Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Court finds evidence of counterfeiting and giving minors drugs admissible in CP trial

In United States v. Stringer, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56458 (W.D. Mo. 2012), the court held that evidence of a defendant's possession of counterfeit currency and giving methamphetamine to minors is admissible in his trial for possession of child pornography.


The defendant had entered a guilty plea for the counterfeiting charge, and evidence of that crime was found on the same computer as the child pornography. He argued that it was immaterial and would be unfairly prejudicial. The court ruled it admissible "if offered to prove Defendant's possession and control of the computer containing child pornography."

Also held admissible was evidence that the defendant gave minors methamphetamine "to make them willing to pose for pornographic pictures."
[T]he question is whether the Government may introduce evidence that the Defendant supplied G.R. and A.K. with methamphetamine in the hope that it would lower their inhibitions and make them more amenable to taking explicit pictures. The Court holds it may. It is well-established, and no expert testimony is needed, to prove that individuals frequently give drugs, such as alcohol or methamphetamine, to others in the hope that it will lower their inhibitions.

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