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Criminal Law-Felon in Possession of Firearm-Anonymous Tip-Confrontation Clause
Staff Report//June 4, 2026//
Defendant appealed his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, challenging the district court’s admission of evidence of an anonymous tip that led police to stop and search defendant, arguing that it violated his Confrontation Clause rights. Defendant also argued that the government made improper comments during closing arguments.
Where the propriety of the police’s traffic stop of defendant’s vehicle was not at issue in the case, the anonymous tip was not relevant evidence except to be admitted as improper hearsay.
Judgment is vacated and remanded.
U.S. v. Simpson (MLW No. 84860/Case No. 25-1263 – 9 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, Kelly, J.) Appealed from U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, Phillips, J. (Chelsea Wilson, AFPD, Kansas City, MO for appellant) (John Benton Hurst, AUSA, Kansas City, MO for appellee)
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