United States v. Jackson

368 F.3d 59 (2004)

Facts

The defendant was found guilty at a trial conducted on November 5 and November 6, 2001. Special Agent Matthew White of the ATF was the principal government witness against D. He testified that he and other agents of the ATF went to D's apartment in the Bronx and asked him whether he had any firearms or ammunition, whereupon Jackson showed them a safe containing a quantity of ammunition. At trial, to prove that D was a previously convicted felon, P offered a certified copy of a judgment of the New York Supreme Court for New York County (Manhattan) showing that on January 11, 1984, a person named Aaron Jackson was convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon and of a controlled substance. No further evidence was offered. D neither testified nor called witnesses in his defense. D argued that P had failed to prove that the Aaron Jackson named in the certificate of conviction might be someone other than the D on trial. D was found guilty and appealed.