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Appeal Court Criticizes Jury Instruction, Upholds Conviction

Loaded on May 15, 2013

Filed under: Civil Procedure, Jury Instructions. Location: Montana.

Ronald Charles Peppers appealed his jury-trial conviction for assaulting a federal officer under 18 U.S. C. Section 111(a)(1)1. Peppers was asleep when federal officers entered his darkened trailer to effectuate an arrest, and there was a struggle in which Peppers bit one of the agent's arms.

At trial, Peppers, who …

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