Opinion ID: 688740
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of Williams and Reed

Text: 13 Bright next argues that the testimony of Alfred Williams and Shirley Reed should not have been admitted at trial. Both testified that they purchased cocaine from Bright. Williams testified that he bought cocaine from Bright probably over a hundred times during 1992 and 1993, and Reed testified that she bought cocaine from Bright on a monthly basis during 1991. Bright was charged with conspiracy to distribute and knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute cocaine base from March 1992 to April 1993. He argues that because Williams' and Reed's testimony involves acts before the start of the charged conspiracy, it was inadmissible under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b). Rule 404(b) provides that 14 Evidence of other crimes, wrongs or acts is not admissible to prove a character of a person in order to show action in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. 15 The district court found that the testimony of Williams and Reed was admissible under Rule 404(b) because it showed knowledge and intent, and the court gave a limiting instruction to the jury admonishing it only to consider the testimony for that purpose. Tr. at 210-211. 16 We would normally review this ruling under an abuse of discretion standard. See, e.g., United States v. Koen, 982 F.2d 1101, 1116 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. Connelly, 874 F.2d 412, 415 (7th Cir.1989). However, we must first consider the government's argument that the defendant has waived his right to raise this issue because he failed to object to the testimony at trial. Bright admits that he failed to object to the testimony at trial, raising it only in his post-trial motion for a new trial. Raising the issue in his post-trial motion does not cure his waiver of the objection by failing to raise it at trial. United States v. Huels, 31 F.3d 476, 479 n. 1 (7th Cir.1994). Therefore, we review the district court's decision for plain error only. Id. 17 This court has established a four part test governing the admission of evidence under Rule 404(b). We must consider whether (1) the evidence is directed toward establishing a matter in issue other than the defendants' propensity to commit the crime charged; (2) the evidence shows that the other act is similar enough and close in time to be relevant to the matter in issue; (3) there is sufficient evidence to support a finding by the jury that the defendants committed the similar act; and (4) the probative value of the evidence is not outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. See, e.g., United States v. Levy, 955 F.2d 1098, 1102 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 102, 121 L.Ed.2d 62 (1992); United States v. Sullivan, 911 F.2d 2, 6 (7th Cir.1990). 18 The district court instructed the jury that the testimony of Reed and Williams was offered not to show propensity, but to show knowledge and intent. We do not find that conclusion to be plain error. Evidence of prior bad acts that occurred before the start of the conspiracy is admissible in this Circuit to establish specific intent, even if the defendant concedes intent, if the evidence satisfies other conditions of admissibility. United States v. Brown, 34 F.3d 569, 573 (7th Cir.1994). Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine is a specific intent crime. United States v. Mounts, 35 F.3d 1208, 1215 (7th Cir.1994). Thus the evidence is directed toward establishing an issue other than propensity and the first prong of the test is met. 19 The second and third parts of the test are also satisfied. The acts to which Reed and Williams testified were drug sales by Bright within a year of the official start of the conspiracy. These acts were substantially similar to the charged crimes and were close enough in time to be relevant to this case. See, e.g., Mounts, 35 F.3d at 1214 (attempted purchase of small amount of cocaine seven years before conspiracy was sufficiently similar and immediate under 404(b)). Further, both Williams and Reed testified to their personal, direct experiences with Bright, and their testimony is sufficient to support a finding by the jury that Bright did actually make these prior sales. 20 Finally, we find that the district court did not abuse its broad discretion in concluding that the probative value of the evidence was not outweighed by the prejudice to Bright. Drug sales taking place within a year before and during the conspiracy are probative of Bright's knowledge and specific intent to sell cocaine. Moreover, the district court gave a careful limiting instruction immediately after the questioned testimony, which cured any possible prejudice to Bright. See Mounts, 35 F.3d at 1215; United States v. Rivera, 6 F.3d 431, 444 (7th Cir.1993), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 1098, 127 L.Ed.2d 411 (1994). As a reviewing court we accord the trial court's assessment of the relative probative value and unfair prejudice great deference. United States v. Koen, 982 F.2d 1101, 1116 (7th Cir.1992). We thus find that the district court did not commit plain error in allowing the testimony of Williams and Reed. In any event, Williams' purchases covered the period of the charged conspiracy and were in all probability admissible as directly relevant to the charges. The same might even be said of Reed's testimony, even though it covered a period slightly outside the precise parameters of the conspiracy as charged in the indictment.