# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
No. 1 2- 35 97

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ 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.

Ro be rt E. Si m

m on s

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

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ 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

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Apri l 8 , 20 13 Fil ed : J un e 2 8, 2 01 3 [Un pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re WOL LMAN, BEAM, an d M URPHY, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __

PER CURI AM.

Ro be rt Si m

m on s ap pe al s hi s co nv ic ti on an d se nt en ce of 87 m on th s' im pr is on m en t, cl ai m in g th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in al lo win g t he go ve rn m en t to 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 Co ur t fo r th e 1 East ern Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.co m

m en t on hi s de ci si on no t te st ify at tri al an d b y f a i li ng to fu ll y co ns id er th e 18 U.S.C. § 3 55 3( a) s en te nc in g fa ct or s. We affir m

.

I. BACKGRO UND

A gr an d jury in di ct ed Si m m on s on 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 ). At tri al
, th e go ve rn m en t cal le d

se ve ral wit ne ss es du rin g it s cas e-i n- ch ie f. Dur in g cl os in g arg um en t, th e go ve rn m en t

m ad e nu m ero us co m

m e n t s i n d i cat in g th at th e ev id en ce was un co nt ro ve rte d. Fo r

ex am pl e, pr io r t o s u mm ari zi ng th e ev id en ce in th e cas e, th e go ve rn m en t st at ed th e fo ll owi ng :

In th is cas e y ou kn ow al l th e f a c t s

. I n th is cas e y ou kn ow th at Mr. Si m m on s ha d th e gu n, yo u k n o w why i t was whe re it was

. You kn ow i t w a s in th e car. And th os e fact s are un co nt ro ve rte d. If I c a n g o th ro ug h al l of th es e fact s, an d, if I can , I'm go in g to cal l th em
un co nt ro ve rte d, be cau se th ere's no t on e sh red of e v i de nc e th at is op po si ng th es e fact s; th at is
, wit ne ss es te st ifi ed ab ou t th es e th in gs

. The re's no t an y

tes ti m on y

op po si ng an y

of t he se fact s at all

.

In su m m ari zi ng th e te st im on y of Lak ei sh a Lee– whi ch te nd ed to es ta bl is h Si m m on s'

po ss es si on of th e fir earm

–t he go ve rn m en t no te d, "Th ere's no ev id en ce to su gg es t th at th at 's no t tru e. Tha t is
, ag ai n, un co nt ro ve rte d ev id en ce." And
, whe n th e go ve rn m en t

reco un te d th e te st im on y of th e of fic ers to who m Si m

m on s co nf

es se d, th e go ve rn m en t hi gh li gh te d th at "you ba si cal ly do n't ha ve

. . . an y th in g m or e th an th e un co nt ro ve rte d

ev id en ce o f th e g un be in g fo un d a nd Mr. Si m m on s s ay in g i t's m

y gu n."

Eve nt ua ll y , th e jury fo un d Si m m on s gu il ty of be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm

. At th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e di st ric t co u r t c o mpu te d an ad vi so ry Gui de l i n e s r an ge of 70 to 87 m on th s' im pr is on m en t. Giv en Si m m on s' le ng th y cri m in al hi st or y , th e go ve rn m en t req ue st ed th at th e di st ric t co ur t ei th er de pa rt or va ry

-2

-up ward fro m th e Gui de li ne s ran ge , se ek in g a se nt en ce of 12 0 m on th s' im pr is on m en t. Th e di st ric t co ur t de ni ed th e go ve rn m en t's req ue st ed de pa rtu re or va ria nc e an d im po se d a se nt en ce of 87 m on th s' im pr is on m en t. In im

po si ng a se nt en ce at th e to p of th e Gui de li ne s rang e, th e di st ric t co ur t rev ie wed Si m m on s' le ng th y cri m in al hi st or y

an d no te d, "I'm n o t w i l l i n g t o g o lo wer

. . . . I m ean , it 's st ric tl y be cau se of y ou r cri m in al hi st or y

. The re's to o m uc h

. . . . [Y]ou'v e be en in tro ub le al l y ou r ad ul t li fe." Si m m on s ap pe al s.

