United States v. Wright

OPINION

R. GUY COLE, JR., Circuit Judge.

Joel Wesley Laird and Michael D. Wright (collectively “the defendants”), federal prisoners who are represented by counsel, appeal their convictions on various drug and firearm charges. The parties have waived oral argument, and this panel unanimously agrees that oral argument is not needed in this case. Fed. R.App. P. 34(a). Because the district court abused its discretion in conducting voir dire, we VACATE Laird and Wright’s convictions.

I

Laird and Wright were both indicted and tried together on November 18, 2005. A jury convicted Laird of possession…