# 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 2- 21 95

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Ada m Mu ss er

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

- App el la nt

v.

Terry Map es

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt - App el le e

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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 So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa – Des Mo in es

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 1 1, 2 01 3
Fil ed : J un e 2 4, 2 01 3

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Befo re COLLOTON, MELLOY , and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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MELLOY, Circu it Ju dg e.

Ada m Mu ss er was co nv ic te d in fo ur se pa rat e tri al s of cri m in al ly tra ns m it ti ng

th e hu man im m

un od efi ci en cy vi ru s (HIV) in vi ol at io n of Io wa Co de § 70 9C .1.

Fo ll owi ng th e sa m e nu m

be r of un su cces sf

ul ap pe al s be fo re th e Io wa Su pr em e Co ur t,Mu ss er pe ti ti on ed fo r ha be as rel ie f pu rs ua nt to 28 U.S.C. § 22 54

. The di st ric t co ur t 1

de ni ed th e pe ti ti on , an d Mu ss er ap pe al ed

. Fo r th e reas on s se t fo rth be lo w, we affi rm

.

I. Back gr ou nd

A. Fact s

In 20 02 an d 20 03

, Mu ss er ha d un pr ot ect ed se xu al in te rco ur se wit h fo ur

wom en

. At th at ti m e, Mu ss e r k ne w hi m se lf to be HIV-p os it iv e an d was rece iv in g

tre at m en t fo r th e co nd it io n, b ut ei th er wit hh el d or m is rep res en te d hi s HIV st at us to

th e wom en

. Mu ss er was su bs eq ue nt ly co nv ic te d in fo ur se pa rat e tri al s of vi ol at in g

2

Io wa Co de § 70 9C .1 ("th e st at ut e")

, whi ch pr ov id es as fo ll ows : " A pe rs on co m m it s
cri m in al tra ns m is si on of [HIV] if th e pe rs on , kn owi ng th at th e pe rs on 's [HIV] st at us
is po si ti ve

. . . [ e ]n ga ge s in in ti m at e co nt act wit h an ot he r pe rs on ." Io wa Co de
§ 70 9C .1 ( 1) (a). The st at ut e de fin es "i nt im at e co nt act " as "t he in te nt io na l ex po su re

of th e bo dy of on e pe rs on to a bo di ly flu id of an ot he r pe rs on in a m an ne r th at co ul d

res ul t i n t he tra ns m is si on of [ HIV]. " Id . § 7 09 C.1 (2 )(b ). It i s n ot an ele m en t o f th e

of fen se th at a vi ct im

act ua ll y be co m e in fect ed wit h HIV. Id . § 7 09 C.1 (4 ).

In se pa rat e di rect ap pe al s, th e Io wa Su pr em e Co ur t affi rm ed each of Mu ss er's

co nv ic ti on s an d fif

ty-y ear ag gr eg at e pr is on se nt en ce. See St at e v. M u s s e r , 7 2 1

N.W.2 d 7 3 4

, 74 1 & n.3 (Io wa 20 06 ). Mu ss er su bs eq ue nt ly pe ti ti on ed th e di st ric t

co ur t fo r ha be as rel ie f pu rs ua nt to 28 U.S.C. § 22 54

. Mu ss er di d no t di sp ut e th e fact s

un de rlyin g hi s co nv ic ti on s, bu t cl ai m ed th at th e co nv ic ti on s an d rep res en ta ti on by hi s

The Hon or ab le Ja m es E. Grit zn er, Chi ef Unit ed St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 1

So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa

.

Mu ss er so m et i mes u s e d a co nd om , bu t in at le as t on e in st an ce hi s co nd om 2

fai le d. Thre e of th e fo ur wom en were c o n f i r med a s ha vi ng no t be en in fect ed wit h HIV, and th e rec or d d oe s n ot in di cat e th e HIV st at us of M us se r's fou rth vi ct im

.

