## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T

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No. 1 0- 31 50

__ __ __ __ __ _ Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca, *

* App el le e, *

* App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e
* W es te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i. Ri ck y L. Broo ks
, *

* [UNPUBLISHED] App el la nt

. *

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Su bm it te d: Ju ne 13 , 20 11 Fi le d: Aug us t 4 , 20 11

__ __ __ __ __ _ Befo re MUR PHY, ARNOLD, an d S MITH, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.

Ri ck y Bro ok s pl ead ed gu il ty to be in g a fel o n in po ss es si on of a fir earm , in vi ol at io n of 1 8 U.S.C. §§ 92 2( g) (1 ) an d 92 4( a)(2 ). Afte r ap pl y in g a fo ur -le ve l

en ha nc em en t, pu rs ua nt to U.S

. S

. G

. § 2K2 .1(b )(6 ), fo r po ss es si ng th e fir earm in

co nn ect io n wi th an ot he r fel on y of fen se , t he di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Bro ok s t o 1 20 1

m on th s' im

pr is on m en t. On ap pe al
, Bro ok s ch al le ng es th e co ur t's ap pl ic at io n of th e

en ha nc em en t. We affi rm

.

The Hon or ab l e D e a n W hi pp le , Un it ed St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 1 Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.I. Bac kg ro un d

Bro ok s pl ead ed gu il ty to 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 ) an d 92 4( a)(2 ). Acco rd in g to th e pr es en te nc e in ve st ig at io n
rep or t (PSR ), po li ce of

fic ers were pa tro ll in g th e W es tp or t e n t e r ta in m en t di st ric t of
Kan sa s Ci ty, Mi ss ou ri, at ni gh t whe n th ey he ard fiv e to te n gu ns ho ts in a n e a r b y
pa rk in g lo t. The of

fic ers sp ok e t o w i tn es se s, who po in te d to ward a ne arb y ve hi cl e. The of fic ers ap pr oa ch ed th e ve hi cl e, th en m ov ed to a st reet jus t no rth of th e pa rk in g lo t. The y s a w B r o ok s in th e fro nt pa ss en ge r se at , ho ld in g a Ro m ak -Ro m arm /C ug ir
SKS se m ia ut om at ic rif

l e in hi s la p. Bro ok s ex it ed th e ve hi cl e an d at te m pt ed to fle e

on fo ot , bu t t h e of

fic ers qu ic kl y ap pr eh en de d an d arre st ed hi m

. The of fic ers th en

reco ve red th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le in th e ve hi cl e. The rif

le ha d a 30 -ro un d m ag azi ne , wit h 2 3 ro un ds of a m

m un it io n re m ai ni ng

.

Sh or tl y th erea fte r, of

fic ers le arn ed th at se ve ral sh oo ti ng vi ct im s ha d arri ve d at

a ne arb y ho sp it al

. One vi ct im su ffer ed a gu ns ho t wou nd to t h e l e g , sh at te rin g hi s fem ur bo ne ; ano th er suf

fere d an abra si on on hi s left le g. W it ne ss es to ld th e of fic ers th at th e in ci de nt be ga n wi th an arg um en t i n a ba r acr os s th e st reet fro m th e p ark in g lo t an d co nt in ue d in to th e pa rk in g lo t it se lf. Acco rd in g to th e wit ne ss es , Bro ok s wen t
to a ve hi cl e, ret rie ve d a fir earm , a nd be g a n s ho ot in g to ward a Ch ev ro le t Su bu rb an , h i t t in g two pe op le an d da m ag in g th e ve hi cl e. The se wit ne ss es an d th e vi ct ims id en ti fie d B ro ok s as th e sh oo te r.

