Case Explained: 26a0232p.06

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-14 The Sixth Circuit affirmed Tianna Barber’s conviction and sentence, rejecting her challenges regarding evidentiary rulings at trial and the calculation of her Sentencing Guidelines range. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion or commit plain error in admitting a federal agent’s testimony interpreting coded drug slang in recorded jail calls under Federal Rule of Evidence 702, as the agent possessed specialized knowledge of narcotics jargon distinct from common language. Furthermore, the court ruled that admitting a video recording of a controlled drug buy involving a confidential source did not violate the Confrontation Clause because the statements were either non-hearsay admissions by the defendant or her co-conspirator, or were offered for context rather than the truth of the matter asserted under Federal Rule of Evidence 801. Regarding sentencing, the court determined that the district court did not plainly err in calculating the Guidelines range using higher drug quantities than those found by the jury, noting that the Sentencing Guidelines permit consideration of conduct that establishes the instant offense of conviction even if the jury acquitted the defendant of aggravated charges involving larger amounts. Consequently, Barber’s conviction and 150-month prison sentence remain in effect. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.