Court Opinion

ID: 9478267
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 06:44:24.176342+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:46:19.760055
License: Public Domain

ROSS, Senior Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent with respect to the majority’s conclusion that the district court committed reversible error by admitting testimony of Mothershed’s prior conviction into evidence.
This court has repeatedly held that the trial court has broad discretion to admit relevant evidence of other criminal and bad acts and “reversal is only commanded when ‘it is clear that the questioned evidence has no bearing upon any of the issues included.’ ” United States v. Marshall, 683 F.2d 1212, 1215 (8th Cir.1982), citing United States v. Conley, 523 F.2d 650, 654 (8th Cir.1975), cert. denied, 424 U.S. 920, 96 S.Ct. 1125, 47 L.Ed.2d 327 (1976) (emphasis added). Accord United States v. O’Connell, 841 F.2d 1408, 1422 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 108 S.Ct. 2857, 101 L.Ed.2d 893 (1988); United States v. Estabrook, 774 F.2d 284, 287 (8th Cir.1985). In my opinion it is less than clear that the evidence of Mothershed’s prior conviction for possession of stolen bank money has no bearing upon the issues of intent and plan. Such evidence, in my view, was relevant to the material issue of Mothershed’s intent and plan to acquire or possess stolen bank money by means of aiding and abetting Johnson’s robbery of the bank.
I also disagree with the majority’s conclusion that the testimony evidence of Mothershed’s prior conviction was “devastatingly prejudicial.” The district court read a cautionary statement to the jury immediately prior to presentation of the prior conviction testimony, which clearly stated: “You may not use this evidence to decide whether the defendant carried out the physical acts involved in the crime charged here.” A similar limiting instruction was also given to the jury before their deliberations. These admonitions were sufficient to reduce the likelihood that the jury would consider the evidence for improper purposes.
For these reasons, I dissent from the majority opinion.