Opinion ID: 1363108
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Container with Methamphetamine

Text: The district court also admitted into evidence a vial Ball used for personal-use amounts of methamphetamine, which Agent Wymer found during the vehicle search incident to Ball's arrest. Ball argues the vial had no identifying markings; therefore, Agent Wymer could not positively identify the vial as belonging to Ball. Under Federal Rule of Evidence 901, before evidence can be admitted, it must be authenticated or identified. Rule 901 is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims. Fed. R.Evid. 901(a). Agent Wymer's identification of the vial and his testimony that he found the vial during the passenger compartment search of Ball's vehicle easily satisfies the requirements of Rule 901. See United States v. Hyles, 479 F.3d 958, 968 (8th Cir.2007) (holding under the Rule 901 standard, the party `need only demonstrate a rational basis for its claim that the evidence is what the proponent asserts it to be' (quoting United States v. Coohey, 11 F.3d 97, 99 (8th Cir.1993))).