United States Eighth Circuit

In an appeal brought by four defendants in a drug distribution conspiracy of their convictions and sentences resulting from a joint trial are affirmed over claims of error regarding: 1) the sufficiency of the evidence; 2) a willful blindness instruction; 3) predicate felonies for purposes of sentence enhancement; 4) a failure to offer a "single conspiracy vs. multiple conspiracy" jury instruction; 5) ineffective assistance of counsel; 6) a drug quantity determination; 7) the reasonableness of a Terry stop/seizure; 8) an attorney's conflict of interest; and 9) denial of a motion for new trial.

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/05/2007
• Published 07/05/2007

Judges

• MELLOY, Circuit Judge., Before MELLOY, SMITH, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Counsel who presented argument on behalf of the appellant Ramon-Rodriguez was Wallace L. Taylor of Cedar Rapids, IA.  Julian E. Tobey III of Davenport, IA, presented argument on behalf of appellant Mendez.  Scott L. Bandstra of Des Moines, IA, presented argument on behalf of appellant Gascon-Guerrero, and John F. Fatino of Des Moines, IA presented argument on behalf of appellant Santamaria.


• For Appellees:
  
• Counsel who presented argument on behalf of the appellee was John S. Courter, AUSA, Des Moines, IA.  Shannon Olson, AUSA, Des Moines, also appeared on appellee's brief.