U.S. v. Martinez

CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedJune 3, 1992
Docket91-5585
StatusPublished

This text of U.S. v. Martinez (U.S. v. Martinez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
U.S. v. Martinez, (5th Cir. 1992).

Opinion

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

___________________

No. 91-5585 ___________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

RODOLFO MARTINEZ,

Defendant-Appellant.

______________________________________________

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas

______________________________________________ (June 3, 1992)

Before DAVIS, JONES, and EMILIO M. GARZA, Circuit Judges.

EMILIO M. GARZA:

Rodolfo Martinez was convicted of possession of a firearm by

a felon, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and sentenced to

fifteen years imprisonment.1 Martinez appeals, asserting that the

district court erred in admitting extrinsic evidence regarding the

alleged prison gang membership of Martinez's sole defense witness,

and that there is insufficient evidence to support his enhanced

sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1). Finding no error, we affirm

Martinez's conviction and sentence.

1 The district court also imposed a five-year term of supervised release and a $50 special assessment. I

On the evening of September 26, 1989, San Antonio police

officer Daniel Robles was working street patrol duty in a marked

police car. At approximately 10:30 p.m., Robles observed Martinez

and Tony Rodriguez--a man Robles recognized from previous arrests

and encounters--running across Guadalupe Street. His suspicions

aroused, Robles decided to follow the two men to determine why they

were running. Robles passed Martinez and Rodriguez and then

positioned his police car so that it was facing them.

After seeing Robles, Rodriguez and Martinez both slowed to a

fast walk--Martinez following approximately twelve feet behind

Rodriguez. Using the side spotlights on his patrol car, Robles

illuminated the two suspects. Robles, still in the police car, saw

Rodriguez reach into his left pocket and drop a gun to the ground.

Concerned for his safety, Robles called for backup. With his

service revolver drawn, Robles got out of his police car and told

Rodriguez and Martinez to put their hands up. Martinez stopped,

turned away from Robles, and refused to raise his hands as

instructed. At that time, Robles saw a gun fall to the sidewalk

between Martinez's feet. Martinez then raised his hands and turned

around to face Robles. Shortly thereafter, another police officer

arrived at the scene and Martinez and Rodriguez were arrested.

Robles recovered both discarded guns and carved his initials

on the weapon that he had seen fall between Martinez's feet. While

transporting both men to the police station for processing,

Rodriguez told Robles that both of the guns were his.

2 At trial, Rodriguez--Martinez's sole defense witness--

testified that, on the night of the arrest, he had both guns in his

possession, and that he dropped the first upon seeing Robles and

the second when Robles approached them. Rodriguez testified that

Robles did not see him drop the first gun, but did observe him

throw the second gun to the ground. Rodriguez explained that he

dropped both guns because he did not want Robles to find him in

actual possession of the weapons.

During cross-examination and over Martinez's objection, the

district court allowed the government to ask Rodriguez whether he

was a member of a prison gang called the "Mexican Mafia."2 After

Rodriguez denied any affiliation with the Mexican Mafia, the

government, again over Martinez's objections,3 elicited rebuttal

testimony from Valentine Lopez--an intelligence officer with the

San Antonio Police Department. Lopez testified that one of the

tenets of the Mexican Mafia is that members look out for each other

and would not hesitate to come to court to testify untruthfully.

Additionally, Lopez testified that he knew Rodriguez was a member

of the gang and he also believed Martinez was a member. Martinez,

however, did not object that Lopez lacked personal knowledge to

testify that Martinez was a member of this gang. See Fed. R.

2 The Mexican Mafia gang is also known by its Spanish name, "La `M'." The majority of members of the gang are either convicts or former convicts. 3 Martinez objected to the admission of prison gang affiliations, arguing that such testimony violated Rule 608(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. The district court overruled his objection on the basis of United States v. Abel, 469 U.S. 45, 105 S. Ct. 465 (1984). See also infra note 4.

3 Evid. 602 ("a witness may not testify to a matter unless evidence

is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has

personal knowledge of the matter.").

At the charge conference, after the parties rested, Martinez

moved, for the first time, to strike the testimony of witnesses

regarding gang membership.4 The district court denied Martinez's

motion but instructed the jury to consider evidence of gang

membership only to decide whether Rodriguez was biased in favor of

or against any party, and for no other purpose.5 Martinez was

4 Defense counsel stated: I do need to put on the record that . . . in response to the court's request when the court overruled my objection pursuant to 608(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence concerning any testimony relating to the gang and gang membership, and also in response to my objection which was overruled, as to the extrinsic evidence that the witness testified to regarding a gang membership and their [tenets], and their rules and things that the gang stands for. The instruction that I have submitted to the court does not cure the error, your Honor, that occurred when that evidence came in, but I am complying with the court's request that I submit an instruction. But I, at this time would move to strike the testimony of the other witnesses concerning gang membership. Again, renewing my objection which was made under 608(b) in order to preserve the record and also move for a mistrial because the court's instruction does not cure the error that occurred. Record on Appeal, Vol. 11 at 104-05, United States v. Martinez, No. 91-5585 (5th Cir. filed June 14, 1991) ["Record on Appeal"]. 5 The district court instructed the jury: Your job is to think about the testimony of each witness you have heard and decide how much you believe of what each witness had to say. You have heard the evidence of the alleged gang membership of a witness, Tony Rodriguez. You are to consider the evidence of gang membership only in deciding

4 convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and the district court

sentenced him pursuant to the sentence enhancement provision of 18

U.S.C. § 924(e)(1).

II

A

Martinez contends the district court abused its discretion by

allowing Lopez to testify that Rodriguez was a member of the

Mexican Mafia prison gang to show bias on Rodriguez's part.

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