Opinion ID: 3018995
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of Rowley Testimony

Text: Before trial, Webb objected to allowing Andrea Rowley to testify that he had instructed Victoria Berry to tell Rowley that, “the baby wasn’t his.” The Government 5 claimed that the testimony was actually a coded signal from Webb to Rowley instructing her to tell the police that the guns purchased on May 14 were for her, and not for Webb. The court agreed and overruled the objection because Berry was speaking as Webb’s agent. See Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2)©). We review that ruling for abuse of discretion. Forrest, 424 F.3d at 349. We agree that the testimony was an adoptive admission, and therefore admissible under Rule 801(d)(2)©). Moreover, any error would have been harmless in light of the substantial evidence that was presented to the jury. Accordingly, this issue is without merit.