Opinion ID: 761049
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Hearsay Statements of Lee

Text: 33 Ellick argues that the district court wrongly denied his motion in limine to exclude statements made by Christopher Lee to interviewing officers, and that these hearsay statements were improperly introduced at trial. This claim is without merit. Contrary to Ellick's assertion in his opening brief, Agent Woodson did not testify at trial to the details of his interviews with Lee. Ellick points to only one hearsay statement by Lee which was admitted at trial: Lee's corroboration of Ellick's statement about a supposed debt to Lee. 2 Ellick's attorney did not object to the admission of this statement and therefore we review its admission only for plain error. See United States v. Cass, 127 F.3d 1218, 1225 (10th Cir.1997). 34 Ellick's claim fails because he cannot show an obvious and substantial error which deprived him of the right to a fair and impartial trial. See United States v. Nieto, 60 F.3d 1464, 1467 (10th Cir.1995). The challenged statement was only a small piece of corroborating evidence presented in the context of overwhelming evidence of guilt, including Ellick's own admissions. It did not affect the fairness of the trial in any substantial way. 35 In his reply brief, Ellick appears to contest the admission of hearsay before the grand jury. This argument was not raised in his opening brief and we therefore will not consider it. See State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Mhoon, 31 F.3d 979, 984 n. 7 (10th Cir.1994).