# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 6- 33 17

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Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

Bran no n L. Ma ck in s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - C ap e Gir ard eau

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 3 , 20 17
Fil ed : J ul y

28 , 20 17 [Un pu bl is he d]

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Befo re WOL LMAN, LOKEN , and RILEY, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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PER CURI AM.

Bran no n L. Mac ki ns pl ead ed gu il ty to on e co un t of be in g a fel on in po ss es si on

of a fir earm in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 92 2( g) (1 ). The di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced hi m 1

The Hon or ab le St ep he n N. Lim ba ug h, Jr

., Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 1

East ern Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.to 10 8 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t. Mac ki ns ap pe al s from hi s sen te nc e, arg ui ng th at th e

ev id en ce was in su ffi ci en t to su pp or t th e ap pl ic at io n of a 6- le ve l “ Off i c i a l Vict im ”

en ha nc em en t un de r § 3A1 .2(c )(1 ) of the U nit ed St at es Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s Man ua l
(U.S.S.G. or Gu id el in es ). W e aff irm.

Bas ed on Mac ki ns ’s t ot al of fen se le ve l o f 21 an d a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y

of III, hi s pr es en te nc e rep or t (PSR ) reco m m en de d an ad vi so ry Gui de li ne s ran ge of 46

to 57 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t. The go ve rn m en t ob jecte d, arg ui ng fo r im

po si ti on of a

6- le ve l en ha nc em en t un de r U.S.S.G. § 3A1 .2(c )(1 ), whi ch ap pl ie s whe n a de fen da nt

as sa ul ts a la w enf

or cem en t o ffi cer d ur in g o r in fli gh t from th e of fen se “ in a m an ne r

crea ti ng a su bs ta nt ia l ri sk of s eri ou s b od il y in jury.”

Dur in g th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e di st ric t co ur t ad op te d th e P S R ’s fact ua l

st at em en ts an d th en he ard te s t i mo ny an d co ns id ered ev id en ce reg ard in g th e § 3A1 .2(c )(1 ) en ha nc em en t. Serg ean t Jo se ph Hah n of th e Cap e Gira rd eau , Mi ss ou ri,

Po li ce Dep art m en t te st ifi ed th at he a n d o t h e r of fic ers ob se rv ed Mac ki ns , who ha d

ou ts ta nd in g warra n t s fo r hi s arre st

, walk in g on a si de walk in Cap e Gira rd eau in

Decem be r 20 15

. W he n th e of

fic ers ex it ed th ei r pa tro l car to sp eak wit h Mac ki ns , he

en te red pri va te pro pe rty and walk ed in to th e ba ck y ard of a res id en ce. Hah n s ta te d

th at it was “ ve ry ev id en t” th at Mac ki ns was tryin g to ev a d e t h e of fic ers

. Mo re

of fi cers arri ve d an d crea te d a pe rimeter to pr ev en t Mac ki ns fro m es cap in g, effe ct iv el y

tra pp in g h im

wit hi n t he fen ced -in ba ck y ard

.

Mac ki ns to ld th e o f

f i c ers th at he li ve d at th e res id en ce an d th at th e of fic ers

were tre sp as si ng , bu t he di d no t kn ow th e ad dr es s of t h e r e s i d e nc e. He pr ov id ed

Hah n wit h a fic ti ti ou s na m e, da te of bi rth

, an d So ci al Secu rit y nu m be r. Hah n te st ifi ed

th at Mac ki ns ap pe ared to be “ im m ed ia te ly ho st il e an d ag gr es si ve fro m ou r in it ia l

ap pr oa ch .” Bas ed on Hah n’s ei gh te en y ears of la w-en fo rcem en t ex pe rie nc e, he

be li ev ed th at Mac ki ns was pr ep ari ng to ph y si cal ly co nf ro nt th e of

fic ers , “ to fig ht or

fle e.” Hah n ph y si cal ly pl aced M a c ki ns in a se at ed po si ti on aft er Mac ki ns refu se d

-2

-Hah n’s co m m an d to si t do wn on th e s t e p s l e a d in g to th e res id en ce, whe reu po n

Mac ki ns al m os t im

m ed ia te ly st oo d up ag ai n. Afte r Hah n sp ok e wit h wit ne ss es acro ss

th e st reet , he r et ur ne d t o a rres t M ack in s, wh o was th en st an di ng in th e car po rt.

Hah n in fo rm ed Mac ki ns th at he was be in g arre st ed an d gr ab be d Mac ki ns ’s
rig ht arm to pl ace h im

in ha nd cu ffs

. Acco rd in g to Hahn , Mack in s “ vi ol en tl y th rew

hi s rig ht ha nd f

o r w a r d t o b reak [Hah n’s] gr as p on hi s arm .” W it h hi s le ft ha nd

, M a c ki ns pu sh ed of

f a ne arb y car, away fro m an ot he r of fic er who was tryin g t o

res tra in hi m

. Mac ki ns th en reac he d wit h hi s rig ht ha nd fo r ei th er hi s wais tb an d or th e

fro nt po ck et of hi s swe at sh irt

. He rep eat ed ly at te m pt ed to reac h in to hi s po ck et whi le

Hah n gr ab be d an d he ld hi s rig ht arm to pr ev en t hi m fro m do in g so

. Hah n st at ed th at

Mac ki ns ap pe ared to be att em pt in g t o re tri ev e an ob

ject.

