Opinion ID: 475514
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Market Value of the Stolen School Books

Text: 14 Appellants' second contention is that the government failed to prove that the school books contained in the stolen tractor-trailer truck exceeded the $5,000 market value necessary to meet the jurisdictional requirements of 18 U.S.C. Secs. 2314 and 2315. Appellants argue that the government failed to meet its burden of proving market value because no testimony was admitted into evidence placing a specific value on the books. Considering, as we must, the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury's verdict, see United States v. Bell, 678 F.2d 547, 549 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982) (en banc), aff'd, 462 U.S. 356, 103 S.Ct. 2398, 76 L.Ed.2d 638 (1983), we conclude that sufficient evidence was available for the jury reasonably to infer that the market value of the books exceeded $5,000. 15 The principal prosecution witness on the value of the stolen merchandise was Jack Henretta, an officer of the company that owned the stolen truck. Henretta was prevented from testifying as to the specific market value of the books when the court upheld defense objections based on Henretta's unfamiliarity with the merchandise. Henretta's testimony established, however, that this particular load of books was valued for insurance purposes for more than $15,000. He explained that in determining the value of a load of merchandise, the company looked to the actual costs paid by the shipper. Such evidence of valuation for insurance purposes may in itself constitute sufficient evidence from which the jury might reasonably infer a value of $5,000. See United States v. Tobin, 576 F.2d 687, 693 (5th Cir.1978); United States v. Wigerman, 549 F.2d 1192, 1193 (8th Cir.1977); cf. United States v. Highfill, 340 F.Supp. 105, 106 (N.D.Iowa 1972) (insurance valuation insufficient where based only upon weight of merchandise with no correlation to actual market value). Here, additionally, one of the 22,000 stolen composition books was placed into evidence. Combined with the testimony regarding the insurance valuation, the jury could reasonably have inferred from the members' own knowledge of the costs of such a common item that the market value of the stolen merchandise exceeded $5,000.