United States v. Cardales-Luna
632 F.3d 731
| 1st Cir. | 2011Background
- Eight crew on Bolivian-flag Osiris II boarded in international waters; vast search yielded 400 kg cocaine, 25 kg heroin, and a machine gun; Cardales-Luna tried separately and convicted on three MDLEA counts; other crew members faced joint trials with mixed verdicts; Angulo-Hernández affirmed four convictions based on knowledge circumstantial evidence; Cardales-Luna’s defense argued lack of knowledge and no US nexus; record mirrors Angulo-Hernández; district court dismissed gun charge at sentencing.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether evidence proves Cardales-Luna knew drugs were aboard | Cardales-Luna lacked knowledge | Evidence indistinguishable from co-defendants | Yes, sufficient evidence of knowledge |
| Whether Angulo-Hernández controls via stare decisis | Angulo-Hernández should bind this case | Stare decisis limited; government conceded no direct binding | Angulo-Hernández governs; record replicates same facts; upheld conviction |
| Whether MDLEA extends U.S. criminal jurisdiction extraterritorially under Article I | MDLEA valid due to flag/state consent and jurisdiction | MDLEA exceeds Congress’s Article I power | MDLEA jurisdiction constitutional here; consent certification sufficient |
| Whether the Bolivian consent certification proves Osiris II falls under U.S. jurisdiction | Certification incomplete; Leuro-Rosas requirements apply | 1996 amendment makes certification conclusive; no need to detail name/time | Certification sufficient and conclusive under current statute |
Key Cases Cited
- United States v. Angulo-Hernández, 565 F.3d 2 (1st Cir. 2009) (sufficiency of evidence for knowledge of drugs on vessel)
- United States v. Bucci, 582 F.3d 108 (1st Cir. 2009) (precedes discussion of stare decisis in sufficiency context)
- Young v. United States, 315 U.S. 257 (Supreme Court, 1942) (judicial precedents; discretion in applying law)
- Carmell v. Texas, 529 U.S. 513 (Supreme Court, 2000) (binary sufficiency review standard; evidentiary standard)
- Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1979) (standard for reviewing sufficiency of evidence)
- Perez v. Volvo Car Corp., 247 F.3d 303 (1st Cir. 2001) (stare decisis distinction in identical-record cases)
- United States v. Reveron Martinez, 836 F.2d 684 (1st Cir. 1988) (principles of stare decisis in sufficiency reviews)
- United States v. Rodríguez, 527 F.3d 221 (1st Cir. 2008) (limits of stare decisis in fact-specific cases)