# Petition — Umentum v. United States

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## Record

- **Collection:** Supreme Court brief
- **Document type:** Petition
- **Published:** January 1, 1977
- **Citation:** 430 U.S. 983

## Text

‘Supreme Court, U.S
| FILED ;

No. ner 27 1976

| MICHAEL RODAK, JR., GLERS

In the
Supreme Court of the United States

Octoser Term, 1976

76-8864

Petitioner,

CLARK J. UMENTUM,

vs.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Respondent.

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO
THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

JAMES M. SHELLOW

STEPHEN M. GLYNN

222 East Mason Street

Milwaukec, Wisconsin 53202
Attorneys for Petitioner

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UNITED STATES LAW PRINTING CO., CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60618 (312) 525-6581

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Reason for granting the Writ —................c..-..0.ccccsccecees

The Decision Below Is In Direct Conflict With
The Decisions Of Other Courts Of Appeals On
I

A. The holding of the court below that a single
count of an indictment is not duplicitous when
it alleges both distribution of a controlled sub-
stance and possession with intent to distribute
a controlled substance is in direct conflict with
holdings of the Court of Appeals for the
EE: IIIT © dics sliccdsdinthaczhansoshsesiatepebcnniaslabinialinieasialblansen

B. The holding of the court below that it is not
necessary to instruct the jury on the necessity
of finding an overt act in order to convict in
a eonspiracy case is in direct conflict with
the holding of the Court of Appeals for the
SED CITE (slat icant biinananeasiiibuaiemnidinihents

Nn vale NENT oem aL RO OD On, CU RE

PAGE

Appendix:

Opinion of United States Court of Appeals for
the Seventh Cireuit in United States vy. Clark
NMR WUE ry SA eels Sarr W ATEN Mee PCH ce

Opinion of United States Court of Appeals for
the Seventh Cireuit in United States v. Michael
PO GE | cantdantaibtisinciialiiaicmbicians

Opinion of United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Hon. Myron
L. Gordon, presiding, in United States v. Clark
J. Umentum, et al. (excerpts) ............------.--0--+-

CITATIONS
Cases:
Bingler v. Johnson, 394 U.S. 741 (1969) 20000.
Cordova v. United States, 303 F.2d 454 (10th Cir. 1962)

United States v. Atkinson, 512 F.2d 1235 (4th Cir.
1975), petition for cert. filed, 45 U.S.L.W. 3011 (July
Ce IC IR eS er RO Sr ENO

United States v. Costello, 483 F.2d 1366 (5th Cir. 1973)
United States v. Curry, 512 F.2d 1299 (4th Cir.),

cert. aented, 423 U.S. 832 (1975) 22.22.2222... -.ecccneese
United States v. DeJesus, 520 F.2d 298 (1st Cir.),
cert. denied, 423 U.S. 865 (1975) -....------.--s---coessoeseeeesoees
United States v. Herbert, 502 F.2d 890 (10th Cir.),
cert. dented, 420 U.S. 931 (1974) 0.2.2... eee eececeeeeee

United States v. Hobbs, 392 F.Supp. 444 (D.Mass.
ENE caidhnsssvienvsnsiapninisdilaamuidiaiiaiaeesniiatbamanaaeiieeansdetalintaiies

la

ili
PAGE
United States v. Horsley, 519 F.2d 1264 (5th Cir. 1975),
cert, denied, 96 S.Ct. 1413 (1976) .........2..........-.20000-- 6

United States v. King, 521 F.2d 61 (10th Cir. 1975) ... 7
United States v. Nichols, 491 F.Supp. 1377 (E.D.Mich.

aE SEE is et a 6
United States v. O’Malley, 383 U.S. 627 (1966) —.......... 5
United States v. Michael Joseph Orzechowski, No. 76-

1315 (7th Cir., November 24, 1976) ......0...00..000000000....- 1, 2,4

United States v. Stevens, 521 F.2d 334 (6th Cir. 1975) 6

Statutes:

I a eseeenincnanianss 3
RES Ee 2, 3, 6
EE Ts A 2, 3, 7
I adie srternmrenenentinaniiinte 2

In the
Supreme Court of the United States

Octosper Term, 1976

No.
CLARK J. UMENTUM,
Petitioner,
vs.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Respondent.

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO
THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

Petitioner respectfully prays that a writ of certiorari
issue to review the judgment and opinion of the United
States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit entered
in this proceeding on November 24, 1976.

OPINION BELOW

The opinion of the Court of Appeals has not yet been
reported, but it appears in the Appendix at la, infra. The
opinion in the Court of Appeals relies in large part upon
the opinion filed the same date by the Court of Appeals
in the case of United States v. Michael Joseph Orzechowski,

2

No. 76-1315. The Orzechowski opinion is also set forth in
the Appendix at 14a, infra.

The opinion of the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin is published at 401 F.Supp.
746 (E.D.Wis. 1975). So much of the District Court opinion
as pertains to the issues raised in this petition is set forth
in the Appendix at 33a, infra.

JURISDICTION

The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Seventh
Cireuit was entered on November 24, 1976. This Court’s
jurisdiction is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1254(1).

QUESTIONS PRESENTED

1. Whether the offense of distribution of a controlled
substance is distinct from the offense of possession of a
controlled substance with intent to distribute, so that a
single count of an indictment alleging both offenses is
duplicitous.

2. Whether it is necessary to instruct a jury concern-
ing the requirement of a finding of the commission of an
overt act in a conspiracy prosecution under 21 U.S.C. § 846.

STATUTES INVOLVED
21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1):

‘*(a) Except as authorized by this subchapter, it
shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or inten-
tionally—

(1) to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or
possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or
dispense, a controlled substance; ...’’

21 U.S.C. § 846:

‘Any person who attempts or conspires to commit
any offense defined in this subchapter is punishable
by imprisonment or fine or both but may not exceed
the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense,
the commission of which was the object of the offense
or conspiracy.”’

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On June 4, 1975, petitioner, together with four others,
was indicted for a conspiracy to distribute and to possess
with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C.
§§ 841(a)(1) and 846 and 18 U.S.C. § 2. Three of those in-
dicted entered pleas of guilty; petitioner and a co-defen-
dant went to trial. The co-defendant was acquitted; peti-
tioner was convicted of both counts and sentenced to two
concurrent seven year terms of imprisonment followed by
a statutory three year special parole period. The United
States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed
the convictions on November 24, 1976.

The indictment was framed in two counts: a conspiracy
count under 21 U.S.C. § 846, and a substantive count under
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. The conspiracy
allegation, Count I, alleged no overt act in furtherance of
the conspiracy, and the jury was not instructed as to any
requirement that such an overt act need be found from the
evidence before a guilty verdict could be reached.

The substantive count, Count II, charged petitioner both
with the possession with intent to distribute and with the
actual distribution of cocaine.

By pretrial motion, petitioner challenged the sufficiency
of Count I because it failed to allege any overt acts; this
same challenge was made to the court’s instructions at the

4

close of evidence because the instructions did not require
the jury to find an overt act from the evidence in order to
convict petitioner. Count II was challenged by pretrial mo-
tion as being duplicitous on the ground that it alleged two
distinct offenses in a single count.

The District Court rejected petitioner’s challenges to
the indictment and his request for an instruction requiring
the finding of an overt act. Appendix at 33a, infra. The
Court of Appeals affirmed petitioner’s conviction, relying
in large part upon its decision entered the same day in
United States v. Michael Joseph Orzechowski, No. 76-1315,
set forth infra in the Appendix at 14a.

REASON FOR GRANTING THE WRIT

The Decision Below Is In Direct Conflict With The
Decisions Of Other Courts Of Appeals On The Same
Matters.

A. The holding of the court below that a single count of
an indictment is not duplicitous when it alleges both
distribution of a controlled substance and possession
with intent to distribute a controlled substance is in
direct conflict with holdings of the Court of Appeals
for the Fifth Circuit.

