United States v. Vaught

• Decision Date: 08 October 1973
• Docket Number: 72-2208.,No. 72-2207,72-2207
• Citation: 485 F.2d 320
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Artis Lee VAUGHT, Appellant. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Isaac LEE, Appellant.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit

485 F.2d 320 (1973)

UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Artis Lee VAUGHT, Appellant.

UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Isaac LEE, Appellant.

Nos. 72-2207, 72-2208.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Argued March 6, 1973.

Decided October 8, 1973.

Charles Porter, Columbia, S.C. (Glenn, Porter & Sullivan, Columbia, S.C., on brief) for appellant in No. 72-2207.

Isadore E. Lourie, Columbia, S.C. (Bert H. Nisonoff, Forest Hill, N.Y., on brief), for appellant in No. 72-2208.

John K. Grisso, U. S. Atty., and Jack L. Marshall, Asst. U. S. Atty., on brief, for appellee.

Before BOREMAN, Senior Circuit Judge, and BUTZNER and FIELD, Circuit Judges.

BOREMAN, Senior Circuit Judge:

Isaac Lee and Artis Vaught, appellants, appeal their convictions for violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspiring to unlawfully distribute heroin in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1), and for violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1) unlawful distribution of heroin.^* They complain that the introduction of evidence of the criminal activities of an alleged co-conspirator, Raymond Gore, prior to the formation and existence of any conspiracy was fatally prejudicial. For the reasons hereinafter set forth we conclude that this did constitute error, the convictions should be set aside, and appellants should be awarded a new trial.

In late October 1971 an investigation of illegal drug traffic in the vicinity of the small community of Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, was commenced, prompted by information furnished the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs by one John Henderson. Henderson, a former airman who had been court-martialed by the Air Force for possession of drugs, was employed by the Bureau in an undercover capacity to investigate and report on drug activities in the area. Henderson knew Lee and Vaught and was well acquainted with Raymond Gore, a seller of drugs who was indicted along with Lee and Vaught.

On December 2 and 3, 1971, Henderson and Narcotics Agent Calvin Campbell purchased hereoin from Gore. During the December 2 transaction Henderson asked Gore if he had seen Lee; Gore responded that he had not but that he expected to see Lee soon. Lee was a resident of New York. This was the only evidence even remotely associating Lee with these sales and no evidence was introduced at trial to involve Vaught in the December transactions.

On January 23, 1972, Henderson and Narcotics Agent Ellis Dean attempted to purchase pure heroin from Gore. Gore claimed he did not have enough to fill the order. At Gore's request the three men then drove to Cladbourn, North Carolina, where Gore placed several calls to New York in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain the heroin. Gore made additional calls to New York the following day and said he had arranged a meeting and sale for the next afternoon.

On January 25, 1972, Gore, Henderson and Dean were driving in Atlantic Beach and saw Lee and Vaught driving through town. Lee approached the car in which Gore was riding and was asked if he had brought the "stuff." Lee responded that Vaught was holding it and that it could be picked up after Vaught had attended to some personal matters. Gore, Henderson, Dean and Lee spent the next several hours at Skeeter's Lounge, awaiting word of Vaught's return. Around nightfall they learned that Vaught had returned to his apartment across the street from Skeeter's. Gore, Henderson and Dean proceeded to Vaught's apartment. Lee remained at Skeeter's. While in Vaught's apartment Gore obtained the heroin, handed it to Dean, and received $1,500 from Dean. After the sale had been completed, Lee entered the apartment and asked Henderson and Dean if the "stuff" was good. As the group was leaving the room, Gore attempted to give the $1,500 to Lee but Lee refused to accept it.

The grand jury returned a four-count indictment. Count I charged that Lee, Vaught and Gore conspired from on or about December 2, 1971, until April 22, 1972, to distribute heroin in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. Among the overt acts listed in this count were heroin sales occurring on December 2 and 3, 1971, and on January 25, 1972. Counts II and III charged only Gore with distribution of heroin on December 2 and 3, 1971, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1). Count IV charged Lee, Vaught and Gore with distribution of heroin on January 25, 1972, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1).

Prior to trial defendant Gore entered into a plea bargaining arrangement and agreed to plead guilty to count III of the indictment in return for the Government's promise of nolle prosequi as to the other counts pending against him. No formal order was entered severing defendant Gore for the purpose of trial, and it appears from the record that Gore was treated in many respects as though he were on trial with Lee and Vaught as a codefendant.¹

Once the plea bargaining arrangement had been consummated, counts II and III of the indictment should have been treated as severed for trial purposes. Coile v. United States, 100 F.2d 806 (5 Cir. 1939). Evidence of the alleged sale of heroin by Gore in December was not admissible at the trial with respect to counts II and III and would have been admissible as to count I only if it might tend to prove a single conspiracy existing among Gore, Lee and Vaught at the time of that sale and ending subsequent to the sale on January 25, 1972.²

As hereinbefore stated, appellants complain that evidence concerning the December transactions was improperly admitted, that the admission of this evidence was highly prejudicial, compelling reversal.

The rule is well settled that when two or more persons have conspired to commit a criminal offense anything said or done by one of them, during the existence of the conspiracy, and in furtherance of the common design, may be admitted in evidence against the others. United States v. Spanos, 462 F.2d 1012 (9 Cir. 1972); Laughlin v. United States, 128 U.S.App.D.C. 27, 385 F.2d 287 (1967); United States v. Sapperstein, 312 F.2d 694 (4 Cir. 1963); Glover v. United States, 306 F.2d 594 (10 Cir. 1962). For the rule to apply there must be prima facie proof of the conspiracy as alleged, i. e., the prosecution had to connect Lee and Vaught with a conspiracy existing on December 2 and 3, 1971, to make the evidence of those transactions admissible. United States v. Spanos, supra; United States v. Sapperstein, supra. The court admitted evidence of the December transactions prior to any attempt by the prosecution to establish the existence of a conspiracy. This was not error in itself since the judge may, in his discretion, permit the introduction of evidence as to things said and done by an alleged co-conspirator subject to being connected up and followed by evidence of the existence of the conspiracy. Beckwith v. United States, 367...