Opinion ID: 729668
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of the Narcotics-Related Evidence

Text: 18 Lewis maintains that the government's evidence was not sufficient to establish that he possessed crack cocaine (and, consequently, that he used a gun in connection with a narcotics trafficking offense). He focuses on certain gaps and inconsistencies in the testimony concerning the cocaine and what happened to it after it was found in his jacket at the hospital. He wonders, for example, why the bag of cocaine was not discovered during previous pat-downs at the scene of his arrest. He points out that although crack cocaine is a hardened form of the drug, Officer Vukovich described what she took into her possession at the hospital as a white, powdery substance. He notes further that the packaging of the cocaine as it was found on his person was different from the packaging Vukovich described at trial. 19 Lewis did not seek a judgment of acquittal based on this purported insufficiency of the evidence at the close of the government's case, at the close of all evidence, or within seven days after the discharge of the jury, as prescribed by FED. R. CRIM. P. 29. Consequently, he has waived the sufficiency argument for purposes of appeal unless a miscarriage of justice will otherwise result. E.g., United States v. Copus, 93 F.3d 269, 271 (7th Cir.1996). This case does not present that possibility. Certainly the questions Lewis has raised would have been appropriate matters for cross-examination and closing argument below, but they do not raise serious questions as to the jury's verdict. Detective Vukovich outlined the chain of custody from seizure of the cocaine at the hospital, to presentation of the substance to an unnamed detective for testing, to sealing of the cocaine and the original packing materials after testing. Tr. 125-29. She described what she observed at the hospital as a powdery substance, not powder. Tr. 125. Any differences between the packaging of the cocaine as found in Lewis' pants and as presented at trial are likely explained by the testing and sequestration processes. In any event, there is nothing before us affirmatively suggesting that the evidence was either tampered with or fabricated.