The number of cases reaching the Courts of Appeals
which deal with controlled substance offenses is steadily
increasing. It has become popular among federal prose-
cutors to charge defendants who distribute controlled sub-
stances both with possession of the substance with intent
to deliver it and with the substance’s actual distribution.

This cha.ging scheme has resulted in numerous chal-
lenges to controlled substance indictment with a corre-
sponding increase in decisions by Courts of Appeals con-
cerning the legitimacy of such charges. This phenomenon
ordinarily would not raise a problem requiring resolution
by this Court. However, the appellate decisions on this
issue have not been harmonious. For this reason, this
Court should accept the petition and grant certiorari.
Bingler v. Johnson, 394 U.S. 741 (1969); United States v.
O’Malley, 383 U.S. 627 (1966).

The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Cireuit has held
that possession with intent to distribute a controlled sub-
stance and distribution of the same controlled substance
are separate offenses since they require proof of different

6

facts and elements. United States v. Costello, 483 F.2d
1366 (5th Cir. 1973). Since they are separate offenses,
a defendant could be sentenced for each separate offense
with the sentences to run consecutive to one another.
Similarly, in the Fifth Cireuit, a single count of an indict-
ment joining distribution with possession with intent to
distribute would be duplicitous.

Other circuits, including the Seventh Cireuit, have held
that the acts of possession with intent to distribute and
actual distribution are but different means of violating
the same statute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and therefore con-
stitute but one offense. Cordova v. United States, 303 F.2d
454 (10th Cir. 1962); United States v. Stevens, 521 F.2d
334 (6th Cir. 1975); United States v. Curry, 512 F.2d°1299
(4th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 832 (1975).

This conflict in decisions is real and apparent, and this
Court has never granted certiorari to resolve the conflict.
See, e.g., United States v. Horsley, 519 F.2d 1264 (5th Cir.
1975), cert. denied, $6 S.Ct. 1413 (1976); United States v.
Herbert, 502 F.2d 890 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 420 U.S.
931 (1974). Because the issue has never been resolved,
cases continue to flood the Courts of Appeals where the
issue is decided differently, thereby exposing defendants to
disparate treatment. See, e.g., United States v. Atkinson,
512 F.2d 1235 (4th Cir. 1975), petition for cert. filed, 45
U.S.L.W. 3011 (July 12, 1976); United States v. Stevens,
421 F.2d 334 (6th Cir. 1975); United States v. Nichols, 401
F.Supp. 1377 (E.D.Mich. 1975) ; United States v. Hobbs, 392
F.Supp. 444 (D.Mass. 1975).

In this circumstance, it is not only appropriate but
essential that this Court issue its writ and clarify what is
presently a hodgepodge of conflicting decisions.

7

B. The holding of the court below that it is not necessary
to instruct the jury on thé necessity of finding an overt
act in order to convict in a conspiracy case is in direct
conflict with the holding of the Court of Appeals for
the Tenth Circuit.

Just as it is currently in vogue for prosecutors to charge
both delivery and possession with intent to deliver a con-
trolled substance, so is it also a prevalent practice to in-
clude a conspiracy count whenever more than one person
is present at the time of delivery. As a consequence,
challenges to conspiracy counts frequently arise, and the
lower courts must determine the sufficiency of the allega-
tions, proof and instructions.

Although the lower courts are in apparent agreement
that the conspiracy statute, 21 U.S.C. § 846, does not re-
quire allegation of overt acts, see United States v. DeJesus,
520 F.2d 298 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 865 (1975),
and United States v. King, 521 F.2d 61 (10th Cir. 1975),
the courts are clearly not in harmony on the question of
whether the jury must be instructed on the necessity of
finding an overt act before conviction is allowed. Compare
United States v. King, supra, with the instant case.

In King, the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit held
that conspiracy was not punishable as a state of mind and
becomes a crime only if an overt act is performed. 521
F.2d at 63. In the case sub judice, the Seventh Circuit
held that no overt act is required in the allegations, the
proof, or the instructions of a conspiracy count.

The conflict is clear: a defendant in Chicago may be
punished for his thoughts while a defendant in Denver
is acquitted by a properly instructed jury. This Court
must resolve the conflict.

CONCLUSION

Because of these clear conflicts in the decisions of the

Courts of Appeals, this petition for a writ of certiorari
should be granted.

Respectfully submitted,

James M. SHELLOW

StepHen M. Giynn

222 East Mason Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Attorneys for Petitioner

APPENDIX

la
APPENDIX
In the

United States Court of Appeals
For the Seventh Circuit

No. 76-1210

Unrrep States Or America,
Plaintiff-Appellee,

Ciark J. UMENTUM,
Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin
No. 75 Cr 103 — Myron L. Gordon, Judge.

Argued September 21, 1976—-Decided November 24, 1976

Before Hastines, Senior Circuit Judge, and PEeitu and
Woop, Jr., Circuit Judges.

Woop, Jr., Circuit Judge. On June 4, 1975, defendant,
together with four others, was charged in Count I of the
indictment with conspiracy to possess and distribute co-
caine, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance,
in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 846, and 18
U.S.C. § 2; and in Count II with possession with intent
to distribute and distribution of 878.5 grams of cocaine,
a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance, in
violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. Two
other counts are not involved in this appeal. Three of the
defendants entered pleas of guilty to certain counts, one

2a

was found not guilty. The defendant was found guilty of
both Counts I and II following trial by jury and sentenced
to two concurrent seven year imprisofiment terms, fol-
lowed by a statutory three year special parole period. In
United States v. Umentum, 401 F.Supp. 746 (E.D. Wis.
1975), the pretrial matters in this case are considered.

The transactional evidence is not in dispute. Following
two telephone conversations in April, 1975, between a spe-
cial agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration with
one of defendant’s co-conspirators, two special agents
not known by the defendant to be special agents, met in
person with the defendant and other co-conspirators for
the purpose of concluding a sale of 25 ounces of cocaine
for $40,625. This meeting terminated with the arrest of
the defendant and the seizure by the agents of the plastic
bag of white powder which had been represented by the
defendant to be cocaine.

The defendant raises six issues on appeal:

(1) Failure of the Government to produce certain in-
ternal memoranda of the Drug Enforcement Ad-
ministration ;

(2) Duplicity of the indictment resulting from
charges of possession with intent to distribute
and distribution;

(3) Duplicitous instructions;

(4) Failure of the court to give an instruction with
Count I, the conspiracy allegation, concerning
the requirement of a finding of the commission
of an overt act;

(5) The giving of a partial instruction on reasonable
doubt; and

(6) Other objectionable instruction matters.

3a
I.

The memoranda which the defendant claims were ex-
culpatory and should have been produced prior to trial
were certain internal government memoranda which re-
lated generally to the topic of isomers of cocaine and test-
ing procedures which might be used to identify the iso-
mers of cocaine. These memoranda did not directly relate
to this case. This material was made available to the de-
fense during trial and admitted as defense exhibits 8, 9,
and 9A. These documents which were desired by the de-
fense for cross-examination purposes were used for that
purpose. The trial court granted defendant’s motion for
a continuance after the trial had begun due to some addi-
tional tests run by the Government witness shortly before
trial. During this time the defendant came into posses-
sion of the Government’s memoranda and was permitted
to reopen cross-examination of the Government witness
to make use of the memoranda.

We do not believe that these internal memoranda were
required to be produced pursuant to Fed.R.Crim. P. 16
or Brady’ as recently interpreted in United States v.
Agurs, ........ i: onieveen , 44 U.S.L.W. 5013 (U.S. June 24,
1976). We consider the memoranda neither exculpatory
nor material to the defendant’s defense. This same issue
is discussed more fully in United States v. Orzechowski,
No. 76-1315, an opinion issued simultaneously with this
opinion. In addition, in the present case the defendant
had the use of these memoranda during trial. As the trial
judge stated, to hold otherwise ‘‘would mean that the
government would be obliged to turn over every single
piece of internal study, research, communication, and
point of view that the laboratories of the D.E.A. may have
utilized on any phase of the world of cocaine.’’

