Opinion ID: 773857
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Statements Regarding Secret Indictments

Text: 31 Jones also contends that a video tape shown to the jury in which secret indictments were discussed was not relevant to the pending charges. He argues that the video tape was prejudicial and should have been excluded pursuant to Fed. R. Evid. 404(b). Jones makes the same argument with respect to the testimony of Officer Cornman, in which she stated that Jones had told her that he was concerned about secret indictments coming down. 32 The government argues that the specific grounds for the objection to this evidence were not made at trial, and that the evidentiary ruling is therefore entitled to plain error review. Having reviewed the trial transcript, the Court finds that defense counsel never made clear the grounds for the objection to this evidence. As such, plain error review is appropriate in this case. United States v. Swanson, 9 F.3d 1354, 1357 (8th Cir. 1993); United States v. Helmel, 769 F.2d 1306, 1316-17 (8th Cir. 1985). Under the plain error standard, we will reverse the district court only if the error prejudices the substantial rights of the defendant, and would result in a miscarriage of justice. Id. The Court cannot find that any such error occurred in this case. 33 Throughout the course of the entire trial, secret indictments were only mentioned twice: once by Jones, during a tape recorded phone call; and once by Officer Cornman in testifying about the call. These two minor references did not prejudice the substantial rights of Jones, and if error at all, were harmless. 34