Opinion ID: 174524
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Allen challenges the sufficiency of the evidence with respect to his motion for mistrial and his motion for acquittal concerning his convictions for possession and conspiracy to possess. The denial of a motion for acquittal is reviewed de novo to ascertain, “whether after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” United States v. Garrido, 467 F.3d 971, 984 (6th Cir. 2006) (quoting Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319 (1979)) (emphasis in original).1 To show a drug conspiracy, the government must prove the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt: “(1) an agreement to violate drug laws, (2) knowledge and intent to join the conspiracy, and (3) participation in the conspiracy.” United States v. Welch, 97 F.3d 142, 148-49 (6th Cir. 1996). The evidence that the defendant agreed to join a conspiracy to violate the drug laws “need only be slight.” United States v. Hodges, 935 F.2d 766, 773 (6th Cir. 1991). To show possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, the government must prove that: (1) the defendant knowingly, (2) possessed a controlled substance, (3) with intent to distribute. United States v. Coffee, 434 F.3d 887, 897 (6th Cir. 2006). There was sufficient evidence for a rational trier of fact to convict Allen on all counts. The jury heard evidence that Allen admitted that he and Bush had spent the day together, that Bush was initially driving an Oldsmobile, but that they rented another 1 The denial of a motion for mistrial is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. United States v. Wimbley, 553 F.3d 455, 460 (6th Cir. 2009). Allen cites Wimbley, but does not elaborate where or how the district court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial. Therefore, we find that this issue is waived. United States v. Roach, 502 F.3d 425, 442 (6th Cir. 2007) (noting that claims the proponent fails to develop arguments in support of are deemed waived); see also United States v. Watkins, 179 F.3d 489, 500-01 (6th Cir. 1999) (noting that the appellant has a “duty to point to the parts of the record that support his position and also to present arguments in sufficient detail to show how they support his position”). Similarly, Allen does not challenge his convictions stemming from Counts Three or Four; therefore, we find that any argument based on the sufficiency of the evidence to support these convictions is also waived. No. 08-6363 United States v. Allen Page 4 vehicle and were driving that vehicle when arrested. They also heard that Allen had told Agent Healy that Bush got a phone call, and that Allen believed Bush went upstairs to get some crack cocaine before they left in the rental car. They heard that Allen and Bush were members, “OGs” or Original Gangsters, in the Athens Park Blood Gang, and were engaged in drug dealing together. Agent Healy also testified that Allen told him that Bush gave him the gun and the drugs prior to the stop and told him to get rid of them. In response, Allen said that he slid the gun under the car and put the drugs in his pocket. Officer Mayweather testified that he saw Allen open the passenger door and make movements consistent with throwing something away. Agent Hennessee testified, and the defendant stipulated, that eight grams of crack cocaine is a distribution amount. Agent Hennessee also said that drug traffickers often use rental cars to prevent detection, and that drug traffickers do not ask uninvolved individuals to participate in their drug trafficking endeavors. Allen essentially requests that we ignore the evidence presented against him at trial and interpret the video as, “clear . . . evidence that Goodine planted the drugs . . . .” (Appellant Br. at 19.) The district court found – correctly – at trial that: “[t]he video alone is . . . inconclusive as to the source of the bag of cocaine.” (R. 113 at 261). To now interpret it as Allen desires is a far cry from viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution. Clearly a rational juror could have concluded that Allen committed each of the essential elements of the crimes for which he was convicted, and that Officer Goodine did not plant the crack cocaine. Consequently, there was sufficient evidence to support the denial of the motion for acquittal.