Filed: Aug. 08, 2003
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT August 8, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 02-50442 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus VICTOR GIBBS, also known as Bossman, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. EP-00-CR-2084-12-DB - Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Victor Gibbs, also kn
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT August 8, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 02-50442 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus VICTOR GIBBS, also known as Bossman, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. EP-00-CR-2084-12-DB - Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Victor Gibbs, also kno..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT August 8, 2003
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 02-50442
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
VICTOR GIBBS, also known as Bossman,
Defendant-Appellant.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Texas
USDC No. EP-00-CR-2084-12-DB
--------------------
Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Victor Gibbs, also known as Bossman, appeals his conviction
after a jury trial of conspiring to possess with intent to
distribute 1000 kilograms or more of a mixture or substance
containing a detectable amount of marijuana and conspiring to
launder monetary instruments, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841,
846 and 18 U.S.C. § 1956.
Gibbs argues that the district court erred when it allowed
lay witness testimony by Richard Seabrooks regarding whether
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined
that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent
except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.
R. 47.5.4.
No. 02-50442
-2-
Gibbs’ voice, heard on an exemplar recorded by law enforcement
agents, was the voice of “Bossman,” who spoke only through wire
tap tapes and whose conspiracy involvement is undisputed.
Seabrooks was familiar with Gibbs’ voice through prior dealings
with Gibbs. His testimony was limited to opinions and/or
inferences that were rationally based on his own perception, his
testimony was helpful to a clear understanding of a fact in
issue, i.e. whether Gibbs was, in fact, “Bossman,” and his
testimony was not based on scientific, technical, or other
specialized knowledge within the scope of FED. R. EVID. Rule 702,
testimony by experts. Therefore, Seabrooks’ testimony did not
run afoul of FED. R. EVID. 701. Moreover, the rules of evidence
allow voice identification “by opinion based upon hearing the
voice at any time under circumstances connecting it with the
alleged speaker.” FED. R. EVID. 901(b)(5). Seabrooks’ voice
identification was provided after Seabrooks’ familiarity with
Gibbs’ voice was established. Therefore, his opinion was
admissible, and arguments regarding the testimony go to the
testimony’s weight, not admissibility. See United States v.
Lampton,
158 F.3d 251, 259 (5th Cir. 1998).
Gibbs also argues that Seabrooks’ identification testimony
violates due process because the identification procedure was
impermissibly suggestive and presented a substantial likelihood
of misidentification because Seabrooks was an FBI agent.
However, the jury did not learn that Seabrooks was an FBI agent,
No. 02-50442
-3-
and there is nothing inherently suspect regarding an in-court
voice identification by an FBI agent whose testimony otherwise
complies with the Federal Rules of Evidence. Although Seabrooks’
in-court identification was made approximately nine years after
Seabrooks heard Gibbs’ voice, this fact was elicited from
Seabrooks during cross-examination and thus was available for the
jury to consider.
Additionally, during the trial, the exemplar and numerous
wiretap recordings were played for the jury, and the recordings
were admitted into evidence. The jurors were free to evaluate
the similarity of Bossman’s voice and Gibbs’ voice and use their
opinion to assess Seabrooks’ testimony. Therefore, Seabrooks’
testimony did not violate Gibbs’ due process rights. See, e.g.,
Neil v. Biggers,
409 U.S. 188, 199 (1972) (analyzing totality of
circumstances to evaluate due process concerns raised by
identification testimony). Based on the foregoing, the district
court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted Seabrooks’
testimony. See United States v. Virgen-Moreno,
265 F.3d 276, 295
(5th Cir. 2001).
Gibbs argues that the voice identification evidence is
insufficient to support the verdict. It was for the jury to
determine the weight to accord Seabrooks’ voice identification
testimony. United States v. Cuesta,
597 F.2d 903, 915 (5th Cir.
1979). Additionally, the jury heard the exemplar and numerous
wiretap phone conversations in which Bossman spoke, and the
No. 02-50442
-4-
recordings were admitted into evidence. Thus, the jury was free
to make its own determination whether the voice on the exemplar
and the wiretap phone conversations belonged to the same man.
This court does not substitute its opinion for that of the jury
in a sufficiency review. See United States v. Landerman,
109
F.3d 1053, 1066 (5th Cir. 1997). Based on the foregoing, a
reasonable jury could find that the evidence established Gibbs’
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Gonzalez-
Rodriguez,
966 F.2d 918, 920 (5th Cir. 1992).
Gibbs also argues that the district court erred when it
determined that he was an organizer or leader of criminal
activity and added four levels to his base offense level pursuant
to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(a). While Gibbs argues that the presentence
report (PSR) contains only conclusional statements regarding his
role, Gibbs fails to identify any PSR paragraph that sets forth
erroneous facts. Contrary to Gibbs’ argument, the PSR contains
numerous uncontested facts that indicate the adjustment was
warranted. Therefore, the district court did not err when it
concluded that Gibbs was an organizer or leader of a conspiracy
involving five or more participants and sentenced Gibbs
accordingly. See United States v. West,
58 F.3d 133, 138 (5th
Cir. 1995).
The judgment of the district court is therefore AFFIRMED.