United States v. Jean Crump

MEMORANDUM

Jean Crump appeals her jury conviction for mail and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud life insurance companies. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

First, Crump contends that the district court plainly erred by admitting evidence of a civil default judgment obtained by one of the defrauded insurance companies. However, Crump voluntarily stipulated to admission of that judgment. Assuming that Crump’s stipulation did not waive her challenge to admission of the judgment, see United States v. Molina, 596 F.3d 1166, 1169 (9th Cir.2010), there was no plain error because admission of the judgment did not cause substantial prejudice, see United States v. Perez, 116 F.3d 840, 846 (9th Cir.1997) (en banc). The government’s references to the judgment at trial were limited to testimony that Crump was served with the judgment and that it was related to two of the Davis life insurance policies. Furthermore, the judgment was entered on October 4, 2007, but Crump admitted that she was aware of the fraud as of June 2006. Therefore, admission of the judgment could not have “affected the outcome” of the trial. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S.…