### INTHE UNI TED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS FORTHE FIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 08- 50409
UN I TE D S TA TE S OF AM ERI CA P l ai n t i f f

- A pp el l ee v. TE RRY M I CHAEL M I LL ER D e fe nda nt
- Appe l l ant

A pp ealf

rom t h e U n i t ed S t ates D i st ri ctC ou rt f ort he W es t er n D i st r i c tof Texas

B ef ore H IG G IN B O T H A M , SM ITH , an d S O U T H W IC K , C i rcui tJu dg es . P E R C U R I A M: O n F ebru ary 8, 200 6, ei gh tm em bers of t h e L on e Star F u g it i ve T ask Forc e— an i nt erj uri sdi c t i onalc oal i t i on o f l aw enf or c em ent of

f i c er s— w ai t ed nea r a h o m e in E lg in , T e x a s , w h e r e T e r r yM ic h a e l M ille rw a s v is itin gh is gr and c hi l dr e n. M i l l e rw as a f ugi t i ve f

r o m j us t i c e , w ant e d f o rpar o l e v i o l at i o ns rel ati n g t o p re v iou s s e n te n ce s— in h is fi ftyy e a r lif e tim e , M il ler h a d a cc u m u la ted
an ext en sive c rim inal h i st ory of 12 pri or f

el on i es, i n cl u di n g on e f or at t em pted
m ur de r . As M i l l e rc am e o utof t he hous e , t he of

f i c e r s f l i ppe d on t he i rl i ght s a nd pul l ed t hei rc ar s t ow ar d t he dr i vew ay w her e M i l l erhad par ked hi s gr ee n F

- 150 pi c kup. M i l l e r ’ s eng i ne w as run ni ng byt he t i m e t he t as k f o r c e m o ve d i n. The of f i cers exi t ed thei r c ars, gu n s draw n , w eari n g vest s l abeled P O L IC E or United States Court of App eals

Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D Jul y 21, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 08- 50409

1 8U .S .C
. § 1 1 1
. 1 2 M A R S H A L S
. A m o n go th e r s , th e fo r c e in c lu d e d A u s t in P o lic e o ffic e rK e v in Ryba r s ki , de put i z e d a s s peci al fe de r alm ar s hal , a nd Sp e c i alD e put y U
. S. M ar s hal lK e i t h Sa r t i n, w ho w as l e ad i ng t he i nve s t i ga t i o n; t he y w e r e a m o ng t he
o f f i c e r s a ppr o ac hi ng M i l l e r ' s c arf r o m t he b ac k. A ttri al , T ask F orce m em bers test i f i ed t h at M i l l er l ooked ov er h i s s h ou l der at t h e of

f i cers aroun d h i m , i n cl u di n g at R yba rskia n d S art i n . T h en , w i t h t i res sq ueal i ng, he r eve r se d t ow ar d t he m , at t em pt i ng t o e sc ape i n t he nar r ow gap b e tw e e n th e ir c a rs . R y b a rs k i ju m p e d o u t o f th e w a y , se rio u slyinju rin gh im se lf; he s ays he e sc aped M i l l er ' s pi c kup by a f oo t
. Sart i n al so j um ped o utof t he w ay. A s M ille rb a c k e d u p , tw o o th e ro ffic e r s o p e n e d fir e . O n e o f th e m , S o to , h it Mi l l e r , w h o s e h a n d s f l e w o f f t h e w h e e l
. Mi l l e r ' s t r u c k c r a s h e d a n d f l i p p e d
. H e w as e xt r ac t e d f

rom the v e hi c l e a nd t ak e n t o Br ac ke nr i dg e H o s pi t ali n Aus t i n. M i l l e rs uf

fe r e d s e r i o u s j a w, n e c k , a n d c h e s ti nj u r i e s . T e s t i f y i n gi n h i s o wn d e fe n s e , M ille rcla im e d th a t w h e n h e b e g a n a c c e le r a tin g , h e s o u g h t t o a v o id Sart i n, and t hat he nevers aw R ybar ski
. H e s ai d t hathe l os tc ons c i ous nes s as a resul tof