1 Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963).

4a

II. and ITI.

The issue of the duplicity in Count II charging posses-
sion with intent to distribute and distribution has like-
wise been resolved adversely to defendant in Orzechowski,
supra, and merits no further discussion here. The issue
of the instructions being likewise duplicitous is similarly
resolved in Orzechowski, supra.

IV.

Count I of the indictment charging conspiracy alleges
no overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy, nor was
the jury instructed as to any requirement that such an
overt act need be found from the evidence before a guilty
verdict could be reached.

First, it is to be noted that neither § 846 of Title 21 nor
its predecessor § 174, in contrast to the general conspiracy
statute, 18 U.S.C. § 371, has in its language any require-
ment concerning an overt act.

In the lower court defendant claimed that it was neces-
sary for the Government to charge an overt act in the
indictment. He does not pursue that here, taking notice
of numerous cases contrary to that claim, including United
States v. King, 521 F.2d 61 (10th Cir. 1975), which, how-
ever, defendant relies on to require an overt act instruc-
tion. See also United States v. Garfoli, 324 F.2d 909 (7th
Cir. 1963); United States v. DeJesus, 520 F.2d 298 (1st
Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 865. Nor is the issue on
appeal the absence of proof of acts which might have been
labeled overt acts since they are obvious in the record as
the defendant candidly concedes in footnote 8 in his brief,
page 18.

The issue remaining is should the jury have been in-
structed nevertheless that there was an overt act proof
requirement upon the Government? The defendant relies

oa

upon United States v. King, supra. That court held that
such an instruction was necessary in a § 846 conspiracy
charge regardless of the absence in the statute of an overt
act requirement, and regardless of the strength of the
evidence. Other cases cited by defendant, such as United
States v. Hutchinson, 488 F.2d 484 (8th Cir. 1973), cert.
denied, 417 U.S. 915 (1974), seem to assume that an overt
act is a requirement of § 846 without the issue being di-
rectly raised. Hutchinson cites for its assumption cases
involving a § 371, Title 18, charge, or a charge under its
predecessor, which by their language required an overt
act.’

Defendant further relies on other cases, such as United
States v. Robinson, 503 F.2d 208 (7th Cir. 1974), cert. de-
nied, 420 U.S. 949 (1975). A prosecution under 18 U.S.C.
§ 241, which likewise contains no overt act requirement.
In that case there was proof of overt acts. The opinion
does not reveal whether or not overt acts were also al-
leged. The issue we have here was not raised. However,
in United States v. Morado, 454 F.2d 167 (Sth Cir. 1972),
cert. denied, 406 U.S. 917, it was held that § 241 does not
require that any overt act be shown.

Defendant also cites other cases, such as United States
v. Floyd, 496 F.2d 982 (2d Cir. 1974), cert. denied, 419
U.S. 1069, a § 846 prosecution, in which it appears that
overt acts were charged in the indictment. Therefore the
particular issue we have was not raised.

We do not believe that these cases are controlling. The
matter has been previously touched on in this cireuit. In
United States v. Cortwright, 528 F.2d 168 (7th Cir. 1975),

2 United States v. Skillman, 442 F.2d 542 (8th Cir. 1971), cert.
denied, 404 U.S. 833; United States v. Falcone, 311 U.S. 205
(1940)

6a

a § 846 conspiracy prosecution in which overt acts were
alleged, the court was concerned with the sufficiency of
the evidence. The court, however, explains that all that
is required in a § 846 prosecution is an agreement be-
tween two or more persons to commit any offense under
the Controlled Substances Act, and at 528 F.2d 172 n.1
elaborates:

This cireuit has not required allegation or proof
of an overt act in furtherance of a drug conspiracy.
United States v. Garfoli, 324 F.2d 909 (7th Cir. 1963).

In Garfoli, supra, Judge Duffy, writing for the panel,
stresses that § 174, now repealed but similar io the pres-
ent § 846, contains no requirement that an overt act be
alleged or proved in contrast to a § 371 conspiracy prose-
cution. The court held ihat the act of conspiracy was by
itself sufficient, citing Nash v. United States, 229 U.S. 373
(1913).

In Nash, a Sherman Act prosecution, the Court con-
sidered a situation where no overt act was alleged. Ii
held that the Act punished conspiracies on a common law
footing in that the Act did not contain a requirement for
the doing of any other act beyond conspiring. The Court
distinguished other statutes which contain the added re-
quirement and declined to read into the Sherman Act more
than it found there.

In the laier case of Singer v. United States, 323 U.S. 338
(1945), a Selective Training & Service Act conspiracy
prosecution, the Court recognized that that Act also did
not require an overt act for the offense of conspiracy but
punished conspiracy ‘‘on ihe common law footing.’’

Cases other than Cortwright, supra, in other jurisdic-
tions, have also recognized the precedent of older cases
holding that no overt act was required under the prior

7a

act. These cases aid in the determination of whether an
overt act is required undcr § 846. Nothing in the congres-
sional history of § 846 weakens the force of the earlier
interpretations. United States v. DeJesus, supra; United
States v. DeViteri, 350 F.Supp. 550 (E.D.N.Y. 1972);
United States v. Miller, 387 F.Supp. 1097 (D.Conn. 1975).

We see no justification for departing from the reason-
ing of these latter cases and this cireuit’s Cortwright and
Garfoli decisions, supra.

At common law conspiracy did not require an overt act.
The Supreme Court has recognized the power of Congress
to create a common law type conspiracy for specific pur-
poses. Section 846 requires no overt act as distinguished
from § 371, so we decline to read such a requirement into
§ 846.

An overt act, therefore, need not be charged in a § 846
conspiracy. If an overt act need not be charged, it need
not be proved. If an overt act need be neither charged nor
proved, there remains nothing about which to instruct on
that issue.

In addition, in this case the court and counsel discussed
at length this aspect of the conspiracy instructions. It is
not easy to follow and understand that discussion by read-
ing the record, but the trial court determined that the de-
fendant preferred that the overt act requirement instruc-
tion not be used. The defendant disputes that that was
what was intended. We need not resolve that aspect of
the controversy.

V.

The next issue involves the instruction on reasonable
doubt. On the matter of reasonable doubt the only in-
struction given to the jury was:

8a

It is not required that the Government prove guilt
beyond all possible doubt. The test is one of reason-
able doubt.

The defendant interprets this as not defining what reason-
able doubt is, but what it is not.

The court apparently was relying on this court’s opin-
ion in United States v. Shaffner, 524 F.2d 1021 (7th Cir.
1975), cert. denied, 424 U.S. 920 (1976). The balance of
the instruction given made it quite clear that to overcome
the presumption of innocence the burden was on the Gov-
ernment to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. To
justify a guilty verdict the jury was instructed that it
would have to be satisfied of the defendant’s guilt beyond
a reasonable doubt after careful and impartial considera-
tion of all the evidence, rejecting suspicion or conjecture.

We do not approve of the abbreviated form used in
this case, but it is less objectionable than the instruction
used in Shaffner, supra, which was likewise not approved
but which did not require reversal. In Shaffner, supra, the
instruction elaborated on what was given here by adding,
among other things, that ‘‘If that were the rule, few men,
however guilty they might be, would be convicted.’’ That
language, missing in the present instruction, more nearly
parallels in meaning the language found objectionable in
United States v. Bridges, 499 F.2d 179 (7th Cir. 1974),
cert. denied, 419 U.S. 1010. The instruction in that case
stated that ‘‘reasonable doubt’’ was not for the purpose
of ‘‘permitting guilty men to escape.’’ What was given
in the present case merely limited to some extent the outer
extremities of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. In no
event can reasonable doubt be equated with requiring
proof beyond ‘‘all possible doubt.’’ This instruction, ex-
cluding the necessity of Government proof beyond ‘‘all
possible doubt,’’ is not as objectionable as equating rea-

9a

sonable doubt with substantial doubt. See United States
v. Wright, No. 76-1007, (7th Cir. Sept. 27, 1976).

