Opinion ID: 152179
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: William Sosa

Text: William Sosa argues that the prosecution improperly exercised some of its peremptory strikes by striking potential jurors based on race or ethnicity in violation of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986); that the district court erred in eliciting expert opinion and hearsay testimony regarding the bad character of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“ALKQN”); that the district court erred in not dismissing counts three and four of the indictment, because the government constructively amended the indictment, creating prejudicial variance between the indictment and evidence presented at trial; that the evidence was insufficient to convict him for using or carrying a firearm in connection with the alleged conspiracy to murder an unknown person in Trenton, New Jersey; that there was insufficient evidence to prove that he conspired to maim Raphael Guzman in aid of racketeering activity; that the evidence failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he carried a firearm during the alleged conspiracy to murder Guzman; that the evidence failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he conspired to kidnap Elena Mercado in aid of racketeering, and; that the sentences imposed on him were unreasonable.