United States v. Jackson

MEMORANDUM **

The facts of this case are known to the parties.

Jackson challenges the jury’s guilty verdict on the ground that the evidence presented by the government was insufficient to convict him as a matter of law. At trial, the government introduced testimony from multiple witnesses, each of which stated that Jackson had participated and taken the lead in the murder of Victor Villareal, as well as in the attempted cover-up. The government also introduced physical evidence that corroborated these witnesses’ testimony in important ways. “[V]iewing th[is] evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution,” United States v. Lynch, 437 F.3d 902, 915 (9th Cir.2006), and drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of the government, see United States v. Labrada-Bustamante, 428 F.3d 1252, 1260 (9th Cir.2005), this evidence was more than sufficient to establish Jackson’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are generally inappropriate on direct appeal.” United States v. Ross, 206 F.3d 896, 900 (9th Cir.2000). Ineffective assistance claims “may be reviewed on direct appeal in two instances: 1) when the record on appeal is sufficiently…