Opinion ID: 532146
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of the Food Stamp Redemption Card

Text: 36 Finally, Benefield alleges that the district court improperly admitted into evidence a food stamp redemption card that purported to show a redemption of food stamp coupons for cash. Benefield argues that the redemption card constituted hearsay not within an exception which should have been excluded. Appellant's brief at 24-25. 37 Without deciding whether Benefield's claim that the card constituted inadmissible hearsay is correct, we find that any error committed by the district court was harmless. The food stamp redemption card was introduced to show that immediately after the alleged purchase of food stamps, someone from RMB had deposited $355 in food stamp coupons--an amount greater than the $300 alleged to have been illegally purchased there. Benefield admitted that this was true. 7 Thus, since the substance of the redemption card was before the jury, any error in admitting it was harmless. See United States v. Hay, 527 F.2d 990, 997 (5th Cir.) 8 (any error in admitting bank records made harmless by defendant's admission of facts contained in record), cert. denied, 425 U.S. 935, 96 S.Ct. 1666, 48 L.Ed.2d 176 (1975). 38 For the foregoing reasons, the conviction is AFFIRMED.