United States Eighth Circuit

Defendants' drug conspiracy convictions are affirmed where: 1) the evidence was sufficient to convict defendants of conspiracy because it showed that they either had actual knowledge of the conspiracy or deliberately failed to inquire about it; and 2) a willful blindness instruction was appropriate because defendants claims a lack of guilty knowledge, but the evidence supported an inference of deliberate ignorance.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/18/2010
• Published 02/18/2010

Judges

• WOLLMAN, Circuit Judge., Before WOLLMAN, JOHN R. GIBSON, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Chip Lowe, argued, Urbandale, IA, for appellant Chavez-Alvarez., Scott Lyle Bandstra, argued, Des Moines, IA, for appellant Mireless.


• For Appellees:
  
• Jason T. Griess, AUSA, argued, Des Moines, IA, for appellee.