Opinion ID: 510995
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Coconspirator's Statements and the Sufficiency of the Evidence

Text: 18 Noble asserts the district court committed error by allowing two Government witnesses to testify that Miller said Noble had supplied the methamphetamine to the drug operation. The district court admitted this testimony under the coconspirator's exception to the hearsay rule. See Fed.R.Evid. 801(d)(2)(E). Noble further argues that independent of the coconspirator's statements the evidence was insufficient to establish his participation in the conspiracy. We find Noble's arguments frivolous. 19 Before admitting the statements under Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E), the district court had to determine by a preponderance of the evidence that a conspiracy involving Miller and Noble existed and that Miller made the challenged statements during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy, id. See Bourjaily v. United States, --- U.S. ----, ----, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 2778, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987). In doing so, the court could consider the challenged statements. See id. at ----, 107 S.Ct. at 2781; United States v. Cerone, 830 F.2d 938, 948 (8th Cir.1987), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 1730, 100 L.Ed.2d 194 (1988). After reviewing the record, including the challenged statements, we conclude the district court did not abuse its discretion by admitting the statements. 20 In addition to Noble, various other defendants challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to connect them to the conspiracy. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, United States v. O'Connell, 841 F.2d 1408, 1424 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 2857, 101 L.Ed.2d 893 (1988), we find the evidence more than sufficient to establish each defendant's participation in the conspiracy.