United States v. Lewis
United States v. Lewis
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
I
We review de novo whether the district court correctly applied Federal Rule of Evidence 803(8)(C) in excluding the SRB Report.
II
Lewis also asserts that the district court committed plain error when it admitted evidence of other acts under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b). Although we need not address this issue because of the foregoing ruling, we do so to assist the trial court in any retrial.
“Rule 404(b) forbids admission of evidence of a person’s other crimes, wrongs, or acts ‘to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith’ but provides that such evidence ‘may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident.’ ”
We have articulated a four-part test to assist district courts in gauging the admissibility of evidence under Rule 404(b). “Evidence of ‘other acts’ is admissible when: (1) sufficient evidence exists for the jury to find that the defendant committed the other acts; (2) the other acts are introduced to prove a material issue in the case; (8) the other acts are not too remote in time; and (4) if admitted to prove intent, the other acts are similar to the offense charged.”
The record reflects that at several points during the trial, the district court conducted extensive examinations of the relevance and probative value of the extrinsic evidence of Lewis’s racist views and abusive actions outside the presence of the jury. The trial court excluded some extrinsic acts as irrelevant or unduly prejudicial and, at the close of arguments, provided a limiting instruction to the jury. Although we are troubled by the admission of some extrinsic-act evidence, defense counsel did not object.
III
Finally, Lewis urges a reversal of his conviction based on prosecutorial misconduct. We are troubled by the prosecutor’s misstatement of the law during closing argument; however, there was no objection and this did not constitute plain error. At the close of arguments, the trial court instructed the jury on the proper elements of the offense defined by Section 242 and squarely placed the burden on the prosecution to prove each and every element beyond a reasonable doubt. We have no reason to question the presumption that the jury followed the court’s instructions.
IV
The United States cross-appeals the sentence imposed. Because we reverse on the issue of the erroneous exclusion of the SRB Report, we need not address matters of sentencing at this time.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
. United States v. Collicott, 92 F.3d 973, 978 (9th Cir. 1996).
. Beech Aircraft Corp. v. Rainey, 488 U.S. 153, 162, 109 S.Ct. 439, 102 L.Ed.2d 445 (1988).
. Johnson v. City of Pleasanton, 982 F.2d 350, 352 (9th Cir. 1992).
. Id.
. Rainey, 488 U.S. at 167.
. See United States v. Blaylock, 20 F.3d 1458, 1464 (9th Cir. 1994).
. United States v. Chea, 231 F.3d 531, 534 (9th Cir. 2000) (quoting Fed.R.Evid. 404(b)).
. Id., (quoting United States v. Mehrmanesh, 689 F.2d 822, 830 (9th Cir. 1982)).
. United States v. Murillo, 255 F.3d 1169, 1175 (9th Cir. 2001).
. Chea, 231 F.3d at 534.
. Lewis directs our attention to the admission of especially graphic and detailed testimony regarding Lewis's apparent assault on a black inmate. Review of the record shows this evidence was admitted without objection from defense counsel or examination from the bench.
. United States v. Rodrigues, 159 F.3d 439, 451 (9th Cir. 1998) ("The jury is regularly presumed to accept the law as stated by the court, not as stated by counsel.”).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.