DISCLAIMER: Any unofficial case summaries below are prepared by the clerk's office
as a courtesy to the reader. They are not part of the opinion of the court.
031127P.pdf 04/20/2004 USA v. James L. Parker
U.S. Court of Appeals Case No: 03-1127
Western District of Missouri
Criminal Case - criminal law. Mail fraud convictions are affirmed
relating to defendant's fraudulent sales of distributorships of automotive
parts. District court did not abuse its discretion in admitting expert
testimony from FTC lawyer regarding franchise requirements because it
showed an intent to deceive and cautionary instruction limited the use of
the testimony for that purpose. Evidence was sufficient to sustain the
conviction; because statements were not ambiguous or subject to
reasonable interpretations, district court did not err in failing to instruct
the jury on the legal effect of an interpretation of the statements making
them true. District court did not abuse its discretion in submitting willful
blindness instruction. Convictions for money laundering were supported
by the evidence. Erroneous jury instruction regarding interstate
commerce component of money laundering charges was harmless.
[PUBLISHED] [Melloy, Author]