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United States v. Pruett

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
681 F.3d 232 (5th Cir. 2012)

Facts

Jeffrey Pruett and his two companies (defendants) were charged with violating the Clean Water Act. The prosecution called Columbus Smith as a witness. The defendants sought to introduce evidence that Smith had been previously convicted of larceny against the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 641. The defendants argued that the prior conviction was admissible against Smith under Federal Rule of Evidence 609(a)(2). The district court excluded the evidence of Smith’s prior larceny conviction. The defendants were convicted, and they appealed.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)

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  • A “yes” or “no” answer to the question framed in the issue section;
  • A summary of the majority or plurality opinion, using the CREAC method; and
  • The procedural disposition (e.g. reversed and remanded, affirmed, etc.).

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