Opinion ID: 487837
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the threat made by lachance

Text: 39 LaChance argues that the district court erred in admitting evidence of a statement uttered by LaChance in which he threatened that he was going to blow away or kill a co-conspirator. LaChance argues, as evidence of his involvement in the conspiracy, that the statement constituted cumulative evidence, and that therefore its probative value is outweighed by prejudice inherent in a remark which paints him as a cold blooded killer. 40 Rule 403 of the Federal Rules of Evidence provides for the exclusion of relevant evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Fed.R.Evid. 403. (Emphasis added). Evidentiary rulings under Rule 403 are committed to the broad discretion of the court, and are subject to reversal only upon a showing of abuse of discretion. Meester, 762 F.2d at 875. 41 LaChance does not argue with the relevance of the statement. It was probative of his knowledge of the plan, his supervisory role in court, and his association and relationship with his co-conspirators. Absent a finding of unfair prejudice, the statement would therefore be admissible. United States v. King, 713 F.2d 627, 631 (11th Cir.1983). 42 We do not find any indication of prejudice in the record. The statement did not receive special emphasis at any point in the proceedings. It was admitted two weeks prior to the start of the jury's deliberations, and was not expressly referred to again until, interestingly, counsel for the LaChance referred to it in closing argument. The record does not indicate circumstances in which the jury would be substantially influenced by the remark so as to cause unfair prejudice to LaChance. Meester, 762 F.2d at 876. We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this evidence. 43