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.