Reasonable doubt was not slighted in final arguments.
The defense argued in part:

So, the question is: What is a reasonable doubt?
It’s a difficult thing to define. The Court won’t de-
fine it for you. You have to think it through and
think what the words mean. It means certainly not
frivolous. It means certainly not emotional. It means
the same thing the words mean; a reasonable doubt
is a doubt that’s founded in reason; it’s a doubt for
which you can give a reason. Are there doubts for
which you can give reasons in this case? Certainly.
Let’s look at some of them, and we are going to go
over them very quickly at this time because we will
come back to each of them.

In the circumstances of this case, considering the in-
structions as a whole, we do not believe the instruction

given requires reversal.
VI.

Other objections of the defendant are to instructions
given or not given.

First, the defendant objects to the failure of the court
to give an instruction defining that portion of the lan-
guage of 21 U.S.C. § 812(c), Schedule II (a) (4), ‘‘chemi-
cally equivalent or identical.’’ That issue was adversely
resolved to defendant in United States v. Orzechowski,
supra, decided this date and requires no further discus-
sion.

Next, the defendant objects to so much of the court’s
instructions as stated that ‘‘l-cocaine is clearly covered
by the statute.’’ Even though this factual proposition was
not controverted at trial or on appeal, the defendant ob-
jected in the absence of an instruction to the effect that

10a

the other isomers of cocaine were not controlled. For the
court in its instructicns to assume the existence of a fact
which is undisputed or proved beyond controversy is not
reversible error. United States v. Jonikas, 197 F.2d 675
(7th Cir. 1952).

In the instruction conference the trial judge clearly
stated his position on the issue with which we find no
fault:

Court: Well, I have held that cocaine is a con-
trolled substance in the pretrial motions of this case,
and believe that the proper way to present this case
to the jury is very much in the manner that Judge
Warren did, as reflected in Instruction 61A.

I think the defendant is entitled to argue to the
jury that the Government’s testing is insufficient to
establish that the substance in question fitted the 21
U. 8S. Code, 812 Schedule II(a)(4) definition, and I
think the Court should instruct the jury that l-cocaine
is within the Schedule and that it is for them to de-
termine whether the evidence persuades the jury
whether the Government has shown beyond a reason-
able doubt that in light of the language of Il(a)(4)
the substance tested was a controlled substance.

It seems to me that’s consistent with the way the
case was presented to the jury. I think it enables the
Government to have the benefit of the Court’s pre-
vious conclusion that cocaine is a controlled substance
and still admits to the defense their theory that cer-
tain isomers are not, and if you think the Government
has failed to prove it was not one of the isomers, you
can argue that the Government has failed to prove
it was not one of the isomers which is fairly to be
interpreted within Subsection 4.

When so much of the instruction as defendant objected
to is considered in the text of the balance of the instruc-
tion it can be seen that the law as applied to this case was

lla

fairly stated.* Adequate allowance was also made for the

’ The court instructed in part:

In considering whether the Government has met its burden
of proof as to the identity of the substance allegedly sold by the
defendants, you may consider approaching the problem in the
following fashion :

At the outset, you have already been instructed that the de-
fendant in a criminal case has no burden. The burden never
shifts from the Government to establish its case beyond a reason-
able doubt. You may draw no inference whatsoever from the
failure of the defendant’s chemist to test the substance in ques-
tion.

You may first consider whether the Government has proven
beyond a reasonable doubt that the substance tested was coca
leaves, or any salt, compound, derivative or preparation of coca
leaves, or any salt, compound, derivative or preparation thereof
which is chemically equivalent or identical to any of these sub-
stances.

The testimony in the case has revealed that cocaine is an al-
kaloid with a variety of isomers. It is not disputed that the
only isomer which is naturally derived from the coca plant is
l-cocaine. L-cocaine can be synthetically constructed from non-
coca leaf origins. L-cocaine is clearly covered by the statute.
Therefore, you may first consider whether or not the substance
tested was l-cocaine. If you find beyond a reasonable doubt
that the substance tested was I-cocaine, then you have found
that this substance is a Schedule II controlled substance.

In arriving at this decision, you may consider whether or not,
or to what degree, the tests performed by the Government chem-
ist were specified for l-cocaine.

If you find that the substance tested was something other than
l-cocaine then, having heard the testimony of the expert wit-
nesses with regard to the degree of specificity and certainty as-
sociated with the various tests, you must determine whether or
not the substance tested was “chemically equivalent or identical”
with coca leaves, or any salt, compound, derivative, or prep-
aration of coca leaves. If you find beyond a reasonable doubt
that the substance tested was “chemically equivalent or identi-

(Footnote continued)

12a

defendant’s theory of the case which was that only l-co-
caine was controlled and that the other seven isomers, not
being derived from coca leaves nor chemically equivalent
or identical, were not controlled. The Government’s test
evidence was required to demonstrate, according to the
defendant, that the powder was |-cocaine.

(Footnote continued)

cal” then you have found that this substance is a Schedule II
Controlled Substance.

One of the elements of the offense charged in Count II is
that the substance tested by the Government chemist is cocaine
as cocaine is defined in the Controlled Substances Act—Con-
trolled Substances Act, Title 21, Section 841(a)(1}, Schedule
II(a) (4).

I have previously read to you the language of that statute.
That statute, and that statute only, covers those forms of co-
caine which are derivatives of coca leaves or which are chemi-
cally equivalent or identical to such derivatives. The defen-
dants cannot be convicted of Count II unless the Government
has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the substance tested
by the Government chemist is a form of cocaine that is either
a derivative of coca leaves or a substance chemically equivalent
or identical to such a derivative.

There are only two ways in which the Government could
meet its burden of proving that the substance tested by its chem-
ist falls within the statute.

The first is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the sub-
stance is a derivative of coca leaves. The second is to prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that the substance is chemically
equivalent or identical to a derivative of coca leaves. You may
not speculate as to the identity of the substance. If you have
a reasonable doubt that the substance tested by the Government
chemist is a form of cocaine covered by the statute, you must
find the defendants not guilty of Count II. Similarly, if all that
the Government has proved is that the substance is cocaine
without proving that it is either a derivative of coca leaves or a
substance chemically equivalent or identical to such derivatives,
then the Government has not proven its case as to Count II.

—_t*

13a

The jury was not instructed that the transactional
powder was l-cocaine. The instructions left to the jury
the question of whether the transactional powder was or
was not l-cocaine, or whether it was in the language of
the statute some other substance chemically equivalent or
identical thereto.

The defendant further argues that the instructions per-
mitted a non-unanimous verdict of guilty since part of
the jury might have believed that the proof showed this
powder to be l-cocaine and the balance of the jury might
have found it to be some substance chemically equivalent
or identical to l-cocaine. The indictment charged that the
powder involved was a controlled substance, and consider-
ing the evidence under the instructions the jury found
that it was, and consequently rendered a verdict of guilty.
That was all that was required. If it had been considered
that it was important to know how the jury arrived at its
verdict, what its thinking or conclusion was about the
particular identity of the controlled substance, a special
verdict could have been requested by the defendant.
Though we may seriously question the general use of spe-
cial verdicts in the federal courts, we note no such request
in the record.

As a whole we find no reversible error in the instruc-
tions given nor in the other issues raised in this appeal,
and therefore we affirm.

. AFFIRMED.
A true Copy:
Teste:

Clerk of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

l4a

In the
United States Court of Appeals
For the Seventh Circuit

No. 76-1315

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff -A ppellee,
v.

