COCAINE CONVICTIONS ARE REINSTATED

San Francisco-- The cocaine convictions of the alleged leader of an Oakland
drug gang and four of his colleagues, overturned by a federal judge because
of jury misconduct, were reinstated Thursday by a federal appeals court.

A juror's reported comment during deliberations that he believed the leader
of an associated gang had killed a government witness had little to do with
the charges against Anthony Flowers and his codefendants, said the U.S. 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals.

Flowers was convicted in December 1996 of conspiracy to distribute more than
11 pounds of cocaine between January and August 1994. Four other men also
were convicted.

After the convictions, the jury was supposed to hear other charges,
including an accusation that Flowers operated a continuing criminal
enterprise, the "drug kingpin" law punishable by 20 years to life in prison.
But the jury was dismissed because some jurors had read a newspaper story of
post-verdict comments by U.S. Attorney Michael Yamaguchi saying homicides in
Oakland had fallen after Flowers and his codefendants were arrested.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett