Court Opinion

ID: 9448479
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:36:59.983146+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:26.828059
License: Public Domain

JONES, Circuit Judge
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I join with the majority in affirming the conviction of the appellant Huff. As to sustaining the conviction of Nicholson, I dissent.
Although the majority pay lip serivce to the doctrine that mere presence is not sufficient to convict, it seems to me that they affirm the conviction on the statement that “whenever Nazry was involved with Huff, there was Nicholson also.” The burden was on the United States to prove the guilt of Nicholson beyond a reasonable doubt. The only evidence to involve him in conspiracy is that he was present. There is no evidence that he was a participant or that he even knew what Huff and the others were doing. I think we should reverse as to Nicholson and direct either an acquittal or a new trial.