The PSR cal cu la te d a to ta l of fen s e l e v el of 27
, in cl ud in g a fo ur -le ve l

en ha nc em en t, pu rs u a n t t o U.S.S.G. § 2K2 .1(b )(6 ), fo r po ss es si ng th e fir earm in

co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y of fen se , a fir st -d eg ree as sa ul t an d a rm ed cri m in al

act io n. Co m

bi ne d wit h hi s cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of IV, th e PS R c a l c ul at ed an ad vi so ry Gui de li ne s ra ng e o f 10 0 t o 1 20 m on th s' i m pr is on m en t. 2

The ap pl ic ab le ran ge wou ld ha ve be en 10 0 to 12 5 m on th s' im pr is on m en t, bu t 2 th e st at ut or y m ax im

um fo r Bro ok s's o f

f en se was 12 0 m on th s' im pr is on m en t. 18

-2

-Bro ok s rai se d on ly on e ob jecti on to th e PSR, di sp ut in g th at th e § 2K2 .1(b )(6 )

en ha nc em en t sh ou ld ap pl y

. In hi s writ te n ob jecti on , he m erel y st at ed th at he "d en ie [d ]

us in g a gu n du r i n g a n a ss au lt in th e 1s t de gr ee." He di d no t fil e a se nt en ci ng

m em or an du m , no r di d h e o bjec t t o t he PSR's fact ua l ac co un t o f th e o ffen se

.

At th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e co ur t ad dr es se d Bro ok s's ob jecti on to th e

en ha nc em en t. Bro ok s di sp ut ed th at he po ss es se d th e gu n in co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y of fen se

. As hi s co un se l ex pl ai ne d, "[B ro ok s] was ch arg ed wit h th at as sa ul t in th e fir st de gr ee in [Mi ss ou ri st at e co ur t], an d th at ch arg e was di sm is se d bec au se th e wit ne ss es were no t co op erat iv e." He ack no wled ge d t h a t , if cal le d to te st ify, th e wit ne ss es to th e May 3, 2 0 0 9 i nc id en t wou ld of fer te st im on y co ns is te nt wit h th ei r
st at em en ts to po li ce of

fic ers , as refl ect ed in th e PSR. The go ve rn m en t ex pl ai ne d th at it di d no t ha ve an y wit ne ss es to pr es en t at th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng at th at ti m e. It no te d th at th e wit ne ss es ha d no t ap pe ared in st at e co ur t bu t su gg es te d th at th e go ve rn m en t

co ul d co m

pe l th ei r te st im on y , if ne ces sa ry

. Ult im at el y , ho wev er, th e g o v e r n ment of fere d to st ip ul at e th at fo ur di ffer en t wit ne ss es , if cal le d, wou ld te st ify th at Bro ok s sh ot th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le at t he Ch ev ro le t Su bu rb an on th e n ig ht of t he off en se

.

Bro ok s st ip ul at ed th at th e wit ne ss es wou ld te st ify as th e go ve rn m en t ha d

rep res en te d. He a r gu ed
, ho wev er, th at th e co ur t sh ou ld no t fin d th e wit ne ss es cred ib le
, gi ve n th ei r refu sa l to co op erat e wit h st a te an d fed eral pr os ecu to rs

. Mo reo ve r, Bro ok s arg ue d th at th e ph y si cal ev id en ce di d no t su pp or t a fin di ng th at he

act ua ll y s ho t th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le . Ac co rd in g to Bro ok s, th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le ha d DNA fro m two ot he r in di vi du al s who ro de in th e car wit h hi m—bu t no DNA fro m Bro ok s hi m se lf. He co nc ed ed
, ho wev er, th at th e gu n was in hi s la p whe n th e car le ft t he sce ne

.

