Eighth Circuit: United States v. Timothy Burns

 

As the executive had access to the financials, exercised purchasing authority, and ran the day-to-day operations, evidence was sufficient for a finding of willful blindness as to the representations; also, the willful blindness instruction was appropriate.

Indictment alleging two codefts engaged in conspiracy and wire fraud was not constructively amended by a theory of the case that the offenses were committed with others as opposed to each other, since the text of the law refers to a single defendant.

No clear error in the court's refusal to give an explicit unanimity instruction, or in not explicitly defining the scienter alternatives to willful blindness.

Court's not polling the jury can't be raised on appeal when explicitly waived at trial.


United States  v.  Timothy Burns