UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Robert MURRAY, James Moore, and Susan Watson, Defendants-Appellants

Pursuant to the second superseding indictment filed June 10, 1983, defendants Robert A. Murray (“Murray”), Susan Watson (“Watson”), and James A. Moore (“Moore”) were charged with conspiracy to conceal assets in bankruptcy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 , 152 (1982) (“Count I”). Murray and Moore were individually charged with knowingly and fraudulently transferring and concealing assets from a trustee in bankruptcy to defraud creditors, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152 (“Count II, Count III, and Count IV”). Murray was also indicted for destroying documents pertaining to the property and affairs of the bankrupt, Sun Stereo, Inc. (“SSI”), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152 (“Count V”); obstructing justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1503 (“Count VII”); and obstructing a criminal investigation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1510 (1982), (“Count VI”).

The defendants were tried before a jury. Murray was convicted on all counts charged and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and five years’ probation. Moore was convicted on Count I and Count IV and received a probationary sentence. Watson was convicted on Count I and was also placed on probation.

On appeal, Murray contends that the…