t h e gu n shot j u st af

t er h e bega n accel erat i n g an d d oes not rem em ber
a n y th in ge ls e . O n M ay1 , 2 00 7, a g r andj ur y i n t he W e s t e r n Di s t r i c to f Te xa s r e t ur ne d a tw o -c o u n t s u p e r s e d in gin d ic tm e n t o f M ille r , fo rt w o c o u n ts o f a tt e m p te d fo r c ib le
assau l tagainstfederalof f i cers eng aged i n t h ei r of f i ci aldu t i es by use of da n gerous w eap on . A f t er a j u ry t ri al , M i l l er w as convi ct ed of t h e cr i m es, on 1 Ja nuar y 17 , 2 00 8. On A pr i l1 4, J udg e Yea ke ls e nt en ced M i l l e rt o 2 40 m o nt hs of i m pri sonm en tfor e a ch o f t h e t w o coun t s, w i t h 60 m on t h s of one conv i ct i on ru n n in g consecutivel y t o t h e ot h er, f or a t ot alsentence of 300 m on t h s ofN o. 08- 50409

“Defendants’ suffici encyof the evidence claim s are revi ewed under a stricterth an 2 usual standar d, be cau se noneof the defen dant s renewed th ei rm ot ion s for ju dgment of acqui tta l a t theclo seof allevidence . Un der th e strict erst an dard , review i s f ora‘ manif

es t miscarri age of j ustice ,’ which is foundif the recor d is ‘devoid of evi dencepointin g t o guilt.’” U.S. v. Green , 29 3F. 3 d 88 6 , 8 9 5( 5 thC ir
. 2 0 0 2 ) (q u ot in g U. S
. v. R u iz , 86 0 F .2d 6 15, 617(5th C ir
. 1 9 8 8)) (intern al citationo mitt ed); see a lso U
. S. v. P hillips , 47 7 F .3d 2 15, 219(5th Cir. 200 7). Mill er cites no law to the contrary ; infact th e ca ses hecites support the government’s position. 3 i m pri sonm en t
. M i l l er t i m el y ap pea l ed, chal l en gi n g t h e ev i den t i ary suff i ci en cy f or hi s assau l tconvi ct i on , t h e excl u si on of ph ot ograp h i c evi den ce of hi s gun shot
w ou n d s, an d the m u l ti p l i ci tou s con victi on s em erg i n g from a sin gle a ct of ass a u l t.
I M ille rfa ile d a t t r ia l to m o v e fo ra ju d g m e n t o f a c q u itt a l a t t h e c lo s e o f a ll
e vi de nc e , s o o urr e vi e w i s f o rm ani fe s tm i s c ar r i ag e o f j us t i c e . Thi s de m and i ng

2 st an d a rd r e q u i res M i l l er t o dem on st rat e t h at t h e rec ord i s “ dev oi d of evi den ce p oin ti n g to g u i l t. ” M i l l er argues th a t th e g o v e rn m e n t fa il e d to d e m o n strate t h e requi si t e l evel of i nt e ntf

o rt he c r i m e . H e c l ai m s t hatt he e vi de nc e fai l s t o s ho w t hatM i l l er i nt e nde d a nyt hi n g m o r e t han e s c ap e b e t w e e n t he po l i c e v e hi c l e s : a tm o s t , he
a c te d re c k le s s lyw ith re g a r d s t o t h e o ffic e r s , n o t k n o w in g lyo rw illfu lly , w h ic h is th e re q u ir e d m e n s re a fo rth is cr im e . The go ve r nm e ntr e s po nds w i t h Tas k Fo r c e t e s t i m o ny t hatb e f o r e he
a c c e le r a te d to w a r d th e m , o ffic e r s s a w M ille rlo o k a t S a r ti n a n d R y b a r s k i, evi nci ng c l earaw ar enes s t hathi s ac t i ons w ou l d e n dangert hem
. G i ven t hat M ille rin te n d e d th e a c c e le r a tio n a n d k n e w th e a c c e le r a tio n w a s lik e lyto re s u lt i n grave harm t o t h e of f i cers , M i l l er m an i fest ed the requ i si t e l evelof i n t en tf

or convic t i on . O f

course, hi s ul t i m ate m ot i vew a s to esc a p e a n d p rob a b l y n ot toN o. 08- 50409

