United States v. Williams

385 F. Supp. 897, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11509
District Court, N.D. Indiana·Decided December 19, 1974·No. No. H Cr 74-50·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

ORDER AND OPINION

ALLEN SHARP, District Judge.

The issues raised by Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss are:

1. Whether the fact that one of the overt acts in the conspiracy of which he was convicted in Hammond Criminal No. H Cr 74-56 in June of 1974 is the same as the subject charge in the above-captioned cause violates the double jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution and
2. Whether there was a prejudicial misjoinder of counts.

The following facts are relevant to the issues presented at bar:

United States of America v. Garland Jeffers, et al., Hammond Criminal No. H Cr 74-56, which charged a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 and the above-captioned cause which charges the Defendant Leroy Williams along with Larry McMillan and Mary [898] Calhoun with a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), were returned by the same Grand Jury on March 18, 1974. Defendants Calhoun and McMillan were not charged in H Cr 74-56 (the conspiracy charge), but Defendant Leroy Williams was.

The case of H Cr 74-56 set forth 17 overt acts. The evidence which was heard by this Court in Lafayette, Indiana, in H Cr 74-56 implicated that Defendant Williams in at least 11 of said overt acts named in the Indictment in addition to a number of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy which were unnamed.

In H Cr 74-56, the Defendant Leroy Williams was represented by retained counsel, the firm of Cohen and Thiros. At no time prior to the trial in H Cr 74-56 did either the Defendant Leroy Williams and/or his counsel move to have the above-captioned cause consolidated with H Cr 74-56.

The Court does take judicial notice that the evidence it heard in H Cr 74-56 indicated that the Defendant Leroy Williams was a principal organizer of the “Family” organization in November of 1971. The Court also takes judicial notice that the evidence showed that the Defendant Leroy Williams’ name appeared in the books and records seized from the “Family” organization in March of 1972. The Court further takes notice of the testimony of unindicted co-conspirator James Henry Poole as to his meetings with the Defendant Leroy Williams in late 1971 through 1972 as regards “Family” business.

The testimony of James Berry particularly implicated the Defendant Leroy Williams in the “Family” organization as early as 1972 through the time he went to jail in early 1974.

Finally, the Court’s attention is directed toward the testimony of Jevita Hobbs who testified as to Leroy Williams’ connection with the “Family” in late 1971, 1972 and 1973.

None of these witnesses testified nor did they have any knowledge of the overt acts numbered 16 which gave rise to the substantive charge in the above-captioned cause.

While it was stipulated that the evidence to be presented by the Government in the above-captioned cause is essentially the same as that which was adduced to prove overt act 16 in H Cr 74-56, the evidence as to defendant’s participation in the illegal agreement was not limited to merely overt act 16.

The evidence to be adduced in the above-captioned cause does not require an agreement, whereas in H Cr 74-56 it did.

The jury found Defendant Williams guilty in H Cr 74-56 in June, 1974 of a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.

The issue before the Court is whether a person who is charged with conspiracy can also be charged with a substantive offense arising out of an overt act named in the same conspiracy. The law is clear that he can and further that he can receive consecutive sentences if convicted on both.

The classic case dealing with the issue is that of Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946).

Walter and Daniel Pinkerton were brothers who lived a short distance from each other on Daniel’s farm. They were indicted for violations of the Internal Revenue Code. The Indictment contained ten substantive counts and one conspiracy count.

Some of the overt acts charged in the conspiracy count were the same acts charged in the substantive counts. Each of the substantive offenses charged were committed pursuant to the conspiracy. The petitioners in Pinkerton, swpra, contended that the substantive counts became merged in the conspiracy count and that only a single sentence not exceeding the maximum two year penalty provided by the conspiracy statute could be imposed. The defendants in Pinkerton, supra, relied on Braverman v. [899] United States, 317 U.S. 49, 63 S.Ct. 99, 87 L.Ed. 23 (1942).

The Supreme Court distinguished the Braverman case. In Braverman, each of the several counts charged a conspiracy to violate a different statute. But only one conspiracy was proved. The Supreme Court held that a single conspiracy, charged under the general conspiracy statute, however diversed its objects may be, violates but a single statute, and no penalty greater than the maximum provided for one conspiracy may be imposed. The Supreme Court held Pinkerton to be completely distinguishable from the case at bar. In Pinkerton the offenses charged were not only a conspiracy but substantive offenses as well.

The Court goes on to hold that it has been long and consistently recognized that the commission of the substantive offense and a conspiracy to commit it are separate and distinct offenses. The power of Congress to separate the two and to affix to each a different penalty is well established. The Court held that a conviction for the conspiracy may be had though the substantive offense was completed; and the plea of double jeopardy is no defense to a conviction for both offenses. A conspiracy is a partnership in crime. It has ingredients, as well as implications, distinct from the completion of the unlawful project.

Moreover the Court stated that it is not material that overt acts charged in the conspiracy count were also charged and proved as substantive offenses. The Court stated that if the overt act be the offense which was the object of the conspiracy, and is also punished, there is not a double punishment of it. The agreement to do an unlawful act is even then distinct from the doing of the act, citing Sneed v. United States, 298 F. 911, 912, 913 (5 CA 1924).

The Supreme Court next dealt with the issue in Sealfon v. United States, 332 U.S. 575, 68 S.Ct. 237, 92 L.Ed. 180 (1947). Sealfon established the doctrine of collateral estoppel. The doctrine of collateral estoppel is only relevant when a jury verdict m a conspiracy trial was a determination favorable to petitioner of the facts essential to the conviction of the substantive offense.

In the case at bar it is clear that the Defendant Williams has had no favorable determination as required by Sealfon and the facts to be adduced are different.

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United States v. Williams, 385 F. Supp. 897, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11509 (N.D. Ind. 1974).

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