Court Opinion

ID: 9481736
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:29:35.177684+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:32.082484
License: Public Domain

GARWOOD, Circuit Judge, specially
concurring:
I concur in all of Judge Johnson’s able opinion except insofar as it indicates the challenged evidence does not come within the second sentence of Rule 404(b). As Judge Johnson correctly points out, this evidence
“tended to show, quite strongly, ... that Gonzalez knew that marijuana was smuggled across the border in tractor-trailer rigs, and indeed that it had been smuggled in his own tractor-trailer. The evidence thus allowed the jury to infer that Gonzalez knew what was in the trailer when he attempted to bring it across the border.”
This being true, the evidence was admissible to show “knowledge” and “absence of mistake,” as Judge Johnson’s opinion recognizes in connection with Rule 401. However, “knowledge” and “absence of mistake” are also proper purposes under the second sentence of Rule 404(b). Of course, the challenged evidence must be connected to the defendant in order for it to be admissible. But in these circumstances that is equally true for purposes of Rule 401. And, it seems to me that such a connection — whether for Rule 401 or Rule 404(b) —need only be sufficient to connect the defendant with the aspects of the prior events which give rise to the inference that on this occasion he acted with knowledge and not by reason of mistake. That was sufficiently shown by the evidence that he owned the similar tractor used in the prior drug smuggling operation, that when he recovered it from the authorities he knew it had been used in such an operation, and that he then used its sales proceeds to purchase the tractor he drove on this occasion. We come out in the same place, but I believe the majority takes an unnecessary detour along the way.