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-co un se l were un co ns ti tu ti on al fo r va rio us reas on s. The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed Mu ss er's

pe ti ti on on al l gr ou nd s, Mu ss er v. Map es , 85 4 F. Su pp

. 2d 65 2 (S.D. Io wa 20 12 ), an d

th is Co ur t gran te d a cert ifi cat e of ap pe al ab il it y li m it ed to "t he is su e o f whe th er [t he

st at ut e] vio la te d t he du e p ro ces s cl au se be cau se it is va gu e an d o ve rb ro ad ."

On ap pe al

, Mu ss er ren ews hi s arg um en ts reg ard in g th e st at ut e's al l e ge d

un co ns ti tu ti on al va gu en es s an d ov erb read th

. Sp eci fic al ly, Mu ss er cl ai m s th at th e

st at ut e do es no t pr ov id e fai r no ti ce of wha t act s are pr oh ib it ed be cau s e t h e ph ras es

"i nt im at e co nt act " an d "i n a m an ne r th at co ul d res ul t in th e tra ns m is si on of [HIV]" are

va gu e an d swe ep to o br oa dl y

. See Io wa Co de § 70 9C .1(1 )(a)

, (2 )(b ). Mu ss er arg ue s

th at th e st at ut e un co ns ti tu ti on a ll y pr oh ib it s cert ai n act iv it ie s— e.g

. , acci de nt al ly

bl eed in g on an ot he r in di vi du al aft er an au to m ob il e acci de nt or du rin g a sp or ti ng

co m pe titio n, ki ss in g, an d br eas t-f eed in g— whe re "t

he re is re as ona

ble sc ie nti fi c de ba te

as to whe th er th e m od e of tra ns m is si on ac tu al ly sp read s [HIV]" be cau se "al l th e st at e

ne ed s to do is fin d an e x p e r t t o s a y th at su ch co nt act ' co ul d ' tra ns m it [HIV]."
(Em ph as es ad de d.)

B. Sta nd ard of R ev ie w

"When co ns id eri n g t h e d i st ric t co ur t's de ni al of a ha be as pe ti ti on , we rev ie w
th e di st ric t co ur t's fin di ng s of fact fo r cl ear erro r an d it s co nc lu si on s of la w de no vo ."

Mi dd le to n v. Ro pe r, 45 5 F.3 d 83 8, 84 5 ( 8 t h Ci r. 20 06 ) (ci ta ti on an d in te rn al

qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. "When a cl ai m ha s be en ad jud ic at ed on th e m eri ts in st at e

co ur t, ha be as rel ie f is w a r r a n t e d o nl y if th e st at e co ur t pr oc eed in g res ul te d in (1 ) 'a

de c i s i o n th at was co nt rary to

, or in vo lv ed an un reas on ab le ap pl ic at io n of

, cl earl y

es ta bl is he d Fed eral la w, as de te rm in ed by th e Su pr em e Co ur t,' or (2 ) 'a de ci si on th at

w a s ba se d on an un reas on ab le de te rm in at io n of th e fact s in li gh t of th e ev id e n c e

pr e s e n t e d i n th e St at e co ur t pr oc eed in g.'" Bu ck le w v. Lue bb ers , 43 6 F.3 d 10 10

, 10 15 –1 6 (8 th Ci r

. 20 06 ) (q uo ti ng 28 U.S.C. § 22 54 (d )(1 ), (2 )). A de ci si on is

"co nt rary to " fed eral la w "i f th e st at e co ur t arri ve s at a co nc lu si on op po si t e t o th at

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-reac he d by [th e Su pr em e] Co ur t on a qu es ti on of la w or if th e st a t e c ou rt de ci de s a

cas e di ffer en tl y th an [th e Su pr em e] Co ur t ha s on a se t of m at eri al ly in di st in gu is ha bl e

fact s." W il li am s v. Tay lo r, 52 9 U.S. 36 2, 41 2– 13 (2 00 0)

. A de ci si on is "an

u n r e a s o na bl e ap pl ic at io n" of fed eral la w "i f th e st at e co ur t id en ti fie s th e co rr e c t

go ve rn in g le ga l pr i nc ip le fro m [th e Su pr em e] Co ur t's de ci si on s bu t un reas on ab ly

a p p li es th at pr in ci pl e to th e fact s of th e pr is on er's cas e." Id

. at 41 3. "[ I ]t i s n o t

en ou gh fo r [th is Co ur t] to co nc lu de th at

, in ou r in de pe nd en t jud gm en t, we wou ld ha ve

ap pl ie d fed eral la w di ffer en tl y fro m th e st at e co ur t; th e st at e co ur t's ap pl ic at io n m us t

ha ve be en ob

jecti ve ly un reas on ab le ." Ro us an v. Ro pe r, 43 6 F.3 d 95 1, 95 6 (8 th Ci r.

