Opinion ID: 780408
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of Hodges' Gang Affiliation

Text: 17 We turn next to Hodges' arguments concerning the admission of the evidence of his affiliation with a street gang in Chicago. Hodges objected to Officer Webb's testimony that the guns were recovered by a police tactical gang unit in Chicago, that Hodges admitted to Webb that he was affiliated with a gang, and the reference to Hodges' gang buddies by the government during closing arguments. Hodges argues that the evidence was irrelevant, that its prejudicial effect outweighed any probative value under Rule 403 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, and that it was improper Rule 404(b) evidence. 18 We review a district court's evidentiary rulings, including its Rule 403 determinations, for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Thomas, 86 F.3d 647, 652 (7th Cir.1996). The failure to timely and specifically object to evidence, however, limits our review to the plain error standard. United States v. Harris, 271 F.3d 690, 700 (7th Cir.2001). Under that standard, we will not reverse unless Hodges probably would not have been convicted but for the erroneously admitted evidence. United States v. Curtis, 280 F.3d 798, 801 (7th Cir.2002). Because objection was made only to the relevance of Webb's testimony that Hodges admitted he was involved with the gang, we will review its admission for an abuse of discretion. Any further review of the evidence concerning Hodges' gang affiliation, however, will be for plain error. 19 First, Webb's testimony that Hodges admitted to being involved with a Chicago gang was clearly relevant to the charges against Hodges. Thompson and Midgett testified that Hodges said he could sell guns through connections in Chicago, and four of the guns stolen in Marion were recovered several days later in Chicago by a police gang unit. Webb's testimony concerning Hodges' admitted gang affiliation simply corroborated Thompson's and Midgett's testimony. It demonstrated how Hodges' connections to people in Chicago who could fence the stolen property made it more probable that Hodges possessed the guns for that stated purpose. FED. R. EVID. 401. This evidence, therefore, was relevant, and the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence. See United States v. Richmond, 222 F.3d 414, 417 (7th Cir.2000) (affirming admission of gang evidence as relevant and not unfairly prejudicial). 20 Admission of Webb's testimony that a police gang unit recovered the guns in Chicago as well as the prosecution's reference to Hodges' gang buddies in closing arguments does not amount to plain error. A single statement by Webb that the guns were recovered by a police gang unit further corroborated testimony by Thompson and Midgett concerning Hodges' connections to a Chicago gang. There was no danger of unfair prejudice greater than the statement's probative value. See FED. R. EVID. 403. The prosecutor's statement during closing arguments, similarly, drew the above evidence together for the jury by pointing out how Hodges' admissions to Webb corroborated Thompson's and Midgett's testimony. This brief reference during closing arguments marked only the third mention of Hodges' gang connections, all of which were related to establishing his connections to Chicago and his ability to fence the stolen guns there. 21 Finally, Hodges argues for the first time that evidence of his gang affiliation was inadmissible under Rule 404(b) because it was evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts. See FED. R. EVID. 404(b). As this Court has noted, [t]he admission of prior bad acts evidence must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Curtis, 280 F.3d at 802. Without any testimony of particular prior bad acts Hodges participated in as a gang member, we find that evidence of his mere affiliation with the gang does not fall under Rule 404(b). Even were we to consider this Rule 404(b) evidence, for which the government did not properly give notice, admission of the evidence does not amount to plain error in light of the rather overwhelming evidence supporting Hodges' guilt. See United States v. Martin, 287 F.3d 609, 614 (7th Cir.2002). That is to say, Hodges would likely still be convicted even without the evidence of his gang affiliation. Curtis, 280 F.3d at 801.