Opinion ID: 513484
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Sexual Abuse of Mrs. Blades.

Text: 26 Federal Rule of Evidence 403 provides that a district court may exclude relevant evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Fed.R.Evid. 403. The district judge is given wide latitude in determining the admissibility of evidence under this standard. See United States v. Layton, 767 F.2d 549, 554 (9th Cir.1985). In this case, the district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the evidence of Kinslow's sexual assault upon Mrs. Blades to be admitted at trial. 27 The evidence regarding Kinslow's assault upon Mrs. Blades was probative of material matters in this case. It served to establish Kinslow's need to exercise power over the females in the Blades family and it provided evidence of Kinslow's orientation and intent under count six. See United States v. Sangrey, 586 F.2d 1312, 1315 (9th Cir.1978) (testimony that defendant raped another girl immediately before committing the charged rape admissible to show intent). 28 We do not find this evidence to have been so unfairly prejudicial that, despite its probative value, its admission was reversible error. It appears from this record as a whole and from Kinslow's motion in limine that the district judge adequately weighed the probative value and prejudicial effect of this evidence. See Sangrey, 586 F.2d at 1315 (court need not make explicit statement of balancing process where defense counsel argued the issue of prejudice in a motion in limine and court rejected it). The judge's decision to admit the evidence was within his broad discretion. 29