MICHAEL JOSEPH ORZECHOWSKI,
Defendant-A ppellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin—No. 75 Cr 83
Robert W. Warren, Judge.

Argued September 21, 1976—Decided November 24, 1976

Before Hastines, Senior Circuit Judge, and Pett an
Woon, Jr., Circuit Judges.

Wooop, Jr., Circuit Judge. By an indictment returned
on April 22, 1975, the defendant, Michael Joseph Orze-
chowski was charged in two counts with violation of 21
U.S.C. § 841." Count I charges that on March 24, 1975.

1 In pertinent part § 841 provides:
. . it shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intention-
ally

(1) to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with in-

tent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled
substance. . . .

15a

the defendant unlawfully possessed with intent to distrib-
ute, and did distribute 13.602 grams of cocaine, a Schedule
II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance. Count II charges
a similar offense involving 27.493 grams of cocaine oc-
curred the following day. After a three day jury trial the
defendant was found guilty. The defendant’s Motions for
Judgment of Acquittal and New Trial were denied, and on
March 15, 1976, defendant was sentenced to 120 days im-
prisonment to run concurrently on each count, to be fol-
lowed by a three year special parole term on each count.
This appeal followed.

The transactional evidence is not in dispute. A special
agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration received
a telephone call on March 24, 1975, from the defendant
offering to sell cocaine for $1,350 per ounce to the agent,
not known by defendant to be an agent. During a subse-
quent phone conversation that day the agent offered to
buy only a half ounce of cocaine as he explained he wanted
to check its quality. Later that same day the agent and
the defendant met in person to close the transaction. At
this time the defendant represented the cocaine as being
of ‘‘very high quality,’’ which, he explained, was due to
the fact that his partner was the smuggler. The defendant
also represented that he could supply a large quantity of
cocaine, four or five ounces, and that the more purchased
the higher the quality would be, up to 85% in purity. The
agent then paid the defendant $680 and received in return
a clear plastic bag containing white powder. The following
day the defendant again called the agent to see if he was
satisfied with the cocaine delivered on the prior day and
to inquire about a possible additional sale. The agent ad-
vised the defendant that the quality was satisfactory but
it had not yet been decided how much cocaine would be
purchased the next time. This led to another telephone call

16a

from the defendant a short time later in which tne agent

stated that he desired on this second occasion to buy a full
ounce to better help determine what the quality of the
cocaine would be if he later purchased as much as a pound.
Shortly after that, by agreement, the agent and the defen-
dant met to close this second transaction. The defendant
represented the ounce of cocaine being sold to the agent
as being of better quality than the cocaine of the day be-
fore. The price was again $1,350 per ounce. Defendant
expressed a desire to deal in larger quantities, pounds and
half pounds, as in this way, he explained, he could earn
between $2,000 and $3,000 per week, which was preferable
to working. The agent gave the defendant $1,350 and the
defendant gave the agent in return the second clear plastic
bag containing white powder.

The defendant raises five issues on appeal claiming:
1) the Government failed to identify the white powder in
each transaction as being a controlled substance;? 2) the
Government failed to provide defendant with certain Gov-
ernment documents claimed to be exculpatory; 3) the court

* The term controlled substance is described in 21 U.S.C. § 802
(6), as a “Drug or other substance, or immediate precursor, in-
cluded in Schedule I, II, III, IV or V” of Part B of that subchap-
ter. The indictment refers to a Schedule II substance. Section 812
(b)(2) identifies a Schedule II drug as a drug or other substance
which (a) has a high potential for abuse, (b) has a currently ac-
cepted medical use in the United States, or has a currently accepted
medical use with severe restrictions, and (c) abuse may lead to se-
vere psychological dependence. Thereafter in §812 set forth in
Schedule II (a) (4) is the following listing as a controlled substance :

Coca leaves and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation
of coca leaves, and any salt, compound, derivative, or prepara-
tion thereof which is chemically equivalent or identical with
any of these substances... .

17a

failed to instruct on what were claimed to be two central
issues of the case; 4) the charges in each count were du-
plications; and 5) the instructions given were also duplica-
tions.

I.

Tue IDENTIFICATION oF THE SUBSTANCE

The defendant does not dispute that he sold two quanti-
ties of a substance he represented to be cocaine to the Gov-
ernment agent, but does dispute that the Government’s
evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that those
substances were in fact controlled substances as alleged in
the indictment.

The manner of the listing of substances in the schedules
is not uniform. Many are listed by chemical name. The
listing here in question controls substances related to, or
derived or prepared from coca leaves, but the control is
also extended to any such substances or preparations which
are ‘‘chemically equivalent or identical with any of these
substances.’’

The parties agree on the import of this listing. Those
isomeric forms of cocaine which can be derived from coca
leaves are controlled, but any isomers that cannot be so
derived are controlled only if they are chemically equiva-
lent or identical to the forms which are derived from the
plant. Isomers are commonly referred to as chemical rela-
tives. The parties further agree that one of the isomers
of cocaine, |-cocaine, can be obtained from the plant, but
that one of the other isomers of cocaine, d-cocaine, cannot
be so derived. D-cocaine to be controlled, therefore, must
be shown to be chemically identical or equivalent.

The Government claims that the white powder obtained
from the defendant in both instances was l-cocaine, but if

18a

not, it was d-cocaine, which it claims is chemically identical
or equivalent, and therefore also controlled. In effect the
Government’s position is that it makes no difference which
isomer it was. The defendant claims that the Government
failed to prove that the powder was l-cocaine, and that,
therefore, if the powder may have been d-cocaine, it was
not shown to be chemically equivalent or identical to those
substances derived from the plant. The defendant’s posi-
tion is that the powder was not shown to be a controlled
substance.

Both the Government and the defendant offered the tes-
timony of experts, but there were critical disagreemenis
in their testimony.

The Government chemist testified that in his opinion,
after the performance of seven various tests, the white
powder in both transactions was l-cocaine. The tests used
to arrive at this conclusion were a spot or strength test
using cobalt thicyanate; two microcrystalline tests, using
plastinic chloride for one and gold chloride for the other;
gas chromatography; mass spectromatry; infrared spec-
trophotometry; and mixed melting point. It was shown
that these tests may help to identify the substance, but the
only test administered which could distinguish 1-cocaine
from d-cocaine was the mixed melting point test.

This latter test, the mixed melting point test, is the one
in question. The defendant claims that it was not properly
performed since the results obtained were not in line with
authoritative literature on the subject. Thus this test
was unreliable to determine which isomer, l-cocaine or
d-cocaine, may have been involved, the defendant argues.
It is not necessary to technically explore the specifics
of this or other tests except to note the area of disagree-

19a

ment. The Government chemist testified that he aeter-
mined from this test that the substances tested, the known
substance and the two quantities of the white powder, all
melted separately and in combination of 242° centigrade
and that that result justified his conclusion that the white
powder was l-cocaine. The defendant, relying on a recog-
nized treatise, claimed that the Government chemist’s con-
clusion could only have been justified by a result showing
a melting point of 215° centigrade, not 242°. Therefore,
the defendant concludes, either the test was improperly
administered so that it had no evidentiary value or the
white powder was not l-cocaine. The Government chemist
thought otherwise and explained that the manner in which
the substances were prepared for the tests by him could
have affected the melting point, but not his resulting con-
clusion. The Government also pointed out that the defense
expert recognized from his examination of literature on
the subject that there could exist some variance in melting
points. The record reveals that the defendant’s expert had
never actually run such a test himself to determine the
melting point of l-cocaine. The defendant’s defense did not
include an independent test of any kind of the white pow-
der involved.

The defendant next argues that since the mixed melting
point test as run was not determinative, the Goverament
should have run in addition a polarimetry test which, it is
also agreed, could likewise distinguish between the d- and
l- isomers of cocaine.