20 06 ).

II. Mu ss er's Ch al le ng es to th e St at ut e

A li ti ga nt m ay br in g a faci al ch al le ng e to in va li da te an im pr eci se la w un de r two

do ct rin es : va gu en es s an d ov erb read th

. Ci ty of Ch ic ag o v. Mo ral es , 52 7 U.S. 41

, 52
(1 99 9)

. Su bjec t to a li m it ed nu m be r o f e x c e p ti on s, ho wev er, "a pe rs on to who m a

st at ut e m ay co ns ti tu ti on al ly be ap pl ie d wil l no t be he ard to ch al le ng e th at st at ut e on

th e gr ou nd th at i t m ay co nc ei va bl y be ap pl ie d un co ns ti tu ti on al ly t o ot he rs , i n ot he r
si tu at io ns no t be fo re th e Co ur t." Bro ad ric k v. Okl ah om a, 41 3 U.S. 60 1, 61 0 (1 97 3)

.

Mu ss er arg ue s th at Io wa Co de § 70 9C .1 is in va li d fo r be in g un co ns ti tu ti on al ly

va gu e an d o ve rb ro ad . W e ad dr es s ea ch of h is arg um en ts in tu rn be lo w.

A. Vagu en es s

Und er th e vo id -fo r-v ag ue ne ss do ct rin e, a la w is un co ns ti tu ti on al if it "fa il s to

pr ov id e a pe rs on of or di na ry in te ll ig en ce fai r no ti ce of wha t is pr oh ib it ed

, or is so

st an da rd le ss th at it au th or iz es or en co ur ag es se rio us ly di sc riminat or y en fo rcem en t."

Uni te d St at es v. W il li am s, 55 3 U.S. 28 5, 30 4 (2 00 8) ; se e Uni te d St at es v. Nat'l Dair y

Pro ds

. Co rp ., 37 2 U.S. 29

, 32 –3 3 (1 96 3) (“ Voi d fo r va gu en es s si m pl y m ean s th at

-4

-cri m in al res po ns ib il it y sh ou ld no t at ta ch whe re on e co ul d no t reas on ab ly un de rs ta nd

th at hi s co nt em

pl at ed co nd uc t is pr os cri be d.” ). Vag ue ne ss is ge ne ral ly no t on e of th e

li m it ed ex cep ti on s m en ti on ed ab ov e, ho wev er, se e Uni te d St at es v. Maz ur ie

, 419 U .S.

54 4, 55 0 (1 97 5)

, an d th us fo r Mu ss er to h a v e s t a n d i n g to ch al le ng e th e st at ut e as

va gu e, th e st at ut e m

us t be un co ns ti tu ti on al as ap pl ie d to hi s sp eci fic co nd uc t at is su e.

See Vil la ge of Hof

fm an Est at es v. Fl ip si de

, Hof fm an Est at es , In c., 45 5 U.S. 48 9, 49 5
(1 98 2) ("A pl ai nt iff who en ga ge s in so m e co nd uc t th at is cl earl y pr os cri be d can no t

co m pl ai n o f th e v ag ue ne ss of t he law as ap pl ie d t o t he co nd uc t o f ot he rs .").

