Opinion ID: 170789
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: A jury convicted Rico Yarbrough of obstructing an official proceeding, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2), conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(k), and providing unlawful notice of a search or seizure warrant, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2232(c). On appeal, Yarbrough asserts the district court erred in (1) refusing to suppress information obtained through a wiretap, (2) refusing to give the jury an entrapment instruction, (3) refusing to admit at trial evidence of his good character and law-abiding nature, and (4) enhancing his sentence by reference to conduct for which he was acquitted. Although the district court correctly admitted the disputed wiretap evidence and properly refused to instruct the jury on the issue of entrapment, it committed reversible error when it excluded Yarbrough's proffered character evidence. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, this court reverses Yarbrough's conviction and remands to the district court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. [1]