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### NOT PRECEDENTIAL UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

____________

No. 07

- 4394

____________ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

v. JOHN A. O’NEAL Appellant

____________ On Appeal from United State s District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania District Court No.: 04

- mj

- 01060 Magistrate Judge: Honorable Charles B. Smith

__________ Submitted Under Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a) June 20, 2011 Before: HARDIMAN and ALDISERT , Circuit Judges and R ESTANI * 

### Judge

. (Filed: June 22, 2011 )

____________ OPINION OF THE COURT

____________ HARDIMAN, Circuit Judge

.

* 

### The H onorable Jane A. Restani, Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, sitting by designation.2 

### John O’Neal appeals his conviction for unauthorized posting of material on Veterans Affairs (VA) property. We will reverse.
I Duri ng the presidential election campaign of 2004, O’Neal submitted a request to the administration of the VA Medical Center (VAMC) asking to hold a sign on VAMC grounds stating that Senator John Kerry was unfit to serve as the Democratic candidate for Preside nt. The VAMC administration denied O’Neal’s request, reasoning that the Hatch Act forbade it from sanctioning any activity directed toward the success or fai lure of a political candidate. After the VAMC denied O’Neal’s request to protest on premises, he a ppeared across the street from the VAMC facility holding a sign protesting Senator Kerry’s presidential bid. O’Neal then was approached by VA Police Corporal Richard Sload, who informed him that he could not protest on VA property. O’Neal refused to move , however, contending that he was on State property. Corporal Sload then cited O’Neal for unauthorized posting of material on VA property, in violation of 38 C.F.R. § 1.218(a)(9). O’Neal contested the citation before a United States Magistrate Judge, arg uing that he was protesting on State grounds and that his prosecution violated the First Amendment. The Magistrate Judge disagreed, finding that O’Neal protested on VA property. The District Court affirmed and O’Neal filed this timely appeal.3 

### II O’Neal ’s violation of 38 C.F.R. § 1.218(a)(9) was premised upon his protest occurring on “property under the charge and control” of the VA. On appeal, the United States concedes that it failed to demonstrate that O’Neal’s protest occurred on VA property. Our i ndependent review of the record confirms that the Government failed to carry its burden. This finding invalidates the premise upon which O’Neal’s conviction was based and compels reversal of the judgment of the District Court and the entry of a judgment o f acquittal in favor of O’Neal. See United States v. McKee , 506 F.3d 225, 251 (3d Cir. 2007). An appropriate judgment follows

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