Opinion ID: 758092
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of Vaux's marriage to the appellant's aunt

Text: 27 The government offered evidence showing that the appellant importuned Vaux to travel to India and marry one of the appellant's aunts in a sham wedding so that she could come to live in the United States. Because the appellant did not object to the admission of this evidence at trial, we review for plain error. We find none. 28 As a general rule, evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is inadmissible to prove a person's character or action in conformity therewith. See Fed.R.Evid. 404(b). However, such evidence may be admitted for the purpose of providing the context in which the charged crime occurred. United States v. Collins, 90 F.3d 1420, 1428 (9th Cir.1996). The marriage evidence was not offered to show the appellant's character, but Vaux's long-standing relationship with and deep loyalty to the appellant. Vaux had no financial motive for burning the restaurant, so the government sought to prove by this and other evidence that his motive for participating in the arson was his devotion to the appellant. As such, it provided the context in which the charged crime occurred, and the district court did not err in admitting the evidence. See, e.g., id. 29