US v. Flores-de-Jesus, No. 06-2670
Defendants' drug convictions are affirmed, where the government improperly used a law enforcement officer as the first witness in a multi-defendant drug prosecution to provide an "overview" of the prosecution's case, but it was highly probable that the testimony did not influence the verdict.
Read US v. Flores-de-Jesus, No. 06-2670.
Appellate Information:
APPEALS FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO. Hon. Jay A. García-Gregory, U.S. District Judge
Decided: June 18, 2009
Judges:
Before Torruella and Lipez, Circuit Judges, and DiClerico, of the District of New Hampshire, sitting by designation.
Opinion by Lipez, Circuit Judge.
Counsel:
Edward J. O'Brien for appellant Flores-de-Jesús.
Luis R. Rivera González for appellant Feliciano-Rodríguez.
Irma R. Valldejuli for appellant Sabino-Morales.
Vernon B. Miles, Assistant United States Attorney, with whom Rosa E. Rodriguez-Velez, United States Attorney, Nelson Pérez-Sosa, Assistant United States Attorney, Chief, Appellate Division, and German A. Rieckehoff, Assistant United States Attorney, were on brief, for appellee.