United States v. Julio Gonzalez

REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:

Julio Gonzalez appeals from his conviction and sentence imposed for conspiracy, cocaine distribution, and money laundering. On appeal, Gonzalez raises four principal issues. He contends that the district court erred by: 1) overruling his challenge for cause to a juror; 2) barring him from presenting evidence going to a defense of duress and refusing to instruct the jury on duress; 3) deciding a material element of the money laundering scheme as a matter of law-namely, whether a federally run sting operation qualifies as a financial institution for purposes of the…