Court Opinion

ID: 9444460
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:01:42.920085+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:29:52.867851
License: Public Domain

FINNEGAN, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
“There can no great smoke arise, but there must be some fire” belongs with other bromides and copy-book maxims, but not to criteria for measuring evidence of guilt. Painting with bold, broad brush strokes the Government contends, here, that the evidence “establishes beyond doubt that the defendant aided and abetted her sister in the sale of narcotics.” We are asked by the prosecution, to believe its evidence .goes beyond even reasonable doubt. Apparently, the Government had doubt about this doubt, and for good reason on this flimsy record.
In my opinion the record is devoid of substantial evidence to support the conviction of “aiding and abetting.” In this case it is much too easy to slip upon the rubble of “just what must have been,” rather than pick our way between the sparse facts. I would reverse this conviction erected on treacherous sands of implication, insinuation and conjecture.