The next critical area of chemical testimony between the
experts, which becomes important only if the l-cocaine
identity conclusion of the Government witness is to be dis-
regarded leaving the possibility that the white powder

20a

might be d-cocaine, is whether or not d-cocaine is chemi.
cally identical or equivalent to l-cocaine. The Government
chemist testified that in his opinion d-cocaine was chemi-
cally equivalent or identical to the substance derived from
the plant. The defense expert took a different view and
explained that d- and 1- isomers of cocaine react differently
with other chemical reagents and in living organisms. The
defendant characterizes the Government expert’s opinion
on this issue as only a guess and not entitled to any weight
as an expert opinion.

The quality of the Government’s case on the issue of
identification of the white powder substances left some-
thing to be desired, but not so much as to require that
the jury’s verdict be set aside. The record reveals that
the informed defense helped educate the Government on
what its laboratory evidence should have been if all doubt
was to be resolved about the identity of substances. No one
expects, however, all experts to agree. It is apparent that
the Government’s laboratory work ran the risk of jeop-
ardizing the success of the undercover agent’s efforts.

In reviewing the sufficiency of this evidence we do not
act as the trier of the facts to reconsider guilt or innocence.
Our purpose is to determine if a rational trier of the fact
could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that the de-
fendant sold a controlled substance as charged. In re-
solving that issue we must view the evidence and all rea-
sonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable
to the Government, remembering, also, the jury’s right
to weigh the evidence, determine the credibility of wit-
nesses, and draw justifiable inferences. Glasser v. United
States, 315 U.S. 60 (1942); United States v. Scher, 476
F.2d 319 (7th Cir. 1973); United States v. Cardi, 478 F.2d

2la

1362 (7th Cir. 1973), cert. dented, 414 U.S. 852 and 414
U.S. 1001; United States v. Isaacs, 493 F.2d 1124 (7th Cir.
1974), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 976.

The Government chemist sufficiently explained the con-
duct of the tests and accounted for the possible variation
in the melting point. That being true, the mixed melting
point test was adequate for identification purposes and the
running of the polarimetry test, as advisable as it may
have been, was not absolutely required. Also, if the mixed
melting point test as run was adequate, there could remain
no need to consider the other alternative, whether or not
l-ecocaine and d-cocaine are chemically equivalent or identi-
eal, but in the circumstances of this case that issue will
also be examined.

Even though the Government’s expert’s foundation for
his opinion that l- and d- cocaine are chemically equivalent
or identical was limited, he was found to be an expert by
the court, and his training and experience justified per-
mitting him to state and explain his opinion. That his
opinion was disputed and contradicted by the defendant’s
expert who stated the contrary as a matter of scientific
fact does not require that the Government expert’s opinion
be totally rejected by this court as a matter of law. The
defendant cites United States v. Cooper, 277 F.2d 857 (5th
Cir. 1960), fer the proposition that an expert may give
his opinion based on assumptions stated by him, but if
those assumptions are not proved, testified to or otherwise
taken to be true, the opinion is to be rejected as worthless.
That was a civil condemnation case where the court held
that one qualified as a hydraulic engineer was not thereby
qualified to state his opinion on the issue of the probability
of the use of certain real estate for a dam within the rea-
sonably near future as might affect the issue of damages.

22a

That expert was recognized only as an expert as to the
practicability of building a dam, not as an expert as to
future real estate values. In the present case the subject
matter was one within the general area of expertise of the
Government expert who testified as to his opinion.

The determination of the qualifications of an expert is
a matter ordinarily left to the discretion of the trial court.
In this case the Government witness was a forensic chem-
ist with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry em-
ployed by the Drug Enforcement Administration for the
last seven years. He testified that he had analyzed sub-
stances over 3600 times. We can find no abuse of discre-
tion by the district court in permitting the Government ex-
pert to testify and state his opinion. That opinion could be
given such weight as the jury might see fit in accordance
with the court’s instructions.

The jury was fully instructed on the consideration, if
any, to be given to the testimony of the experts on the
identification issue.*

3 The court instructed that :
The defendant cannot be convicted of these offenses unless the
Government has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the sub-
stances tested by the Government chemist are a form of cocaine,
that is, either a derivative of coca leaves or a substance chemi-
cally equivalent or identical to such a derivative. There are only
two ways that the Government could meet its burden of proof,
that the substances tested by its chemist fall within the statute;
the first is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the sub-
stances are a derivative of coca leaves. The second is to prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that the substances are chemically
equivalent or identical to a derivative of coca leaves. You may
not speculate as to the identity of these substances. If you have
reasonable doubt that the substances tested by the Government
chemist are a form of cocaine covered by the statute you must
find the defendant not guilty. Similarly, if all the defendant

(Footnote continued)

23a

This whole subject matter was further well explained
and argued to the jury by defense counsel. The jury was
also fully instructed by the trial judge on the defendant’s
theory of the case.* There is no reason to believe that the

(Footnote continued)
(sic) has proven is that the substances are cocaine, without
proving that they are either derivatives of coca leaves or sub-
stances chemically equivalent or identical to such derivatives,

then the Government has not proven its case.
* * *

The jury should consider all of the facts and circumstances and
evidence to determine which of the witnesses are worthy of
greater credence.
. * .

The rules of evidence ordinarily do not permit witnesses to tes-
tify as to opinions or conclusions. An expert witness, however,
is in a separate category. An expert witness is someone who by
education and experience has become expert in some science,
may state an opinion as to relevant and material matters in
which they profess to be an expert, and may also state the rea-
sons for the opinion. Expert witnesses have testified in this
case. In determining what weight you should give to their opin-
ions, you may consider their experience, educational background,
theoretical understanding of the scientific discipline and the
knowledge they have gained through reading authoritative sci-
entific treatises and periodicals.

4 The court further instructed:

It is the defendant's theory of this case that l-cocaine is a deriva-
tive of coca leaves and that d-cocaine is neither a derivative of
coca leaves nor a substance which is chemically identical or
equivalent to a derivative of coca leaves. That d-cocaine and
l-cocaine react differently with the chiral reagents and have dif-
ferent chiral reagents, and have different physiological effects,
and that the only substance which is chemically identical or
equivalent to the I-cocaine, which is a derivative of coca leaves,
is synthetically produced, I-cocaine. It is further his theory that
prior to performing the tests in this case, the Government chem-
ist had no experience in performing a mixed melting point test

(Footnote continued)

24a

jury did not understand the issues and follow the court’s
instructions conscientiously. United States v. Harris, 211
F.2d 656 (7th Cir. 1954), cert. denied, 348 U.S. 822.

What a substance is represented to be by one offering
to sell it in such circumstances is ordinarily entitled to
little or no weight. The defendant in this case at the time
of the first sale represented the white powder to be good
quality cocaine. He then came back to sell a second time
after knowing that the buyer intended to check the pow-
der he had sold him the first time. The defendant repre-
sented the powder to be high quality cocaine and expressed
a strong desire and motivation for future larger sales
based on that representation. The jury, therefore, had
some basis under these circumstances for giving this de-
fendant at least a little credit for knowing what he was
talking about when he represented the powder to be good
quality cocaine.

(Footnote continued)

on substances suspected of being I-cocaine, that he was not pres-
ent when the supposed standard of l-cocaine was received in the
laboratory, and never tested the proposed standard that the
mixed melting point which he obtained was subs:antially higher
than what he would have obtained had the substance which he
tested been cocaine chloral platinate, and that if the substances
which he tested by the mixed melting point were not pure, then
the mixed melting point of the purer substance would have been
even higher than the temperature which he measured. It is
further his theory that the government chemist relied neither on
standard reference spectra nor recognized scientific treatises in
the field of analytic chemistry and that he did not compare his
test results with that which appears in the scientific literature.
If the evidence you have heard in support of the defendant's
theory creates in your mind a reasonable doubt that the tests
performed in this case are specific for a derivative of coca leaves
or a substance which is chemically equivalent or identical to such
a substance, then you must find the defendant not guilty.