II

. DISCUSS IO N

Si m m on s co nt en ds th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d by al lo win g th e go ve rn m en t to

co m m en t o n h is fai lu re t o t es ti fy . Accor di ng to Sim m on s, t he go ve rn m en t vi ol at ed hi s Fi fth Am en dm en t pr iv il eg e ag ai ns t se lf- in cri m in at io n, whe n, du rin g cl os in g
arg um en t, th e go ve rn m en t "s ta te d s e v e r a l ti m es th at th e ev id en ce [was ]
'un co nt ro ve rte d.'" In Si m m on s' vi ew, th is in ap pr op ria te ly hi gh li gh te d th at he ch os e

no t to te st ify, as he al on e ha d th e in fo rm at io n to reb u t t e s t i mon y pr ov id ed by

go ve rn m en t wit ne ss es

. Si m m on s a c k no wled ge s th at he di d no t ob ject to th e
go ve rn m en t's al le ge d m is co nd uc t or m ov e fo r m is tri al
, bu t he no ne th el es s as se rts th at th e di st ric t co ur t ab us ed it s di sc ret io n by n o t su a sp on te de cl ari ng a m is tri al or
pr ov id in g a cu rat iv e in st ru ct io n. Hav in g fai le d to ti m el y as se rt th is Fi fth Am en dm en t ch al le ng e be fo re th e di st ric t co ur t, we can no t ag ree wit h Si m m on s th at an y th in g ot he r th an pl ai n erro r rev ie w ap pl ie s. Uni te d St at es v. Tho rn be rg , 67 6 F.3 d 70 3, 70 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ), cert . den ie d, 1 33 S. Ct. 1 65 4 (2 01 3)

.

Und er th e Fi fth Am en dm en t, in di rect co m m en ts co nc ern in g a de fen da nt 's de ci si on n o t to te st ify can ris e to th e le ve l of a co ns ti tu ti on al vi ol at io n if th e

co m m en t s e i t h e r "(1 ) m an ife st th e pr os ecu to r's in te nt io n to cal l at te nt io n to th e de fen da nt 's fai l ur e to te st ify, or (2 ) are su ch th at th e jury wou ld na tu ral ly an d

ne ces sa ril y un d e r st an d th e co m m en ts as hi gh li gh ti ng th e de fen da nt 's fai lu re to
te st ify." Herri n v. Uni te d St a t e s , 3 4 9 F

. 3 d 54 4, 54 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ). W e m us t,

-3

-ho wev er, rev ie w th e co m m en ts wit hi n th ei r sp eci fic co nt ex t an d wil l rev ers e on ly if th e de fen da nt can es ta bl is h th at "t he co m m en ts were im

pr op er an d th at th ey res ul te d in pre jud ic e." Id

.

Afte r ex am in in g th e go ve rn m en t's in di rect co m m en ts in co nt ex t, we co nc lu de

no er r o r o c c u rred
, m

uc h le ss pl ai n erro r. To be su re, we th in k th e go ve rn m en t's

co m m en ts were m ean t to bo ls te r it s own ev id en ce an d ex pl ai n th at it s wit ne s s es
te st ifi ed co ns is te nt ly an d cred ib ly. See Uni te d St at es v. Mo or e, 12 9 F.3 d 98 9, 99 3 (8 th Ci r. 19 97 ) (co nc lu di ng , "[s ]tate m en ts th at th e go ve rn m e nt 's ev id en ce was 'un co nt rad ic te d' were si m pl y in refe ren ce to th e st ren gt h an d cl ari ty of th e
go ve rn m en t's ev id en ce p r e se nt ed at tri al "). Add it io na ll y , fro m th es e rel at iv el y 2
in no cu ou s co m

m en ts , th e jury wou ld no t na tu ral ly an d ne ces sa ril y dr aw th e in fere nc e th at th e co m

m en ts hi gh li gh te d Si m

m on s' fai lu re to te st ify. In de ed
, th e co m m en ts

were no t ev en su ffi ci en tl y of fen si ve to warra nt an o b

je c t i o n by Si m

m on s' co un se l. Fi na ll y , whe re "t he arg um en t in fav or of fin di ng a co ns ti tu ti on al vi ol at io n is te nu ou s
at be st , [a st an da rd pr iv il eg e] in st ru ct io n is an ad di ti on al sa feg ua rd "– as was gi ve n he re. Ro bi ns on v. Cris t, 2 78 F.3d 86 2, 8 66 (8t h C ir. 2 00 2) . There fo re, we perce iv e

no pl ai n e rro r un de r th e Fi fth Am en dm en t.

Not wit hs ta nd in g ou r co nc lu si on , th e go ve rn m en t "m ay no t co m m en t on a 2 de fen da nt 's fai lu re to pr es en t ev id en ce to co n t r a d i c t th e go ve rn m en t's cas e if th e de fen da nt al on e ha d th e in fo rm at io n to do so ." Uni te d St at es v. San ds tro m , 59 4 F.3 d 63 4, 66 2- 63 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (q uo ta ti on a n d em ph as is om it te d)

. At tri al
, Si m m on s at te m pt ed to es ta bl is h th at th e fir earm be lo ng ed to Je ro m e Bri dg es , a pa ss en ge r in th e
car at th e ti m e Si m

m on s was st op pe d. Thu s, by S i mm o n s' own as se rti on , Je ro m e Bri dg es al le ge dl y ha d in fo rm at io n to reb ut th e go ve rn m en t's ev id en ce. Acco rd in gl y , th e pr es en t cas e li es in co nt ras t to Uni te d St at es v. Trip le tt , whe re th e go v e rn m en t

co m m en te d th at th e jury "n ev er he ard ev id en ce th at th e de fen da nt di dn 't kn ow th at he po ss es se d th e dr

ug s," be cau se wit h su ch a co m m en t, "o nl y [th e de fen da nt ] co ul d de ny his own kn owl ed ge th at he po ss es se d th e dr ug s." 19 5 F .3d 99 0, 9 95 (8t h C ir. 19 99 ) (q uo ta ti on an d e m

ph as is om it te d)

.

