United States v. Samaniego

345 F.3d 1280 (11th Cir. 2003)

Facts

D1 was a world champion boxer. D1's championship belts ultimately came into the hands of D, a Miami businessman. D attempted to sell the belts to undercover FBI agents. D claimed that the belts had not been stolen. The government confiscated the belts and filed an interpleader action in federal district court to determine whether D or D1 is the rightful owner of the belts. Baez's principal contention on appeal is that the district court should not have admitted testimony about a purported apology from Bolivar Iglesias. Over D's objection, the district court permitted a number of witnesses, including D1 and some of his family members, to testify that Iglesias, D1's brother, apologized in their presence for stealing the belts. D objected on hearsay grounds. The court allowed it on an existing state of mind or emotion exception. D1 got the verdict and D appealed.