Opinion ID: 205890
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Allegedly Hearsay Evidence

Text: Similarly, the trial court did not err in admitting evidence of the burglary through Deputy Whitaker's testimony. Because Orr did not object to the evidence's introduction at trial, we need only review the district court's admission of the testimony for plain error. United States v. Richardson, 537 F.3d 951, 959 (8th Cir. 2008). As we have observed, an out-of-court statement is not offered for the truth of the matter asserted, and is thus not hearsay, when it is offered merely to show why police began surveilling an area or following a criminal suspect. Parish, 606 F.3d at 487-88. The government offered Deputy Whitaker's testimony regarding the burglary only as background to explain why police initiated their investigation of Orr. Thus, the statement was not inadmissible hearsay because it was not offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted, i.e. that a house was in fact burglarized. Accordingly, the trial court did not plainly err in allowing Deputy Whitaker's testimony.