Opinion ID: 701203
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Value of the Marijuana

Text: 15 Mr. Ruiz claims that the trial court erred in denying his motion in limine on the street value of the marijuana. Evidentiary rulings will be not be reversed in the absence of an abuse of discretion. United States v. Patterson, 20 F.3d 809, 815 (10th Cir. 1994). 16 Mr. Ruiz claims that the evidence regarding the estimated value of the marijuana 1 was both irrelevant and prejudicial. However, the trial court reasoned that the value was relevant to support the inference that no one would put such a valuable load of marijuana in the vehicle and then abandon it. We find that the Court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this evidence. See United States v. Sanchez-Lopez, 879 F.2d 541, 555 (9th Cir. 1989), Gaylor v. United States, 426 F.2d 233 (9th Cir. 1970) (evidence of value of cocaine properly admitted to refute the possibility that a stranger would have placed such a valuable cargo in a vehicle in the hope that the cocaine could later be recovered).