U.S.C. § 9 24 (a)( 2)

. -3

-The co ur t ov erru le d Bro ok s's ob jecti on an d ap pl ie d th e § 2K2 .1(b )(6 )

en ha nc em en t, ex pl ai ni ng it s fi nd in gs as f ol lo ws:

I'm go in g to ru le ba se d up on th e su m m ary of th e in ve st i g a t i v e rep or t [th at th e go ve rn m en t] ha s gi ve n th at if th es e wit ne ss es were cal le d, th ey
wou ld te st ify in a cco rd an ce wit h th e st at em en ts th ey m ad e to th e la w
en fo rcem en t of

fic ers th e ev en in g an d aft er th e of fen se , an d I th in k th at 's

su ffi ci en t ev id en ce, reg ard le ss of whe th er it wen t to tri al an d res ul te d in

a tri al in th e ot he r co ur t, is su ffi ci en t by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce to sh ow th at th ere was an ot he r fel on y co m m it te d an d th is de fen da nt was in vo lv ed in th at ot he r fel on y

.

The co ur t t he n c on fir m ed th at th e p art ie s h ad no fur th er o bjec ti on s an d a do pt ed th e

rem ai nd er o f t h e P S R. Afte r he ari ng arg um en ts fro m bo th pa rti es ab ou t th e
ap pr op ria te sen te nc e, th e co ur t s en te nc ed Bro ok s t o 1 20 m on th s' i m pr is on m en t.

II. Dis cu ss io n On ap pe al
, Bro ok s arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in ap pl y in g th e fo ur -le ve l

en ha nc em en t fo r po s s e s s i n g th e fir earm in co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y of fen se

. He co nt en ds th at th e co ur t sh ou ld no t ha ve rel ie d on th e ou t-o f-co ur t st at em en ts th at wit ne ss es m ad e to po li ce. Bec au se th es e wit ne ss es refu se d to co op erat e in th e st at eco ur t pr os ecu ti on of Bro ok s fo r as sa ul t, Bro ok s m ai nt ai ns th at th e di st ric t co ur t sh ou ld no t ha ve be li ev ed th ei r al le ga ti on s. Mo reo ve r, Bro ok s as se rts th at th e di st ric t

co ur t fai le d to co ns id er ot he r rel ev an t ev id en ce, in cl ud in g DNA ev id en ce on th e rif le
, whi ch sh owe d DNA fro m ot he r in di vi du al s i n B ro ok s's car b ut no t Br oo ks

.

W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t's ap pl ic at io n of t he Gui de li ne s de no vo an d it s fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear erro r. Uni te d St at es v. And er so n , 61 8 F.3 d 87 3, 87 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). Sp eci fic al ly, "[t ]he di st ric t co ur t's de te rm in at io n th at th e de fen da nt po ss es se d th e fir earm [] in co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y is a fact ua l fin di ng th at we rev ie w fo r cl ear e rro r." Uni te d S ta te s v. S mit h , 53 5 F .3d 88 3, 8 85 (8t h C ir. 2 00 8)

.

-4

-At se nt en c i n g , t h e go ve rn m en t be ars th e bu rd en of "p ro v[ in g] by a

pr ep on de ran ce o f th e ev id en ce ea ch of th e fact s ne ces sa ry to est ab li sh a se nt en ci ng

en ha nc em en t." U

n i t e d S t at es v. Raz o- Gue rr a , 53 4 F.3 d 97 0, 97 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ).
"Un le ss a de fen da nt ob

jects to a sp eci fic fact ua l al le ga ti on co nt ai ne d in th e PSR, th e

co ur t m ay acce pt th at fact as tru e fo r se nt en ci ng pu rp os es ." Id

. (q uo ta ti on , al te rat io n,

an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. W e ha ve reco gn iz ed th at an ob jecti on to th e PSR's

reco m m en da t io n of th e en ha nc em en t it se lf do es no t im pl y an ob

jecti on to th e

un de rlyin g fact ua l st at em en ts in th e PSR. Id

. at 97 5– 76 . I ns te ad , " [w]e r e q u i r e th at ob jecti on s to th e PSR be m ad e wit h sp eci fic i t y a n d cl ari ty be fo re a di st ric t co ur t is

pr ecl ud ed fro m rel y in g on th e fact ua l st at em en ts co nt ai ne d in t h e PSR." Id

. at 97 6 (q uo ta ti on s an d c it at io ns om it te d)

.

