United States v. Chaplain, No. 16-2985 (8th Cir. 2017)
Annotate this CaseThe Eighth Circuit affirmed defendant's conviction of seven counts of interfering with commerce by means of Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court held that the evidence was sufficient to demonstrate that defendant's actions obstructed, delayed, or affected commerce in some way or to some degree. Defendant abandoned his challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence for the firearm charges and the jury instructions because his brief did not support his assertions with any argument.
Court Description: Beam, Author, with Riley and Shepherd, Circuit Judges] Criminal case - Criminal law. The evidence was sufficient to support defendant's Hobbs Act convictions as it showed his actions in robbing various businesses obstructed, delayed or affected commerce; defendant's brief fails to address his assertion that the evidence was insufficient to support his firearms convictions and the issue is abandoned; similarly, defendant failed to argue his contention that the Hobbs Act instruction was erroneous, and this issue is abandoned.
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