United States Ninth Circuit

A conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon is affirmed where: 1) a jury instruction did not relieve the government of its burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant used a "dangerous weapon," an essential element of the crime; and 2) the evidence was sufficient to support the verdict.

Appellate Information

• Argued 12/17/2008
• Decided 03/31/2008
• Published 03/31/2008

Judges

• Before: ALEX KOZINSKI, Chief Circuit Judge, MARY M. SCHROEDER, STEPHEN REINHARDT, ANDREW J. KLEINFELD, HAWKINS, SUSAN P. GRABER, KIM McLANE WARDLAW, RONALD M. GOULD, RICHARD A. PAEZ, MARSHA S. BERZON, and SANDRA S. IKUTA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Davina T. Chen, Deputy Federal Public Defender (authored briefs and presented oral argument), Los Angeles, CA, for the defendant-appellant., Erik Michael Silber, Assistant United States Attorney (presented oral argument), and Craig H. Missakian, Assistant United States Attorney (authored brief), Los Angeles, CA, for the plaintiff-appellee.