United States v. Sharon Pollard

The appellant was convicted for illegally acquiring food stamps in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b) and appeals, arguing that the district court committed reversible error in its instructions to the jury. The district court charged the jury that the word “knowingly” as used in the instructions “means that the act was done voluntarily and intentionally and not because of mistake or by accident.” The district court also instructed the jury that ignorance of the law is no excuse. The defendant requested a charge that she could be convicted only upon a finding that she knew that her acquisition of…