U.S

. S

. G. § 2K2 .1(b )(6 ) pr ov id es fo r a fo ur -le ve l en ha nc em en t "[i ]f th e de fen da nt us ed or po ss es se d any fir earm or am m un it io n in co nn ect io n wi th an ot he r fel on y of fen se ." Bro ok s do es no t d is pu te th at he po ss es se d th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le
,
no r do es he di sp ut e th at th e May 3, 20 09 sh oo ti ng wou ld co ns ti tu te a "fe lo ny of fen se " wit hi n t he m ean in g of th is Gui de li ne . I ns te ad , h e arg ue s t ha t t he go ve rn m en t fa il ed

to pr ov e by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce th at Bro ok s hi m se lf co m m it te d th e ot he r fel on y of fen se , i.e., th at Bro ok s sh ot th e s e mi a u t o m at ic rif le at th e Ch ev ro le t Su bu rb an

.

Am pl e ev id en ce su pp or ts th e di st ric t co ur t's fin di ng th at Bro ok s po ss es se d th e

se m ia ut om at ic rif

le in co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y of fen se

. Bro ok s ob

jecte d to th e PSR's en ha nc em en t reco m m en da ti on , bu t he fai le d to ob ject to th e pa rag rap hs in th e PSR de sc rib in g th e fact s of hi s of fen se

. Thu s, th e di st ric t co ur t was en ti tl ed to rel y on th os e po rti on s of th e PSR. Se e Raz o- Gue rr a , 53 4 F.3 d at 97 5– 76

. The un ob jecte d- to fact ua l al le ga ti on s of th e PSR , as d es cri be d a bo ve , st at ed th at of fic ers he ard fiv e to
te n gu ns ho ts an d, sh or tl y th erea ft e r , sa w B ro ok s ho ld in g th e se m ia ut om at ic rif le in hi s la p. The se m ia ut om at ic rif le ha d a 30 -ro un d m ag azi ne wit h 23 ro un ds rem ai ni ng ,

-5

-whi ch pr ov id es ci rcu m st an ti al ev id en ce th at Bro ok s's rif le was th e sa m e fir earm th at ha d b een fir ed

.

Mo reo ve r, th e un ob

jecte d- to fact ua l al le ga ti on s of th e PSR st at ed th at se ve ral wit ne ss es sa w Bro ok s fir e th e weap on at th e Ch ev ro le t Sub ur ba n. The dis tri ct co ur t

co ul d co ns id er th es e ou t-o f-co ur t st at em en ts if, gi ve n th e fact s of th e pa rti cu la r cas e, th e co ur t fin ds "'s uf

fic ie nt in di ci a of rel ia bi li ty to su pp or t [th e st at em en ts '] pr ob ab le

accu racy.'" Uni te d St at es v. W oo ds
, 59 6 F.3 d 44 5, 44 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (q uo ti ng U.S.S.G. § 6A1 .3(a )). Here, th e PSR in di cat ed th at th e w i t ne ss es m ad e th es e
st at em en ts to po li ce of

fic ers sh or tl y aft er th e sh oo ti ng

. Add it io na ll y , th e of fic ers ' own

au ral an d v is ua l o bs erv at io ns co rro bo rat ed th e wit ne ss es ' st at em en ts

.

In su m , th e un ob

jecte d- to fact ua l al le ga ti on s in th e PSR pr ov id ed a su ffi ci en t fact ua l b a s is fo r th e di st ric t co ur t to de te rm in e th at Bro ok s po ss es se d th e

se m ia ut om at ic rif

le in co nn ect io n wit h an ot he r fel on y of fen se

. As a res ul t, th e co ur t di d n ot err i n a pp lying th e § 2K2 .1(b )(6 ) en ha nc em en t.

III. Co nc lu si on Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t.

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