidence showed that Hooks gave the police packages obtained from the two buys containing some 2.7 grams of cocaine base. Following the second meeting between Hooks and Scott, police pursued Scott's vehicle. There was evidence that during the pursuit Scott tossed out of the car a cup and several plastic bags containing cocaine base near a street median. These items were recovered and offered in evidence. Eventually police arrested Scott after he abandoned the car. At trial Scott claimed he had been buying cocaine from Hooks.

Scott and Verdell Allen Krauter were named in a two-count indictment filed in the Western District of Oklahoma on August 23, 1989. In count one, Scott was charged with conspiring with Krauter and other unknown persons to possess, with intent to distribute, approximately 150 grams of cocaine base in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. Count two charged Scott with possession with intent to distribute 150 grams of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Krauter was not convicted on either count and is not a party to this appeal.

Following trial in October 1989, a jury found Scott guilty on both counts of the indictment. Scott was sentenced initially on December 18, 1989, to serve 240 months' imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release on each count, to run concurrently. I R.Doc. 39.

Following sentencing, Scott's retained counsel did not file a notice of appeal. Scott, proceeding pro se, filed a post-conviction motion to vacate, set aside, or correct the sentence, noting the failure of his counsel to file a notice of appeal. On June 17, 1992, the district judge entered an order granting Scott's motion to vacate the sentence and scheduled a resentencing. I R.Doc. 58. In addition, the judge appointed counsel to represent Scott at the resentencing. At the resentencing in July 1992 the judge imposed the same sentence he previously had given Scott. Scott appeals from the convictions and sentences entered upon resentencing.

II

Scott first argues he is entitled to a new trial as a result of a discovery violation by the government. During the government's cross-examination of a defense witness, the trial judge permitted questioning and admitted testimony about an exhibit which the government had not disclosed to the defense prior to trial pursuant to Rule 16(a)(1) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

As a starting point in our analysis, we note that even if a discovery violation occurred, the question whether sanctions under Rule 16(d)(2), including the exclusion of testimony and the exhibit, were appropriate was a matter committed to the trial judge's sound discretion. United States v. Fernandez, 780 F.2d 1573, 1576 (11th Cir.1986) (per curiam). Thus we review the trial judge's decision to admit evidence concerning the undisclosed exhibit for an abuse of discretion. Id.

During the cross-examination of Tina Wiley, Scott's wife, a prosecutor asked Wiley whether Scott had sent money to her in California while he was in Oklahoma City just prior to his arrest. Initially, Wiley denied in general that Scott had sent money to her from Oklahoma and also denied specifically that he had sent money to her through Western Union. VI R. 704. At that point the prosecutor asked Scott's wife whether Scott had not sent her $1,000 on July 14, 1989, through Western Union. Scott's counsel stated that he objected and requested a bench conference, which was granted. During this conference a Rule 16 objection was made by Scott's counsel, who stated that they had "not been provided with a copy of [the transfer receipt] pursuant to discovery." Id. at 705. At the conclusion of the bench conference the trial judge agreed with the government counsel that questioning about the receipt was appropriate because the exhibit appeared to be a strict contradiction of the testimony of Scott's wife that he had not sent her any money. Under the circumstances the judge said the questioning was appropriate, thus overruling the objection. Id. at 707-08.

Scott says there are three reasons why there was a Rule 16(a)(1) violation by the government. First, Scott argues that the Western Union receipt was subject to disclosure under Rule 16(a)(1)(A) as a written statement. The relevant portion of the rule provides:

Upon request of a defendant the government shall disclose to the defendant and make available for inspection, copying, or photographing: any relevant written or recorded statements made by the defendant, or copies thereof, within the possession, custody, or control of the government, the existence of which is known, or by the exercise of due diligence may become known, to the attorney for the government....

Fed.R.Crim.P. 16(a)(1)(A) (emphasis added).

Scott argues that the receipt was a written "statement" within the rule because the government attempted to show that Scott had written or signed it. The Western Union receipt bore a handwritten signature of the name "Tony Scott." VI R. 773.

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Bluebook (online)
7 F.3d 1046, 1993 WL 411596, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-wallie-a-scott-ca10-1993.