UNITED STATES V. DOCKINS
986 F.2d 888 (1993)
NATURE OF THE CASE: This was an appeal from a criminal conviction for illegal possession
of a firearm by a convicted felon and knowingly making false statements during the purchase
of a firearm.
FACTS: To show that Dockins (D) was a convicted felon, the government introduced a
judgment of conviction on state robbery charges of Carl Smith. The government attempted to
link this conviction to D by establishing, through the testimony of handwriting and
fingerprint experts, that the signature on the fingerprint card, and the fingerprints
themselves were those of D. With the fingerprint expert on the stand, the government offered
the judgment of conviction and the fingerprint card into evidence over D's objection on
grounds of authentication. After trial, D moved for a Judgment of Acquittal Notwithstanding
the Verdict or in the Alternative for a New Trial, claiming that the exhibits had not been
properly authenticated. The trial court held a hearing on the authenticity of the exhibits,
and found that the judgment of conviction was admissible because D did not properly object
to it. The court found that the fingerprint card was not self-authenticating under Rule 902,
since it was not under seal, and the signature had not been certified as genuine by an
officer of the police department which made the arrest. However, the court found that the
card was admissible under Rule 901.
ISSUE:
RULE OF LAW:
HOLDING AND DECISION:
LEGAL ANALYSIS:
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