United States Ninth Circuit

Defendant's illegal alien transportation conviction and sentence are affirmed where: 1) the District Court did not abuse its discretion in allowing a customs agent to testify as an expert about alien smuggling; and 2) the District Court properly instructed the jury on the meaning of "serious bodily injury" under 18 U.S.C. section 1365(h)(3).

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/09/2009
• Decided 04/23/2009
• Published 04/23/2009

Judges

• TALLMAN, Circuit Judge:, Before:  D.W. NELSON, W. FLETCHER and RICHARD C. TALLMAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Harriette P. Levitt, Tucson, AZ, for defendant-appellant Marco Antonio Mejia-Luna., A.U.S.A. Munish Sharda (argued), A.U.S.A. Christina M. Cabanillas and Diane J. Humetewa, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, for plaintiff-appellee United States of America.