Opinion ID: 165673
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: exclusion of evidence of other incidents

Text: 32 Prior to the commencement of trial, Lehockey moved in limine to preclude evidence or testimony regarding other incidents in which arrestees claimed he used excessive force by deploying Bart. The admissibility of such evidence is governed by Rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence, which provides that evidence of other crimes, acts, or wrongs is not admissible to prove character but may be offered to prove motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Fed.R.Evid. 404(b). Such evidence is admissible if four factors are satisfied: (1) the evidence is offered for a proper purpose; (2) the evidence is relevant; (3) the probative value of the evidence is not substantially outweighed by its potential for unfair prejudice; and (4) the district court provides an appropriate limiting instruction upon request. See United States v. Brooks, 161 F.3d 1240, 1243 (10th Cir.1998) (citing Huddleston v. United States, 485 U.S. 681, 691-92, 108 S.Ct. 1496, 1502, 99 L.Ed.2d 771 (1988)). 33 The evidence Chávez sought to introduce fails on the first of these factors. 4 Although Chávez argues that inquiry into these other incidents should have been permitted to show absence of mistake or accident, or alternatively, that Lehockey's use of Bart constituted a modus operandi, none of these alternative bases for introducing 404(b)-type evidence was implicated on the facts presented. There was no claim or defense suggesting that Lehockey accidentally or mistakenly used the police dog. Indeed, it seems clear that he made a deliberate, conscious decision to do so. Moreover, proof of a modus operandi is only relevant when there is an issue regarding the defendant's identity. See United States v. Oberle, 136 F.3d 1414, 1419 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 525 U.S. 885, 119 S.Ct. 197, 142 L.Ed.2d 161 (1998); United States v. Porter, 881 F.2d 878, 885-86 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 944, 110 S.Ct. 348, 107 L.Ed.2d 336 (1989). No such issue was raised in this case. 34 For these reasons, we find that the district court did not abuse its broad discretion in precluding the introduction of this evidence. See United States v. Wilson, 107 F.3d 774, 782 (10th Cir.1997).