Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
No. 15-4008
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western
District of North Carolina, at Statesville.
Richard L.
Voorhees, District Judge. (5:13-cr-00044-RLV-DSC-2)
Submitted:
Decided:
PER CURIAM:
Miquan Limik Smith appeals his convictions for conspiring
to commit an offense against the United States by committing
burglaries
371
and
(2012)
possession
stealing
(Count
of
firearms,
1),
stolen
aiding
firearms,
in
and
violation
abetting
in
of
the
violation
18
U.S.C.
receipt
of
18
and
U.S.C.
court
(2)
abused
the
its
discretion
evidence
was
by
admitting
insufficient
to
hearsay
sustain
his
We
affirm.
First, we review the district courts hearsay ruling for
abuse of discretion.
does
not
make
the
instant
trial
that
party
Hearsay is inadmissible
Fed.
R. Evid. 802.
Here, we conclude that any error in the admission of the
challenged testimony was harmless because it appears beyond a
2
F.3d 695, 701 (4th Cir. 2002) (quoting Neder v. United States,
527 U.S. 1, 15 (1999)).
his
coconspirator,
and
the
stolen
firearms.
do
we
complained-of
find
merit
statement
Confrontation
Clause.
in
Smiths
violates
The
his
36,
68
(2004).
nontestimonial
events,
but
as
to
it
Here,
was
apprehend
rights
Confrontation
contention
the
under
Clauses
the
reach
is
the
challenged
obtained
a
that
not
fleeing
to
statement
learn
suspect.
about
See
was
past
Davis v.
nontestimonial
interrogation
under
when
made
circumstances
in
the
course
objectively
of
police
indicating
that
to
meet
an
ongoing
emergency).
Thus,
the
next
review
de
novo
the
district
courts
denial
of
United States v. Smith, 451 F.3d 209, 216 (4th Cir. 2006).
We
will affirm if, when the evidence is viewed in the light most
favorable to the Government, the conviction is supported by
substantial evidence.
762-63
(4th
Cir.
2010)
(internal
quotation
marks
omitted).
could
accept
as
adequate
and
sufficient
to
support
States
(internal
v.
Green,
quotation
evidentiary
599
marks
sufficiency
F.3d
360,
omitted).
faces
367
(4th
Cir.
defendant
heavy
2015)
challenging
burden.
United
Reversal
failure
is
clear.
Id.
at
244-45
(internal
which
requires
an
agreement
between
Smith
and
his
Notably, the
F.3d
at
213.
Under
Count
2,
the
United
Government
Cone,
had
to
922(j).
stolen
commerce.
guns
that
had
been
shipped
in
interstate
Count
3,
the
Government
had
to
show
that
Smith
status.
To
prove
possession,
the
Government
that
dominion
and
he
exercised,
control
over
or
the
had
the
firearm.
power
to
United
exercise,
States
v.
Wilson, 484 F.3d 267, 282 (4th Cir. 2007) (internal quotation
marks omitted).
Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the
Government, we conclude that a reasonable juror could make a
number of inferences critical to sustaining Smiths conviction:
(1) Smith was present at the final burglary; (2) Smith threw a
duffel bag out of the car window as police pursued the car; and
(3) Smith knew that the bag contained stolen guns, which were
instantly recognizable by their distinct weight and shape.
Given these inferences, the jury could conclude, beyond a
reasonable doubt, that Smith conspired to possess a stolen gun,
and aided and abetted Johnson in possessing a stolen gun.
5
That
may
be
supported
by
consciousness
of
guilt.
United
Thus, we hold
255
F.3d
150,
153
(4th
Cir.
United States v.
2001)
(en
banc).
To
(1)
occurred,
substantial rights.
(1993).
such
(2)
was
plain,
and
(3)
affected
his
errors
only
if
they
seriously
affect
the
fairness,
essentially
claims
that
the
Government
Id.
engaged
in
show
(1) that
(2) that
rights
so
prosecutorial
the
such
as
misconduct,
prosecutors
conduct
to
deny
engaged
prejudiced
him
fair
Smith
in
the
improper
demonstrate
conduct,
defendants
trial.
must
United
and
substantial
States
v.
In
with
contentions
are
oral
argument
adequately
because
presented
in
the
the
facts
We
and
legal
materials
before
this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
AFFIRMED