—_——

<~ SOs

i ee es

25a
II

FatLure Or GOVERNMENT TO Provipe Derenpant WITH
Certain Documents Cuatmep To Be ExcuLpatory

Before and during trial the defendant sought and was
denied access to certain Drug Enforcement Administra-
tion, internal memoranda which related, among other
things, to the tests necessary for determining whether a
substance represented to be cocaine was an unlawful iso-
mer of cocaine. The existence of these memoranda was
verified during cross-examination and made available to
the trial judge after the jury retired. Otherwise there
were no discovery complaints as the Government followed
an ‘‘open file” policy. Those papers, now a part of the
record, included: (1) an internal general technical re-
search report transmitted between two divisions of the
Drug Enforcement Administration regarding research in-
to an identification of optical isomers of cocaine; (2) a
general internal Drug Enforcement Administration memo-
randum dealing with when, as a matter of general policy,
the Drug Enforcement Administration should perform
special polarimetry tests on cocaine evidence samples; and
(3) a general internal Drug Enforcement Administration
memorandum making lower Drug Enforcement Adminis-
tration officials aware of potential optical isomers issues
in the identification of cocaine evidence. This memoran-
dum included several other general memoranda from vari-
ous attorneys in the Drug Enforcement Administration
and the Justice Department for the purpose of generally
warning personnel within the Drug Enforcement Admin-
istration that the l-d isomer issue might arise in cocaine
prosecutions. None of these allegedly exculpatory memo-
randa were concerned specifically with the appellant’s
prosecution; none were used by attorneys for the Govern-
ment preparing for or trying the case; and none contained
the statements of any witness who testified.

26a

The defendant claims and the Government denies that
the documents were producible under Fed.R.Crim.P. 16.
The Government relies on the exclusion provided in Rule
16(a)(2).° The defendant contends that the exclusion is
not applicable since the papers were not ‘‘made by the
attorney for the government or other governmental agents
in connection with the investigation or prosecution of the
case’’; because the exclusion applies to pretrial, not trial,
disclosures; and because the research report falls within
(a)(1)(D) of the Rule to which (a)(2) does not apply.®

The defendant correctly argues on the basis of United
States v. Nobles, 422 U.S. 225 (1975), that Rule 16 is de-
signed to govern pretrial disclosure, not to constrict a
district court’s control over evidentiary questions arising
during trial. Since the defendant continuously sought dis-

5 Rule 16(a)(2) reads:

(2) Information Not Subject to Disclosure. Except as pro-
vided in paragraphs (A), (B), and (D) of subdivision (a)(1),
this rule does not authorize the discovery or inspection of re-
ports, memoranda, or other internal government documents
made by the attorney for the government or other government
agents in connection with the investigation or prosecution of
the case, or of statements made by government witnesses or
prospective government witnesses except as provided in 18

U.S.C. § 3500.

® Rule 16(a)(1)(D) reads:

(D) Reports of Examinations and Tests. Upon request of
a defendant the government shall permit the defendant to in-
spect and copy or photograph any results or reports of physical
or mental examinations, and of scientific tests or experiments,
or copies thereof, which are 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, and which are material to the
preparation of the defense or are intended for use by the gov-
ernment as evidence in chief at the trial.

27a

closure of the memoranda throughout the trial, the (a) (2)
exclusion is of no avail to the Government. Nor is sub-
section (a)(1)(D) of avail to the defendant since the
memoranda, even if we consider them to be reports of ex-
amination and tests within the language of that subsec-
tion, admittedly were not made in connection with this
ease. The Notes of the Advisory Committee state that
the ‘‘obligation of disclosure applies only to scientific
tests or experiments ‘made in connection with the par-
ticular case.’ ’’ Fed.R.Crim.P. 16, Notes of Advisory Com-
mittee, 1974 Amendment, 18 U.S.C. at 1318 (Supp. V.,
1975). The rule does not compel disclosure.

Since these memoranda did not include the prior state-
ment of any witness who testified, they were not produc-
ible under the Jencks Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3500.

A remaining consideration is the application of Brady
v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), as the memoranda are
claimed by the defendant to be material and exculpatory.
We believe they are neither. The defendant is not entitled
to a reversal unless in the light of all the evidence intro-
duced at trial the unrevealed evidence is material. United
States v. Esposito, 523 F.2d 242 (7th Cir. 1975), cert. de-
nied, 444 U.S.L.W. 3564 (April 5, 1976). The most recent
ease dealing with this subject is United States v. Agurs,
alan U.S. ......., 44 U.S.L.W. 5013 (U.S. June 24, 1976).
The omission to disclose, it is held, in a constitutional
sense must be found to have deprived the defendant of a
fair trial as evaluated in the context of the whole record
before reversal is required The test of materiality, the
Court indicates, may vary according to the circumstances,
but the case is not read as requiring, even in circumstances
where the threshold test of materiality may be low, that
as a matter of constitutional law everything must be dis-
closed which might influence a jury. Evaluating the omis-

28a

sion here in the context of the entire record, we cannot
find that the failure to supply these memoranda, not di-
rectly related to this case, was of such significance that
the defendant was thereby deprived of a fair trial. The
memoranda only evidenced a Government awareness and
concern with the same cocaine isomer issue which the
defendant raised and thoroughly explored at trial. His
defense on that issue was not dependent on the memo-
randa. Every nondisclosure is not material. If this was
error it was harmless. After considering the memoranda
submitted to him at the conclusion of the trial, the trial
judge summed up his view in these terms:

In the context of this case it is apparent that no
substantial deprivation was inflicted upon the defense
by virtue of the failure to produce these documents
during the course of or prior to the trial. The defen-
dant’s attorneys were well versed in the science of
chemistry and were very much aware of the analyses
disclosed by these materials. The defense devoted
lengthy direct and cross-examination to these very
principles and theories. In view of this circumstance
the Court cannot now hold that substantial prejudice
has resulted from the conduct of the government’s
agents and attorneys.

Ill.
INSTRUCTIONS

The defendant concedes that to a large measure his
tendered instructions were given. His first objection, how-
ever, is to the fact that the court permitted the jury, under
the instructions, to consider the Government’s alternate
theory that d-cocaine and |-cocaine were chemically iden-
tical or equivalent, instead of limiting the issue to whether
or not the Government had proven that the powder was
l-cocaine. The basis of this objection is the claim that the

29a

Government’s evidence was insufficient to permit the al-
ternate theory to go to the jury. We find no merit to that
position, and based on evidence we have already dis-
cussed, believe the question was a question of fact prop-
erly left for the jury.

Next, the defendant contends that he was entitled to
an instruction defining the term ‘‘chemical equivalents.”’
The jury was instructed that the Government’s burden
of proof required that the powder be shown to be either
l-cocaine or alternatively d-cocaine, provided d-cocaine
was also shown to be ‘‘chemically equivalent or identical
to l-cocaine.’’ No instruction as to the meaning of the
statutory phrase ‘‘chemically equivalent or identical’’
was given. The defendant urged the giving of an instruc-
tion to the effect that to be chemically equivalent or iden-
tical the substances must not only have the same chemical
formula but the substances must also have the same chem-
ical reaction with other che_sicals. Both the Govern-
ment and defense experts agree in principle with this ex-
planation of the terms. The meaning of the phrase was,
therefore, not in dispute between them, only the result of
its application. Although the statute defines certain other
of its own terms, it offers no definition of this phrase.
None is needed. The terms have a common meaning and
were used in the conventional sense. The similarities or
differences of the two isomers were fully explored in the
evidence and arguments before the jury. As in United
States v. Kramer, 355 F.2d 891 (7th Cir. 1966), partially
vacated and remanded on other grounds, 384 U.S. 100
(1966), in some circumstances an elaboration on the mean-
ing of statutory words may be preferred, but here, as
there, it cannot be said that the instructions were so in-
adequate that the jury could not fairly determine the is-
sue. If it was error not to instrnet on the meaning of these
terms, it also was a harmless error.

