United States v. Mohammad Taghipour

Mohammad Taghipour was convicted by a jury of one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and one count of distribution of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 (a)(1). He appeals the district court’s decision to allow unredacted transcripts into evidence and into the jury room during deliberations, and the district court’s decision not to compel the government to turn over two audio tapes. We affirm.

I

On January 28, 1991, the government arrested Vahid Khabbazbashy after he tried to sell heroin to an undercover agent. Khabbazbashy was indicted for the sale. He agreed to cooperate with the government, acting as a confidential informant.

On the same day, Khabbazbashy told the government that Taghipour was dealing heroin. Acting for the DEA, the informant called Taghipour to arrange for a buy from him. Conversations between the informant, an undercover agent acting as a buyer, and Taghipour resulted in an agreement for a purchase of heroin.

The next day, January 24, the three parties again spoke by telephone and agreed to meet later that day to consummate the sale. The conversations between the informant, the agent, and the defendant, part in Farsi and part in…