United States v. Daniel William

MEMORANDUM ***

Daniel William appeals his conviction after a jury trial for mail theft and possession of stolen mail under 18 U.S.C. § 1708, for which he was sentenced to five years of probation and three months of imprisonment. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we reverse.

1. The district court improperly instructed the jury in a manner that permitted the inference that an element of the crime, which the government was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, had been fulfilled. “When, as here, a defendant objects to an instruction at trial, we review the district…