30a
IV.

DvuPLicity

Defendant claims that each of the two counts is duplic-
itous in that each charges possession with intent to dis-
tribute, together with the actual distribution of cocaine.
Title 18 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) makes it unlawful to ‘‘dis-
tribute’’ or to ‘‘possess with intent to distribute’’ a con-
trolled substance. The question resulting is whether or
not this is a case of alleging in one count the commission
of multiple acts in violation of the same statutory provi-
sion, or a case of separate and distinct offenses being
alleged in the same count.

‘‘Duplicity’’ is the joining in a single count of two or
more distinct and separate offenses. 1 Wright, Federal
Practice and Procedure, § 142, at 306 (1969 ed.) One of
the vices of duplicity is, as defendant argues, that the
verdict does not reveal whether the jury found the defen-
dant guilty on both or one or the other of the offenses
charged.

The cireuits are not in agreement. The Fourth and
Sixth Cireuits have taken the position that in cases where
a single sale of a controlled substance gives rise to sepa-
rate counts charging possession and sale there is in effect
a merger of the two offenses permitting only one sentence
. upon conviction of both counts. United States v. Atkinson,
512 F.2d 1235 (4th Cir. 1975), petition for cert. filed, 45
U.S.L.W. 3011 (July 12, 1976); United States v. Curry,
512 F.2d 1299 (4th Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 832
(1975); United States v. Stevens, 521 F.2d 334 (6th Cir.
1975). See also United States v. Nichols, 401 F.Supp. 1377
(E.D. Mich. 1975). Therefore, following this reasoning,
to join possession and distribution in one count may not
be duplicitous.

3la

The Fifth Circuit takes another view. Upon conviction
on separate counts of possession with intent to distribute,
and distribution of a controlled substance, each count
stands separately for sentencing purposes. There is no
merger. The ‘‘different evidence’’ test is applied. Con-
victions for separate offenses arising out of the same fac-
tual situation are held to be permissible if the statute pro-
scribing the conduct requires proof of different facts and
elements as to each of the separate offenses. United States
v. Horsley, 519 F.2d 1264 (5th Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 96
S.Ct. 1413 (1976) ; United States v. Costello, 483 F.2d 1366
(5th Cir. 1973). It follows, therefore, that in that circuit
to join possession with intent to distribute and distribu-
tion in one count would be duplicitous.

The Tenth Circuit has also considered the problem. It
has held that it is not duplicitous to charge possession
with intent to distribute together with distribution in one
count since § 841(a)(1) sets forth several ways in which
the statute may be violated, including both distribution
and possession with intent to distribute. Therefore, it is
proper to allege in the conjunctive without the indictment
being duplicitous. United States v. Herbert, 502 F.2d 890
(10th Cir. 1974), cert. denied 420 U.S. 931; Cordova v.
United States, 303 F.2d 454 (10th Cir. 1962). Accord,
United States v. Hobbs, 392 F.Supp. 444 (D.Mass. 1975) ;
United States v. DiLaura, 394 F.Supp. 770 (D.Mass. 1974).

The approach of the Tenth Circuit has been followed
in other statutory situations. United States v. Zeidman,
No. 76-1173 (7th Cir. Aug. 20, 1976); Troutman v. United

States, 100 F.2d 628 (10th Cir. 1938); Joyce v. United

States, 454 F.2d 971 (D.C. Cir. 1971), cert. denied, 405
U.S. 969; United States v. Astolas, 487 F.2d 275 (2d Cir.
1973), cert. denied, 416 U.S. 955.

32a

Former § 4704(a) of Title 26 U.S.C., repealed in 1970,
provided that it was unlawful to purchase, sell, dispense
or distribute a narcotic drug not in or from the original
package bearing tax stamps. The defendant in Turner v.
United States, 396 U.S. 398 (1970), was charged in one
count with purchasing, dispensing and distributing heroin
in violation of that section. Although duplicity was not
directly raised as an issue, the Supreme Court stated that,
‘‘The general rule is that when a jury returns a guilty
verdict on an indictment charging several acts in the con-
junctive ... the verdict stands if the evidence is sufficient
with respect to any one of the acts charged.’’

We see no reason why that general rule should not be
applicable here. The offense charged in each count, pos-
session with intent to distribute and distribution, alleged
in the conjunctive, was statutory language drawn from
the same sentence of subsection (a)(1). We hold that the
counts are not duplicitous.

There being no duplicity found in the charges, none is
found in the instructions.

We affirm.

A true Copy:
Teste:

Clerk of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

33a

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,

v. No. 75-CR-103

CLARK J. UMENTUM,
JOHN OTTO MITTELSTAEDT,
MARILYN JOSETTA PIECHOTA,
CHERYL GIBBONS, and
DAVID ALAN WINKKA,

Defendants.

DECISION and ORDER

The defendants in this action have filed motions to dis-
miss the first two counts of the indictment, to compel the
government to elect between counts and between offenses
within counts, to compel disclosure of exculpatory evi-
dence, for a bill of particulars, and to suppress certain
physical evidence and statements. An evidentiary hear-
ing was held on September 12, 1975, in connection with
the defendants’ motions to suppress as evidence certain
property seized from an automobile; the latter motions
to suppress were denied. The other motions are before

me now for decision.
oO & s

MOTION TO DISMISS OR ELECT

The defendants Umentum a1 Piechota have moved to
dismiss count II of the indictment or, in the alternative,
for an order requiring the government to elect to pursue
one of the two offenses which they contend are charged

34a

in count II. That count charges the defendants with pos-
sessing with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine,
in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The defendants
contend that possessing with intent to distribute and dis-
tributing are separate and distinct offenses, and that count
II is defective for charging both offenses in one connt.

Some statutes are directed against certain defined
modes for accomplishing a general object and impose
criminal penalties upon the doing of any of several speci-
fied things, each having reference to that object. Under
such statute, the doing of the prohibited thing in each and
all of the prohibited modes may be charged in the con-
junctive in one count. Crain v. United States, 162 U.S.
625 (1896) ; United States v. Amick, 439 F.2d 351 (7th Cir.
1971). I believe that 21 U.S.C. § 841 is directed generally
against the process of distributing controlled substances
in this country and that possession with intent to distrib-
ute and distribution itself are only different modes of
violating the statute’s proscriptions. See United States
v. Herbert, 502 F.2d 890 (10th Cir. 1974). Accordingly,
the defendants’ motion to dismiss or elect will be denied.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, It Is Ordered that the motions of the defen-
dants Mittelstaedt, Gibbons, Umentum and Piechota to
dismiss counts I and II of the indictment be and hereby
are denied.

It Is Also Ordered that the motions of the defendants
Mittelstaedt, Gibbons, Umentum and Piechota to dismiss
count I of the indictment be and hereby are denied.

It Is Further Ordered that the motion of the defen-
dants Mittelstaedt and Gibbons to compel the government
to elect between trying count I or count II of the indict-
ment be and hereby is denied.

35a

It Is Further Ordered that the motion of the defen-
dants Umentum and Piechota to dismiss or elect directed
to count II of the indictment be and hereby is denied.

It Is Further Ordered that the motions of the defen-
dants Umentum and Piechota for the disclosure of excul-
patory evidence and for a bill of particulars be and hereby
are denied.

It Is Further Ordered that the motions of the defen-
dants Gibbons and Piechota to suppress as evidence prop-
erty and statements taken from them subsequent to their
arrests be and hereby are denied.

Dated at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this 19 day of Septem-
ber, 1975.

/s/ Myron L. Gordon
U. S. District Judge

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/brief%3Amicro_IA40385004_1074%3A1. Public record. Not legal advice.