4 i nj u re of

f i cers , bu tt h i s does not vi t i ate hi s abi l i t y t o i nt e nd , i n a l e ga ls e ns e , t he
assau l tas an i n t erm edi ate m att er, i n th at he kn ew t h at act s t h at he i n t en ded
w o u l d i n fa c tb r i n gs u c h h a r m. M i l l er c ou n t ers t h at w h en he st epp ed on t h e accel erat or i n hi s c ar, t h ere i s no com petent evi den ce ei t h er t h at t h e of f i cers w e re i n t h e space i n t o w h i ch M i l l e rw as dr i vi ng, o rm o r e t o t he po i nt , t hatM i l l e rkne w t he y w e r e a ppr o ac hi ng t hats pac e. M i l l erc ont i nues t hati f, al t er nat i vel y, t he j ury t hought i nt entw as f o r m e d aft ert hatpoi nt , t hatc onc l usi on i s f or ec l os ed by t he fac tt hatM i l l erw as s ho te ar l y i n t he s e que nc e o f e ve nt s a nd d i d no tt he r e af t e rr e t ai n c o nt r o lo f

t he tr u c k
. Cont r ar y t o M i l l e r ’ s a s s e r t i o ns , t he go ve r nm e ntdi d no t , a tt r i al , r e l y o n a t h eory of

neg l i gen ce orrec kles sness. G ran t i n g t h at t h e of f i cers an d M i l l er w ere al l m o vi ng qui c kl y i n t he he at o f t he m o m e nt , t he go ve r nm e nt has produ ced suf f i c i entev i denc e t hatM i l l eri nt ended t o a ss aul tR ybar sk ian d Sart i n by dri vi n g h is la rg e veh i cl e very qu i ckl y i n t h ei r di rect i on . I n t en tcan be f orm ed q u i ck l y, an d the j u ryw a s n ot bo u n d t o a ccep t M i l l er’ s ac cou n t of the ev en ts surroundi ng hi s a bo r t i ve e s c ap e o ve rt he a c c o unt s pr o vi de d b y t he Tas k Fo r ce m em bers.
I I A t t r ia l , M ille rs o u g h t, u n s u c c e s s fu lly , to in tr o d u c e a p h o to g r a p h o f h is
w o unds , a ppa r e nt l y t ak e n a tBr ac ke nr i dg e s ho r t l y af t e r the i n c i de nt
. The pho t o gr ap h, w hi c h we ha ve r e vi e w e d i n c ham be r s , s ho w s a b l o o dyw o und o n t he b ottom of M i l l er’ s ch i n / j a w , s tretch i n g a b ou t ha l fw a y a cros s h i s ch i n , an d qu i te d e e p .N o. 08- 50409

Thisi s p artof acro ss- exa min ationof one of th e of ficers : 3 Q: You stated that after the vehicle w as o n it s top, you approached and you saw Mr. Mill er’s wound? A : Ye s, sir. Q: Pretty severe wound? A : Ye s, sir, it wa s. . . . Q: You ju st testified that you saw teeth, jaw. Prettystron g impact from th at bullet? A : Ye s, sir. Q: Pretty extensivedama ge , woul d you say? A : I ’ve se enstuff

lik e th at b ef

ore, so , yes . 5 M ille rcla im s th a t t h e e x te n t o f h is w o u n d s w o u l d h a v e d e c is iv e ly
con v in ced the j u rytha t M i l l er co u l d n ot p oss ib l y h a ve f orm ed the req u i sit e i n ten t or carried ou t t h e req u i sit e a cts su p p orting t h e a tt e m p ted ass a u l t. It
w ou l d d em on st rate , h e a rg u es, t h at he w as un consci ou s att h e rel evan tt i m e, h a vi ng s ust ai ned eg r egi ous i nj uri es . H e a r gues t hatt he e xc l usi on w as prej u di ci albecau se t h e governm en tconsi st en t l y dow n pl a y e d th e ext en tof M ille r ' s inju r ie s a t t r ia l, in s in u a tin gt h a t th e s h o t m e r e ly“g r a z e d ” h im , a n d in any c as e fai l i ng t o c onveyt he e gr egi ous nat ure of t he i nj ury. T h is e v id e n t ia r yr u li n gis r e v ie w e d fo ra b u s e o f d is c r e t io n . M il le r ’s
a r g u m e n t fo u n d e r s fir s t o n re le v a n c e . A s th e g o v e r n m e n t n o te s , M ille rco u ld certa i n l y h a ve f