Fo r pu rp os es of t hi s ap pe al

, Mu ss er do es no t d is pu te th e fac ts un de rlyin g h is

co nv ic ti on s— Mu ss er ad m it s to ha vi ng un pr ot ect ed se xu al i n t e r c o ur se wit h fo ur

wom en whe n he kn ew hi m se lf to be HIV-p os it iv e an d wit ho ut in fo rm in g th e wom en

of hi s co nd it io n. And fo r th e reas on s st at ed by th e Io wa Su pr em e Co ur t an d rei te rat ed
by th e di st ric t co ur t, Mu ss er ha d fai r no ti ce th at un pr ot ect ed se xu al in te rco ur se

co ns ti tu te d "i nt im at e co nt act " wit hi n th e m ean in g of th e st at ut e. Mu ss er, 72 1 N.W .2d

at 74 5 (ci ti ng St at e v. Keen e, 62 9 N.W .2d 36 0, 36 5– 66 (Io wa 20 01 ) ("[ A] ny

reas on ab ly in te ll ig en t pe rs on is aware it is po ss ib le to tra ns mi t H I V du rin g se xu al

in te rco ur se , es pe ci al ly whe n it is un pr ot ect ed .")); se e Mu ss er, 85 4 F. Su pp

. 2d at 66 3

& n.8

. Thu s, be cau se Mu ss er kn ew hi s HIV st at us to be "p os it iv e" an d e n g ag ed in

th e type of "i nt im at e co nt act " th at th e st at ut e was pl ai nl y in te nd ed to pr oh ib it

, th e

st at ut e is no t u nc on st it ut io na ll y va gu e as ap pl ie d t o h im

.

Acco rd in gl y , Mu ss er is pr ecl ud ed fro m as se rti ng a vo id -fo r-v ag ue ne ss
ch al le ng e to th e st at ut e ba se d on th e hypo th et ic al si tu at io ns po se d in hi s pe ti ti on an d

br ie f an d n ot ed ab ov e ( e.g

. , acci de nt al bl eed in g)

.

B. Over br ead th

Unl ik e v a gu en es s, "[t ]he Fi rs t Am en dm en t do ct rin e of ov erb read th is an

ex cep ti on to [th e] no rm al ru le reg ard in g th e st an da rd s fo r faci al ch al le ng es ." Virg in ia

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-v. Hick s, 53 9 U.S. 1 13 , 1 18 (2 00 3) . " [T]he o ve rb read th do ct rin e pe rm it s th e faci al

in va li da ti on of la ws th at in hi bi t th e ex erci se of Fi rs t Am e n d men t r ig ht s if th e

im pe rm is si bl e ap pl ic at io ns of th e la w are su bs ta nt ia l when 'jud ge d in rel at io n to th e

st at ut e's pl ai nl y le gi ti m at e swe ep .'" Mo ral es , 52 7 U.S. at 52 (q uo ti ng Bro ad ric k, 41 3

U.S. at 61 5) ; se e Turc hi ck v. Uni te d St at es , 56 1 F.2 d 71 9, 72 1 (8 th Ci r. 19 77 ) ("Th e

ai m of f aci al ov erb read th an al y si s i s t o el im in at e th e d et erre nt or 'c hi ll in g' e ffec t an

ov erb ro ad la w m ay ha ve on th os e co nt em pl at in g co nd uc t pr o te ct ed by th e Fi rs t

Am en dm en t." (fo ot no te om it te d) ). The faci al ov erb read th do ct rin e is res tri ct ed in it s

ap pl ic at io n, ho wev er, an d is "n ot reco gn iz e d

. . . ou ts id e th e li m it ed co nt ex t of th e

Fi rs t Am en dm en t." Uni te d St at es v. Sal ern o, 48 1 U

. S. 73 9, 74 5 (1 98 7) ; Sch al l v.

Mar ti n, 46 7 U.S. 2 5 3

, 26 8 n.1 8 (1 98 4) ("[ O] ut si de th e li m it ed Fi rs t Am en dm en t

co nt ex t, a cr im in al st at ut e m ay no t b e at ta ck ed as o ve rb ro ad .").

