Opinion ID: 50585
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Classification: Extrinsic or Intrinsic?

Text: 25 Our first inquiry is whether Kingsley's testimony regarding the evidence of Sumlin's drug transporting is extrinsic or intrinsic. Evidence of an act is intrinsic when it and evidence of the crime charged are inextricably intertwined, or both acts are part of a single criminal episode, or it was a necessary preliminary to the crime charged. United States v. Freeman, 434 F.3d 369, 374 (5th Cir.2005). 26 We conclude that Sergeant Kingsley's testimony regarding his own unfounded suspicion that Sumlin was a drug transporter is extrinsic evidence. The facts of this case bear a striking similarity to those present in Ridlehuber, 11 F.3d at 516. Ridlehuber was convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. During a search of Ridlehuber's home, which was leased in his father's name, the police found the illegal gun in question, as well as materials commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine. 6 This court held that the evidence of the alleged drug activity was extrinsic. As it explained: 27 The connection here between the offense charged in the indictment and evidence of the uncharged offense is not so clear. We cannot say . . . that the drug-related evidence arose out of the weapons charge . . . The problem is that the government did not prove the existence of a drug lab —it did not have sufficient evidence to do so. If the proof were reversed and Ridlehuber was charged with and convicted of running a drug lab, with the shotgun admitted over objection, the result might be different. Under that scenario, the sawed-off shotgun—a weapon commonly found in illegal drug labs—might fairly be characterized as intrinsic evidence since possession of the gun could be said to arise out of the same transaction as the offense charged. But the government did not charge Ridlehuber with running a drug lab and the evidence adduced at trial did not prove the existence of a clandestine lab. . . Furthermore, this is not a situation in which the other acts evidence falls outside of Rule 404(b)'s purview because the evidence of the charged and uncharged offenses both were part of a single criminal episode. The only criminal episode proven here was possession of a short-barreled shotgun. The rest is conjecture. 28 Id. at 521-22 (emphasis added) (citations omitted). 29 In the case at bar, the government did not prove that Sumlin was transporting drugs. First of all, the only evidence of any drugs whatsoever was the one untested cigarette found in Sumlin's ashtray that allegedly contained marijuana but was never tested in a laboratory to determine its contents. Thus it is questionable as to whether he possessed a controlled substance. Further, nowhere was it alleged or proven that Sumlin had any intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense any controlled substance, as required by drug transportation statutes. See e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 841 et seq. Also the government never charged Sumlin with transporting drugs, and the evidence adduced at trial did not prove that he was doing so. 30 Further, this is not a situation in which the other acts evidence falls outside of Rule 404(b)'s purview because the evidence of the charged and uncharged offenses were both part of a single criminal episode. The testimony discussed events far beyond the time period relevant to Sumlin's possession of the firearm. The officer provided testimony regarding his continued search for drugs and attempts to elicit admissions from the defendant some time after the gun was already found and the defendant had already been sent to jail. The only criminal episode proven in Sumlin's case is possession of a firearm by a felon; the rest is conjecture and irrelevant. We conclude that any evidence regarding the arresting officer's suspicion of Sumlin's drug transportation is extrinsic.