“ Afte r a su bs ta nt ia l st ru gg le ,” Mac ki ns an d Hah n “ wen t to th e gr ou nd .” As

Hah n pi nn ed hi m do wn, Mack in s att em pt ed to pu sh hi m se lf off th e gr ou nd wit h hi s

le ft ha nd whi le ag ai n reac hi ng to ward hi s po ck et w i t h hi s rig ht ha nd

. Hah n

ev en tu al ly suc ceed ed in pl aci ng Mac ki ns in ha nd cu ffs

.

The of fic ers fo un d a lo ad ed ha nd gu n in th e po ck et th at Ma c k i n s h ad be en

reac hi ng fo r. Afte r Mac ki ns y el le d to th e cro wd of on lo ok e r s t h a t Hah n ha d

at te m pt ed to ch ok e hi m an d ot he rwis e in jure hi m , Hah n ex pl ai ne d to Mac ki ns th at he

ha d u s e d t h e fo rce req ui red to st op Mac ki ns fro m dr awin g th e gu n an d “ fo rci ng a

le th al si tu at io n,” im

pl y in g th at

, h ad Mac ki ns dr awn th e gu n, Hah n wou ld ha ve ha d

to us e de ad ly fo rce. Mac ki ns rep li ed , “ [I]f I ha d go t to i t , you wou ld n’t ha ve ha d a

ch an ce to .” “ Bas ed on [Ma ck in s’s] act io ns an d th e si t u a t i o n a n d hi s to ne ,” Hah n

in te rp ret ed th is st at em en t as a de cl arat io n th at Mac ki ns ha d in te nd ed to dr aw th e gu n

an d fi re u po n Hah n o r th e o th er o ffi cers

.

Dur in g cro ss -ex am in at io n, Hah n ag reed th at Mac ki ns ha d m ad e th e st at em en t

de sc rib ed ab ov e sh or tl y aft er th e ph y si cal st ru gg le wit h Hah n, an d whi le co m pl ai ni ng

-3

-of ne ck an d sh ou ld er pa in

. Mac ki ns in tro du ced th e pr ob ab le ca u s e a f f i da vi t of

P a t r o l man Nick Bec ke r, whi ch

, Hah n ack no wled ge d, di d no t m en ti on Mac ki ns ’s

st at em en t. Hah n al so ack no wled ge d th at th e rep or t of an ot he r of fic er, whi ch was no t

of fere d at th e he ari ng , di d no t in di cat e th at Mac ki ns m ad e th is s t a te m en t. Hah n

te st ifi ed th at whi le th e of fic ers be ga n to ap pr oa ch Mac ki ns in th e ba c k y ard

, Mac ki ns ’s ha nd s were free an d he m ad e no at te m pt to reac h in to hi s po ck et s or dr aw

a fir earm

. Hah n als o tes ti fie d th at whe n he ph y si cal ly force d M ack in s in to a se at ed

po si ti on , Mac ki ns ’s ha nd s were free an d he di d no t reac h f o r hi s po ck et s. Hah n

ag reed th at Mac ki ns be ga n reac hi ng fo r hi s po ck et s on ly aft er Hah n pl aced hi m un de r

arre st an d at te m

pt ed to se cu re hi m in ha nd cu ffs

. Alt ho ug h Hah n di d no t se e th e gu n

un ti l aft er he pl aced Mac ki ns in ha nd cu ffs

, Hah n te st ifi ed th at ev en be fo re th at ti m e

he ha d “ be li ev ed ve ry st ro ng ly ba se d up on a hi gh nu m be r of in di cat or s” th at Mac ki ns

ha d a weap on an d h ad att em pt ed to dra w it

.

The di st ric t co ur t fo un d by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id e n c e t h a t th e 6- le ve l
§ 3A 1.2 (c)( 1) en ha nc em en t was ap pr op ria te be cau se “ th ere was as sa ul ti ve co nd uc t

on th e pa rt of th e Defen da nt ag ai ns t th e arre st in g of fic er th at was su ffi ci en tl y se rio us

to crea te at l eas t a s ub st an ti al ris k o f se rio us bo di ly inju ry .” The c ou rt s ta te d:

It’s t h e Co ur t’s im

pr es si on th at th e Defen da nt was tryin g to ob ta in a

weap on , t ha t it ’s v ery fo rtu n a t e t ha t th ere was no t a sh oo ti ng an d th at

, in effe ct

, th e Defen da nt act ua ll y ad m it te d th at ha d he be en ab le to

ret rie ve th at gu n fro m hi s po ck et th at th ere wou ld ha ve be en a sh oo ti ng

.

Bas ed on a to ta l of

fen se lev el of 2 7 a nd a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of III, th e co ur t

cal cu la te d an ad vi so ry Gui de li ne s ran ge of 87 to 10 8 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t an d th en

se nt en ced Mac ki ns to 10 8 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t.

