United States v. Lane, 71-1996 Summary Calendar.

• Decision Date: 24 July 1972
• Docket Number: No. 71-1996 Summary Calendar.,71-1996 Summary Calendar.
• Citation: 465 F.2d 408
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America, v. Plaintiff-Appellee, Harry LANE, Defendant-Appellant.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit

465 F.2d 408 (1972)

UNITED STATES of America, v. Plaintiff-Appellee Harry LANE, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 71-1996 Summary Calendar.^*

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

July 24, 1972.

Clay C. Scott, Jr., Harold G. Adams, Dallas, Tex., for defendant-appellant.

Eldon B. Mahon, U. S. Atty., Charles D. Cabaniss, Frank D. McCown, Andrew Barr, Asst. U. S. Attys., for plaintiff-appellee.

Before GEWIN, AINSWORTH and SIMPSON, Circuit Judges.

SIMPSON, Circuit Judge:

The appellant Harry Lane was charged, along with thirty-five other defendants, in a thirty-six count mail fraud and conspiracy¹ indictment, returned by a Dallas, Texas grand jury June 26, 1968. From his conviction and sentence as to five counts of the indictment he takes this appeal, claiming (1) violation of his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, and (2) prejudicial joinder with other defendants in the trial. We view the appeal as without merit and affirm.

It may be noted that the insufficiency of the evidence is not one of the grounds for reversal asserted on appeal. Nevertheless to provide a setting for our discussion of both of the claimed grounds of error it is necessary to set forth the nature of the charges, some of the evidence and considerable procedural history. Appreciation of the complexity of the charges and the numerous procedural steps involved in this prosecution will aid by providing a backdrop for the delineation of our reasons for rejecting the appeal.

The offenses were alleged to have taken place between February 15, 1966 and May 31, 1967. The mail fraud schemes involved generally making spurious claims against Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, a casualty insurer, (Aetna), for damages resulting from automobile collisions, thefts of household and other personal property and vandalism to dwellings. Most claims were wholly false, that is, there had been no accident, theft or act of vandalism, but in a few instances they were based on actual occurrences with the amount of loss fraudulently inflated. William Leslie Black was the supervisor of small claims for Aetna's Dallas office. He directed the fraudulent activity, "investigated" the claims, and issued Aetna drafts in payment for the damage claims. Black was one of the indicted defendants but died prior to trial. Another central figure to the scheme was Fred J. Grosenbacher, Jr. He recruited participants, distributed proceeds, and saw to numerous details. He was employed as an auto glass salesman for the Dallas branch of a national concern but devoted considerable time to executing the scheme. This defendant plead guilty and was the primary prosecution witness at the trial.

The scheme's operation required a "banker" through whom claim payment drafts and other checks could be converted into cash for distribution among the participants. A source of ready cash was necessary since the Aetna claims were paid off by drafts on Boston funds, not by Dallas bank checks, and proceeds could only be collected after delay for a number of days. Collection delays raised several problems for Black and Grosenbacher. Most participants wanted immediate payment without being required to wait for collection. Also Black and Grosenbacher did not trust some of the claimants, being fearful that if the payment drafts were delivered to them they might refuse to kick-back part of the proceeds. Many of the drafts were payable to fictitious names and could not be safely introduced into banking channels for routine collection. A business man with established banking connections was needed who could provide cash in exchange for the drafts and thereupon obtain immediate credit from his bank upon deposit of a draft. The defendant Harry Lane owned a neighborhood furniture store and had an established banking connection with a bank only a city block from his store. He filled the need for a "banker". A customary procedure, according to the evidence, was for Black or Grosenbacher to obtain the endorsement of the claimant on a draft and take it to Lane at his store. Lane would walk to the bank, cash the draft and return with the proceeds in currency. He would deduct $100 (sometimes more) for his services and deliver the balance to Black or Grosenbacher to distribute. Lane also cashed kick-back checks from claimants for Black and Grosenbacher. Often these personal checks would be issued with the payee's name left blank so that Lane could enter the name "Lane Furniture Store" as the payee. The check would then go through his bank account as though the claimant had purchased furniture. The usual charge for cashing these kick-back checks was also $100. The evidence showed that during the course of the conspiracy Lane cashed 56 such drafts and checks with a total face value of $91,144.45.

