United States Seventh Circuit

District court's conviction of defendant for being a felon in possession of a firearm and of possessing a mixture containing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute is affirmed as the court did not err in admitting: 1) testimony concerning defendant's prior drug sales as it was relevant to show that he intended to distribute the drugs he held; 2) testimony from defendant's girlfriend concerning a statement he made to her about having guns, the admission of which was harmless in light of his admission to the officers that he had stored two guns in her apartment that very morning; and 3) testimony from a police sergeant, even though it might have suggested defendant's membership in a gang, as the testimony helped establish that defendant had possessed the firearms.

Appellate Information

• Argued 01/12/2009
• Decided 11/25/2009
• Published 11/25/2009

Judges

• WILLIAMS, Circuit Judge., Before EASTERBROOK, Chief Judge, and WILLIAMS and SYKES, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Seventh Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Jessica Romero (argued), Office of the United States Attorney, Chicago, IL, for Plaintiff-Appellee., Gerald J. Collins (argued), Chicago, IL, for Defendant-Appellant.