orm ed an i n ten t t o a ssa u l t before h e w a s sh ot, a n d th i s see m s to h a v e b e e n th e d o m in a n t t h e o r ya t t r ia l. E v e n i f i t w e r e n o t, th e r e w a s a m p le te s tim o n y c o n c e r n in g th e s e v e r ity o f M ille r ’ s inju r ie s , a n d w h e n t h e a lle g e d ly 3
m is le a d in gs ta te m e n ts fr o m th e p r o s e c u tio n a r e ta k e n in co n te x t, th e r e is s im p ly
no s upp o r tf

o rt he i de a t hatt he y s ys t e m at i c al l y m i ni m i z e M i l l e r ’ s i nj ur i e s . The j u ry w as m ad e am pl y aw are t h at a s h e accel erat ed tow ard the of f i cers , M i l l er w a s s h ot i n t h e face an d l ost control of h i s veh i cl e. T h e i n t rodu ct i on of a g r u e s o m e p h o t o g r a p h w o u ld h a v e a d d e d v e r ylit t le to th e p ic t u r e o f M il le r ’sN o. 08- 50409

I n light of our decision w e p r et ermit consi derationof the other alle ge d sentencing 4 error. See U.S. v. Shaw , 701 F.2d 36 7, 3 96 (5thC ir. 1 983) (citing to Ladner

ininterpreting 5 thisst atute); Ladne r v. U.S. , 35 8 U .S. 16 9 (1 958) (overturningone of two convi c tion s un der th e pr edec es sor of

thisstatute , be cau sebo thoff ic er s were hurtb yo nlyo n e shot gu ndis ch arge)
. 6 w o u n d s n o d o u b t a lr e a d yfo r m e d in ju r o r s ’im a g in a tio n s , a n d in a n yca s e , it
w ou l d n otha ve ai ded at al li n theird et erm i n ati on of M i l l er’ s gu i l tor i n n ocence. T h ere w as no reversibl e abu se of di scr et i on here.
III M i l l er r ai ses severalse n te n ci n g error s, an d the f i rstal l eged
e r r o r— c o n c e r n in gd u p lic a tiv e a tt e m p t e d a s s a u lt c h a r g e s fo ra s in g le a c t— is d e c is iv e . B a s e d o n th is e r r o r , a s th e g o v e r n m e n th a s c o n c e d e d , M il le r 's

4
se nt enc es s houl d be vac at ed, and t he c as e sho ul d be r em anded f orr es ent enc i ng. Thi s i s be c aus e unde r s e t t l e d l aw, t he s i ngl e ac t i o n o f a t t e m pt i ng t o r un o ve rt he
o f f i c ers canno ts upp o r tt w o s e pa r at e c o nvi c t i o ns . H e r e , s i nc e t he e r r o ne o us 5
s e c o n d co n v ic tio n s ig n ific a n tly le n g th e n e d M ille r ' s s e n te n c e , h e w a s cle a r ly pr ej udi c e d b y i t
. Thi s uno bj e c t e d- t o e r r o ri s subj e c tt o pl ai n e r r o ra nal ys i s , a nd
w e ch o o s e to e x e r c is e o u rd is c r e tio n to co r r e c t it
. W e VA C A T E M i l l er’ s s e n te n ce an d R E M A N D t o t h e di st ri ctcourtf or f ur t he rpr o c e e di ngs ne c e s s ar y t o co r r e c tt hi s e r r o r , a nd we AF FI RM t he j u d gm en t below i n ev ery oth er re sp ect.