Case Explained: United States of America v. Lance Brunsting

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-04 The eighth-circuit affirmed the conviction of Christopher Spider for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and witness tampering, while vacating the convictions of Lance Brunsting due to his death during the appeal. Regarding Spider, the court applied de novo review for sufficiency of the evidence and abuse of discretion for evidentiary rulings. It held that sufficient evidence supported the conspiracy conviction, as multiple witnesses, wiretaps, and admissions established the agreement and Spider’s intentional participation, noting that witness credibility is a jury determination. The court further ruled that admitting Spider’s prior federal drug convictions under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) was not an abuse of discretion because it was relevant to show intent and knowledge, possessing probative value that outweighed any prejudicial effect. Finally, the court found any error in the district court’s drug quantity calculation harmless, as the mandatory minimum sentence of 300 months would apply regardless of whether the quantity was nine pounds or six pounds. For Brunsting, the court applied the rule that criminal proceedings abate *ab initio* upon a defendant’s death during appeal, vacating his convictions and remanding with instructions to dismiss the indictment. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.