Opinion ID: 677313
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Zarnes' marijuana and cocaine sale to Thomas Nietupski and Nancy Nietupski

Text: 58 Zarnes challenges the admission of Zahm's testimony that in December 1988 she sold marijuana and cocaine to the Nietupskis while they were in California. Zarnes argues that this testimony was irrelevant to the charged conspiracy and used only to show her propensity to deal in drugs. Zarnes cites no rule in support, though ostensibly she relies on Fed.R.Evid. 404(b), which excludes evidence of a defendant's other bad acts to prove she committed the offense at issue. 3 United States v. Soria, 965 F.2d 436, 442 (7th Cir.1992). As the government asserts, however, the sale testimony was not introduced as a bad act under Rule 404(b), but as direct evidence of Zarnes' involvement in the conspiracy. The sale was an integral part of the first meeting between Zarnes and the Nietupskis. The testimony showed how their relationship began, its basis, and structure, and how the relationship blossomed into the charged conspiracy. United States v. Diaz, 994 F.2d 393, 395 (7th Cir.1993). The evidence was intricately related to the conspiracy, and, as such, was admissible without regard to Rule 404(b)'s strictures provided that the testimony's potential for unfair prejudice did not substantially outweigh its probative value. Fed.R.Evid. 403; United States v. Hawkins, 823 F.2d 1020, 1023 (7th Cir.1987); United States v. Sophie, 900 F.2d 1064, 1074 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 843, 111 S.Ct. 124, 112 L.Ed.2d 92 (1990); Diaz, 994 F.2d at 395. Here, the probativeness of Zahm's testimony in showing Zarnes' knowledge of, and participation in, the conspiracy outweighed any prejudicial impact, which arose solely from its tendency to link Zarnes to the conspiracy and was not unfair. United States v. Hargrove, 929 F.2d 316, 320 (7th Cir.1991). The district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing Zahm to testify concerning the December 1988 marijuana and cocaine sale. 59