United States v. Castillo-Mendez

The Ninth Circuit reversed defendant's conviction for attempted illegal reentry, holding that the supplemental instruction the district court provided the jury was erroneous and prejudicial. In this case, the jury was confused with respect to the meaning of specific intent to enter free from official restraint, and asked the district court for clarification. The panel held that the district court's confusing and legally inaccurate supplemental instruction failed to remove the jury's confusion. Consequently, it was not clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have convicted defendant on this record. The panel remanded for a new trial. View "United States v. Castillo-Mendez" on Justia Law