-4

-Nex t, Si m m on s ch al le ng es hi s se nt en ce on ap pe al

. "We in it ia ll y rev ie w a

se nt en ce fo r si gn ifi can t pr oc ed ur al erro r an d th en , if ne ces sa ry , fo r su bs ta nt iv e

reas on ab le ne ss ." Uni te d St at es v

. D a v i d
, 68 2 F.3 d at 10 74
, 10 76 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). Rel ev an t he re, si gn ifi can t pr oc ed ur al erro r oc cu rs whe n th e di st ric t co ur t fai ls to

co ns id er th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s or fai ls to ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai n a se nt en ce. Uni te d St at es

v. Nis se n , 6 6 6 F.3 d 48 6, 49 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). Afte r rev ie win g a se nt en ce fo r
pr oc ed ur al erro r, we rev ie w for su bs ta nt iv e reas on ab le ne ss , t ak in g in to acco un t t he

to ta li ty o f th e ci rcu m st an ces . Un it ed Sta te s v . Mab ery, 68 6 F .3d 59 1, 5 98 (8t h C ir.
20 12 ). "If a se nt en ce is wit hi n th e pr op erl y cal cu la te d Gui de li ne s ran ge , we pr es um e it is su bs ta nt iv el y reas on ab le ." Uni te d St at es v. Hof fm an , 70 7 F.3 d 92 9, 93 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ).

Si m m on s m ak es th e ov er-a rch in g arg um en t th at th e di st ric t cou rt im po se d an

un reas on ab le se nt en ce, be cau se it di d no t fu ll y c on si de r th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s. W e read Si m m on s' br ie f to c ha ll en ge hi s se nt en ce on bo th pr oc ed ur al an d su bs ta nt iv e
gr ou nd s, bu t he do es no t cl earl y m ak e th is di st in ct io n. To th e ex te nt Si m m on s cl ai m s th e di st ric t co ur t co m

m it te d pr oc ed ur al erro r, we rev ie w fo r pl ai n erro r as he di d no t

m ak e th is ob

jecti on be lo w. Un i t e d S t a t es v. W oh lm an , 65 1 F.3 d 87 8, 88 3- 84 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). Howev er, we rev ie w th e su bs ta nt iv e reas on ab le ne ss of hi s s en te nc e fo r

a n a b us e of di sc ret io n reg ard le ss of whe th er th e is su e was rai se d be lo w. Uni te d
St at es v. Deeg an , 60 5 F .3d 62 5, 6 29 (8t h C ir. 2 01 0)

.

Si m m on s co m

pl ai ns th at th e di st ric t c o u r t di d no t ap pl y th e § 35 53 (a)

se nt en ci ng fact or s an d pl aced to o m uc h e m ph as is on hi s cr im in al hi st or y

. "[T]her e is no req ui rem en t th at th e di st ric t co ur t reci te ev ery se ct io n 35 53 (a) fact or ." Uni te d
St at es v. Bryant
, 60 6 F.3 d 91 2, 91 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). And
, he re, " [ a ]l t ho ug h th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t reci te ev ery se ct io n 35 53 (a) fact or , th e co ur t di d refe r to se ct io n 35 53 (a) an d sp eci fic al ly acco un te d fo r th e se nt en ci ng ob jecti ve s of jus t pu ni sh m en t,
ge ne ral de te rren ce and in cap aci ta ti on , al l of whic h are co ns id erat io ns un de r se ct io n 35 53 (a)." Id

. (in te rn al qu ot at io n om it te d)

. Mo reo ve r, th e di st r ic t co ur t co ns id ered

-5

-t h e s p e ci fic ch arac te ris ti cs an d hi st or y of Si m m on s, na m el y hi s ex te ns iv e cri m in a l hi st or y

. See 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a)( 1)

. The refo re, be cau se th e di st ric t co ur t co ns id ered th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s an d pr ov id ed a m ean in gf ul ex pl a n a ti on of th os e fact or s, no
pr oc ed u ral erro r oc cu rred
, an d we co nc lu de th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n by im

po si ng a wit hi n- Gui de li ne s se nt en ce aft er ad eq ua te ly ev al ua ti ng th e § 3 55 3( a) s en te nc in g fa ct or s.

II I. CONCLUSI ON

W e aff irm.

__

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

-6

-