United States v. Edward Rodriguez, A/K/A Rick, Thomas J. Albernaz, Peter Smigowski, and William John Martins

ALVIN B. RUBIN, Circuit Judge:

The appellants challenge their convictions on both counts of a two count indictment charging conspiracy to import marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 952, and a conspiracy to distribute marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841,1 alleging that some twenty different errors were committed below. Their cavalcade of contentions marches against a background of dramatic events narrated by the government witnesses. A full panorama would be fitting material for a novelist but redundant to this opinion so we recount only so much as appears essential for decision.

I

During…