Opinion ID: 200732
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sufficiency of the evidence on causation

Text: 28 Recognizing that a defendant faces a heavy burden in challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, see, e.g., United States v. Scharon, 187 F.3d 17, 21 (1st Cir.1999), appellant nonetheless argues that the record does not support the jury's finding that Fortin's death resulted from the use of cocaine that he distributed. In particular, he contends that the medical evidence does not show that cocaine, rather than the other substances, triggered her death. 29 Our previous discussion of the medical examiner's testimony largely suffices to put this contention to rest as well. Although both the medical examiner and a toxicologist identified Fortin's cause of death as acute multiple drug poisoning, the medical examiner's explanation of the likely potency of the various substances permitted the jury to conclude that the cocaine was the significant element in the mix. Indeed, the medical examiner explicitly stated that the cocaine was the most important or key drug, and, when asked by the prosecutor if the level of cocaine found in her blood could stand alone as the cause of [Fortin's] death, he replied affirmatively, assuming that the surrounding circumstances were identical. This was a sufficient basis for the jury's verdict.