Prior to trial 30 of the 36 defendants entered guilty pleas, and as noted Black had died. Lane went to trial with the four other defendants on February 1, 1971 with the trial lasting seven weeks until the return of the verdict on March 18, 1971. The trial transcript runs to eleven volumes, totaling about 3600 pages. 152 exhibits were introduced in evidence by the government and 95 by the defendants. More than 80 witnesses were sworn. The government called 32 witnesses, the defendant Lane six and the other four defendants 42. All of the defendants on trial testified. Lane's testimony in his own behalf consisted mainly of a denial of wrongdoing and an effort to accommodate and explain away the incriminating circumstances.

The trial of the 5 defendants was with respect to 10 counts of the indictment, mail fraud counts 10, 11, 12, 17, 22, 23, 24, 34 and 35, and the conspiracy count 36. The appellant was named a defendant and tried on each of these 10 counts. The other defendants on trial were each named as a defendant in 3 or more counts but none of them was a defendant under all of the 10 counts being tried. Two of the defendants on trial were acquitted of all charges. Two others were convicted under Count 36, the conspiracy count. One of these defendants was also convicted of two mail fraud offenses and the other of a single mail fraud offense.

The Appellant Lane was convicted under Counts 12, 17, 34, 35 and 36, and acquitted on Counts 10, 11, 22 and 23.²

The appellant was sentenced to three years confinement on each of the counts on which he was convicted, with the sentences directed to run concurrently with each other. Other deeply involved defendants also received confinement sentences, while defendants who played lesser roles were given probated sentences upon condition that they make restitution. Of the thirty-three defendants convicted on plea and trial Lane is the sole defendant to enter an appeal.

By this appeal he launches two attacks upon his conviction: (1) whether he was deprived of his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, and (2) whether he was prejudiced by the trial court's denial of his Motion Against Prejudicial Joinder under Rule 14, F. R.Crim.P. We find merit in neither contention.

The claim as to denial of a speedy trial involves two periods: (a) the delay between August 18, 1967, when the appellant asserts that the conduct of the defendants came to the attention of the United States Attorney, and June 27, 1968, when the indictment was returned, and (b) the period from June 1968 to February 1, 1971, between indictment and Lane's actual trial.

The recitation of the involved and complicated nature of the scheme, the numerous participants and the necessary assembly and classification of the documentary evidence involved indicates that the prosecution moved with commendable speed to procure the indictment in this case. The applicable statute of limitations, Title 18, U.S.C., Section 3282, required that the indictment be returned within five years of the date of the offenses charged. This would have permitted indictment as to the mail fraud counts within five years of several dates between February 15, 1966 and May 31, 1967. The limitation period for the conspiracy would have expired May 31, 1972, five years after the date of the alleged expiration of the conspiracy. See Kroll v. United States, 5 Cir. 1971, 433 F.2d 1282, 1286; United States v. Judice, et al., 5 Cir. 1972, 457 F.2d 414 decided February 16, 1972.

With respect to the second period of claimed prejudicial delay involved—the lapse of about thirty-one months from the date of indictment to the date of trial—we note that the defendant never moved for a trial date, although in January and February 1971 he did move to dismiss the indictment for failure to accord him a speedy trial. There were 25 assorted motions filed by defendants³ during this period which required preparation of responses and appearances at hearings by government counsel. It was necessary for government counsel to prepare sentence data for the sentencing of the 30 defendants who entered guilty pleas. Finally it was necessary for government counsel to marshal the testimony of 32 government witnesses, plan the introduction of 152 exhibits, prepare the cross-examination of 48 defense witnesses, arrange a trial date when the presence of the numerous witnesses could be obtained, and when a judge would be available.

The primary prejudice to his defense due to delay claimed by the defendant is the intervening death of William Leslie Black, whom he asserts would have been able to testify in his behalf. It must be recalled in this connection that Black was the master-mind of the scheme. He was named as a defendant in all 36 counts of the indictment. Black of course could not have been compelled by the defendant to testify if he asserted his Fifth Amendment privilege, as well he might. The appellant although suggesting that Black was friendly to him does not and apparently cannot assert an agreement by Black to testify in his behalf. About six months of the delay in trial was consumed by Black's psychiatric examination and evaluation at the Medical Center for Federal...