United States v. Vetta Linwood

COFFEY, Circuit Judge.

The defendant-appellant, Vetta Linwood, was convicted by a jury of possessing cocaine base (“crack”) with intent to distribute, as well as employing a minor to possess the same with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 861(a)(1), respectively. She filed a motion for a new trial, alleging that the trial judge erroneously rejected her tendered “mere presence” jury instruction and admitted hearsay testimony into evidence. The court denied that motion and sentenced her to seventy months’ imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release.…