United States v. Demasco Ramon Diaz, A/K/A Pipo

MEHRTENS, District Judge.

The defendant Diaz appeals from a conviction, after jury trial, of possession with intent to distribute cocaine (Count 1) and with distribution (Count 2), in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

Choosing to take the witness stand, Diaz was asked on direct examination whether he had ever been convicted of a crime. He answered that he had been convicted on two prior occasions. During cross-examination government counsel inquired as to the nature and dates of these convictions. Diaz’s counsel objected to these questions, and after a side bar conference, the objections were…