Opinion ID: 769328
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Unadjudicated Offense Evidence

Text: 43 Paul next argues that the prosecution relied upon unadjudicated bad act evidence at trial and at sentencing, in violation of Paul's statutory and constitutional rights. This evidence involves statements by Paul about a possible liquor store robbery. Chris Rogers testified that Paul had given him a gun and talked about using it to rob a liquor store and kill the owners. The government did not produce any other evidence concerning this alleged plan. Paul argues the evidence was inadmissible under Rule 404(b). 44 Rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence prohibits the admission of evidence of the defendant's prior bad acts if the evidence is offered to show that the accused acted in conformity with prior bad acts, but does permit the admission of bad acts if the evidence is offered for a purpose such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Fed. R. Evid. 404(b). We employ a four-factor test for assessing the admissibility of Rule 404(b) evidence. Prior bad act evidence may be admitted if it is (1) relevant to a material issue, (2) proved by a preponderance of the evidence, (3) greater in probative value than prejudicial effect, and (4) similar in kind and close in time to the offense charged. See United States v. Molina, 172 F.3d 1048, 1054 (8th Cir. 1999). Further, [a] district court has broad discretion when deciding whether to admit or exclude prior bad act evidence, and this court will disturb a district court's decision only if we find that the evidence has no bearing on the case. Id. 45 We find the district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing testimony about the plans to rob the liquor store because this evidence was relevant to establish that Paul had access to a gun, as the gun used in the murder was never found. This evidence was also relevant to show Paul's plan to perform a robbery only two weeks before the robbery and murder of Williams, and thus was similar in kind and close in time to the robbery and murder of Williams. Further, Rogers' testimony on this matter was sufficient to prove by a preponderance of the evidence there was a plan to rob a liquor store. 46 Paul also argues this evidence was improperly used as an aggravating factor, because the FDPA requires that an aggravator related to prior criminal activity be based upon a criminal conviction. However, we note that the jury did not find that the attempted liquor store robbery was an aggravating factor. Therefore, any error in using this evidence as an aggravating factor was harmless.