“ Thi s co ur t rev ie ws th e di st ric t c o u r t ’s co ns tru ct io n an d ap pl ic at io n of th e

se nt en ci ng gu id el in es de no vo , an d we rev ie w it s fact ua l fin di ng s reg ard in g

en ha nc em en ts fo r cl ear erro r.” Uni te d St at es v. Ols on , 6 46 F.3 d 56 9, 57 2 (8 th C ir.

-4

-2 0 11 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Bas ti an , 60 3 F.3 d 46 0, 46 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 )). “ Th e

go ve rn m en t m

us t pr ov e th e fac ts ne ed ed to su pp or t a se nt en ci ng en ha nc em en t by a

pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce.” Id

. (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Han se l, 52 4 F.3 d 84 1,

84 7 (8 th Cir . 20 08 )).

W e pe rcei ve no erro r in th e di st ric t co ur t’s co nc lu si on th at th e fact ua l fin di ng s

se t fo rth ab ov e were su ffi ci en t to su pp or t th e § 3A1 .2(c )(1 ) en ha nc em en t. The

di st ric t co ur t fo un d t ha t M ack in s at te m pt ed to dra w a weap on whi le res is ti ng arre st

an d st ru gg li ng wit h Hah n, an d th at Mac ki ns la te r ad m it te d th at he ha d in te nd ed to us e

th e gu n ag ai ns t th e arre st in g of fic ers

. Su ch an at te m

pt co ns ti tu te d an as sa ul t up on th e

arre st in g of

fic ers th at crea te d a su bs ta nt ia l ris k of se rio us bo di ly in jury. See Uni te d

St at es v. Hil l, 58 3 F.3 d 10 75

, 10 77

, 10 79 -8 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (u ph ol di ng a § 3 A1.2 (c)( 1) en ha nc em en t wh ere t he de fen da nt rep eat ed ly sto pp ed fle ei ng , tu rn ed

to ward pu rs ui ng po li ce of fic ers , an d at te m

pt ed to dr aw a gu n, an d la te r at te m pt ed to

dr aw th e gu n whi le ph y si c a l l y r e s is ti ng arre st ); se e al so Ols on , 64 6 F.3 d at 57 4
(u ph ol di ng a § 3A1 .2(c )( 1 ) e n h a n cem en t whe re th e de fen da nt refu se d of fic ers ’

co m m an ds to dro p t he gu n h e was ho ld in g a nd rai se d i t as if t o fi re at th e o ffi cers ).

The di st ric t co ur t’s fact ua l fin di ng s were no t cl earl y erro ne ou s. To th e ex te nt

th at Mac ki ns di sp ut es th e co ur t’s fin di ng th at he act ua ll y m ad e th e st at em en t

r e g a r d i ng us in g th e gu n ag ai ns t th e arre st in g of fic ers , th at fin di ng de pe nd s on th e

di s t r ic t co ur t’s as se ss m en t of Hah n’s cred ib il it y , whi ch is “ qu in te ss en ti al ly a jud gm en t cal l an d vi rtu al ly un as sa il ab le on ap pe al .” Uni te d St at es v. Si caro sQui nt ero , 55 7 F.3 d 57 9, 58 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Hart

, 54 4 F.3 d

91 1, 91 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) )

. M a c ki ns arg ue s th at th e st at em en t m ig ht ha ve be en

de li ve red in a sa rcas ti c to ne , a nd th us n o t a n a d mi s s io n th at he ha d in te nd ed to us e

th e gu n ag ai ns t th e of

fic ers bu t rat he r an “ at te m pt th ro ug h bo m

ba st to be in su lt in g an d

ar r o g a n t up on be in g in fo rm ed by Hah n th at Mac ki ns jus t cam e ve ry cl os e to be in g

ki ll ed .” App el la nt ’s Br. 17

. W ha te ve r th e pl au si bi li ty of su c h a n in te rp ret at io n of

Mac ki ns ’s st at em en t, th e di st ric t co ur t di d n o t c l e a r l y err in reject in g it

. Giv en

-5

-Hah n’s fir st ha nd ob se rv at io ns of Mac ki ns ’s to ne an d be ha vi or du rin g th e en co un te r,

th e co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in cred it in g Hah n’s te st im on y th at th e st at em en t co nv ey ed

Mac ki ns ’s in te nt to us e th e gu n ag ai ns t th e of fic ers , ha d he be en ab le to dr aw it

. Lik ewis e al so wit h res pe ct to Mac ki ns ’s a r g u men t s th at he reac he d fo r hi s po ck et s

on ly to pr ev en t Hah n fro m pl aci ng hi m in ha nd cu ffs a n d th at if he ha d in te nd ed to

dr aw th e gu n an d us e it ag ai ns t th e of fic ers , he wou ld ha ve d o ne so be fo re he was ph y si cal ly res t r ai ne d. The di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in co nc lu di ng , b as ed on

Hah n’s te st im on y , th at Mac ki ns at te m pt ed to dr aw th e gu n aft er Hah n in fo rm ed hi m

he was b ei ng pl aced un de r arre st

.

The jud gm en t i s af

fir m ed

.

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