Two summary orders of interest: In United States v. McDarrah, No. 07-1849-cr (2d Cir. November 5, 2009), a child enticement case, the district court admitted opinion testimony from an FBI agent that was improper in two ways. First, the agent used “we” to preface one of his opinions, which suggested that the opinion was based … Read more
United States v. Byors, No. 08-4811-cr (2d Cir. October 29, 2009) (Cabranes, Livingston, CJJ, Korman, DJ) Defendant, while ostensibly raising money for a Vermont marble quarry, made material misrepresentations to his investors. He also converted substantial amounts of their money to pay for his personal expenses, including vacation homes, cars and horses. He pled guilty … Read more
United States v. Jackson, No. 08-5151-cr (2d Cir. 2009) (McLaughlin, Katzmann, CJJ, Korman, DJ) Here, the circuit concluded that erroneous introduction of prejudicial “other acts” evidence required a new trial. The Facts Police officers responding to a “shots fired” call in Queens encountered Jackson and others outside the target apartment building. Jackson fled, and has … Read more
Two more summary orders of interest: In United States v. Howard, No. 08-0944-cr (2d Cir. October 26, 2009), the court, when considering the denial of a motion to suppress wiretap evidence, questioned whether the district court correctly rejected without a hearing the defendant’s claim that the government illegally began tapping his phone before it obtained … Read more
United States v. Wright, No 08-0322-cr (2d Cir. October 19, 2009) (Jacobs, McLaughlin, Parker, CJJ) Here, the circuit held that the admission of defendant McCallum’s two prior drug convictions – which it termed “propensity evidence in sheep’s clothing” – during his federal crack trafficking trial was an abuse of discretion. It also found the error … Read more
Here are the two most recent PC’s. In United States v. Bell, No. 08-5506-cr (2d Cir. October 20, 2009) (Miner, Cabranes, CJJ, Rakoff, DJ) (per curiam), the court reversed the district court’s grant of a new trial under F.R.Cr.P. 33 and remanded the case for sentencing. After the defendant was convicted of attempted murder of … Read more
United States v. Rigas, No. 08-3485-cr (2d Cir. October 5, 2009) (Feinberg, Winter, Cabranes, CJJ) When we last heard about the Rigas père et fils – former senior officers at Adelphia Communications who were convicted of conspiracy, securities, wire and bank fraud – the circuit affirmed the majority of their convictions, but reversed a single … Read more
Here’s a fairly large crop of summary orders of interest. In United States v. Smith, No. 07-5740-cr (2d Cir. October 8, 2009), the court agreed that it was error to admit a picture of the defendant’s tattoo – which depicted the skull, arms and ribcage of a skeleton firing a weapon – in a homicide … Read more
United States v. Young, No. 07-2729-cr (2d Cir. October 8, 2009) (Jacobs, Walker, Leval, CJJ) Defendant Laval Farmer was a member of the Bloods street gang, charged with a 2001 gang-related murder and and 2002 gang-related attempted murder, along with various associated firearms offenses. At least three years before the charged offenses he acquired the … Read more
United States v. Carreto, No. 06-2295-cr (2d Cir. October 8, 2009)(Parker, Livingson, CJJ, Chin, DJ) Three defendants were charged with various offenses relating to a scheme in which young women were smuggled into the United States from Mexico and forced to engage in prostitution. Soon after they were indicted, the government offered a “global” plea … Read more