United States v. Gaines, No. 16-3649 (8th Cir. 2017)
Annotate this CaseThe Eighth Circuit affirmed defendant's conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by admitting gang-related evidence to establish why officers were present, the steps they took, and the reasoning that they had. The evidence also established defendant's motive and intent. The court also held that the evidence was sufficient to establish that defendant knowingly possessed the firearm.
Court Description: Riley, Author, with Gruender, Circuit Judge, and Schreier, District Judge] Criminal case - Criminal law. Evidence was sufficient to support defendant's felon-in-possession conviction; evidence of defendant's gang membership was relevant to show why officers were present and took the actions they did and to establish defendant's motive and intent; brief expert testimony sharing only well-known generalities about gangs' involvement in illegal activities did not tip the scales so much as to constitute an abuse of discretion or unfair prejudice.
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