United States v. Thompson Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: In a sex trafficking case, a federal court applied Federal Rule of Evidence 412 (the “rape shield” rule) to prohibit the defendant from introducing evidence of the victims’ prostitution history, finding the exclusion did not violate the defendant’s constitutional rights.
Legal Significance: This case clarifies that FRE 412’s protections apply broadly to sex trafficking victims, establishing that a victim’s sexual history outside the charged conduct is irrelevant to the element of coercion and is not a permissible basis for impeachment under the Confrontation Clause.
United States v. Thompson Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The defendant was charged with sex trafficking under 18 U.S.C. § 1591. In a pre-trial motion in limine, the government sought to prohibit the defendant from introducing any evidence concerning the victims’ sexual behavior, including prostitution, that occurred before or after the time period specified in the indictment. Conversely, the government sought permission to introduce evidence of the victims’ sexual behavior, including relations with the defendant, that occurred during the charged period. The defendant objected to the exclusion of the victims’ other sexual history, arguing it was necessary for his defense. He contended that the victims’ prior and subsequent acts of prostitution were relevant to proving they engaged in commercial sex voluntarily, not as a result of his coercion. He also argued that this history, particularly any criminal acts of prostitution, should be admissible to impeach the victims’ credibility. The defendant asserted that excluding this evidence would violate his Fifth Amendment right to present a defense and his Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does Federal Rule of Evidence 412, when applied in a sex trafficking prosecution to exclude evidence of victims’ sexual behavior outside the charged time frame, unconstitutionally violate a defendant’s Fifth Amendment right to present a defense or Sixth Amendment right to confrontation?
No. The court held that applying FRE 412 to bar evidence of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
IRAC Legal Analysis
About IRAC analysis
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Legal Issue
Does Federal Rule of Evidence 412, when applied in a sex trafficking prosecution to exclude evidence of victims’ sexual behavior outside the charged time frame, unconstitutionally violate a defendant’s Fifth Amendment right to present a defense or Sixth Amendment right to confrontation?
Conclusion
This decision reinforces the strength of FRE 412's protections in federal sex Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
Legal Rule
Under Federal Rule of Evidence 412(a), evidence offered to prove that a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate ve
Legal Analysis
The court's analysis centered on the interplay between FRE 412 and the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, qu
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Under FRE 412, evidence of a sex trafficking victim’s sexual history