Here, be cau se th e cert ifi cat e of ap pe al ab il it y was gr an te d on "t he is su e of

whe th er [th e st at ut e] vi ol at ed th e du e pr oc es s cl au se be cau se it is va gu e an d

ov erb ro ad ," an d be cau se th e Fi rs t Am en dm en t is ap pl ie d to th e St at es by way of th e

Due Pro ces s Cl au se , se e Uni te d Bh d. of Carp en te rs & Jo in ers , Loc al 61 0 v. Sco tt

, 46 3

U.S. 8 25 , 83 1 (1 98 3) , a Fi rs t Am en dm en t cl ai m is th eo ret ic al ly wit hi n th e sc op e of

th e ap pe al ab le i ss ue

. Bu t no whe re in hi s ap pe al br ie f do es Mu ss er m en ti on "Fi rs t

Am en dm en t" or "fr eed om of as so ci at io n" or an y te rm s or ph ras es th at wou ld in di cat e
ho w hi s cl ai m is pr op erl y su bjec t to an ov erb read th ch al le ng e. Mu ss er arg ue s on ly 3

The Iowa Su pr em e Co ur t n ot ed th at th e "p ract ic al effe ct " o f th e st at ut e d oe s 3

co m pe l so m e sp eech —fo rci ng an in di vi du al to di sc lo se th at he or sh e is HIV-p os it iv e—a nd th us im pl ic at es th e Fi rs t Am en dm en t. Mu s s er, 72 1 N.W .2d at
74 2. None th el es s, the Io wa Su pr em e Co ur t det erm in ed th at "[t ]he ob vi ou s pu rp os e of th [e] st at ut e is th e pr ot ect io n of pu bl ic he al th by di sc ou rag in g th e tra ns m is si on of
th e AIDS vi ru s[ ,] " an d th e co ur t co ul d no t "co nc ei ve of a le ss res tri ct iv e way in whi ch
th e st at e co ul d acco m

pl is h it s go al ." Id

. at 74 4– 45

. Mu ss er ch al le ng ed th is ru li ng in
hi s pe ti ti on , bu t th e di st ric t co ur t co nc lu de d th at "t he Io wa Su pr em e Co ur t's de ci si on

was no t an un reas on ab le ap pl ic at io n of fed eral la w as de te rm in ed by th e Uni te d St at es Su pr em e Co ur t." M u s se r, 85 4 F. Su pp

. 2d at 66 6. The re is no co gn iz ab le way to

-6

-th at "[t ]he Fo ur te en th Am en dm en t acco rd s pr ot ect io n to pe rs on al de ci si on s rel at in g

to m arri ag e, pr oc reat io n , co nt race pt io n, fam il y rel at io ns hi ps , ch il d rear in g, an d

ed uc at io n." Fo r th is pr op os it io n, Mu ss er ci te s Lawren ce v. Tex as , 53 9 U

. S

. 55 8
(2 00 3)

. Lawren ce, ho wev er, was de ci de d on su bs ta nt iv e du e-p ro ces s gr ou nd s— no t

th e rig ht of free as so ci at io n ari si ng ou t of th e Fi rs t Am en dm en t. See id

. at 56 4 ("We

co nc lu de th e cas e sh ou ld be res ol ve d by de te rm in in g whe th er th e pe ti ti on ers were

free as ad ul ts to en ga ge in th e pr iv at e co nd uc t in th e ex erci se of th ei r li be rt y un de r th e

Due Pro ces s C l a u se of th e Fo ur te en th Am en dm en t to th e Co ns ti tu ti on ." (em ph as is

ad de d) ). W e ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at Mu ss er is "t arg et in g th e ri g ht of two

pe rs on s t o e ng ag e in pri va te , in ti m at e co nt act ," an d th at rig ht is m or e ak in to rig ht s

th at ha ve be en reco gn iz ed un de r th e su bs ta nt iv e co m po ne n t o f t h e Due Pro ces s
Cl au se , n ot th e Fi rs t Am en dm en t. Mu ss er, 8 54 F. Sup p. 2 d at 66 1 n.7 ; se e Ro be rts

v. U.S. Ja y cees , 46 8 U.S. 60 9, 61 7– 20 (1 98 4) (d is ti n g u i s h i n g be twee n th e "t wo
di st in ct sen se s" in whi ch th ere i s a c on st it ut io na l ri gh t t o fr eed om of a ss oc ia ti on ).

Acco rd in gl y , b ecau se Mu ss er do es no t rai se an y Fi rs t Am en dmen t co nc ern s,
he is pre cl ud ed fro m

ass ert in g a n o ve rb read th ch al le ng e to th e st at ut e.

III. Co nc lu si on

Fo r th e reas on s se t fo rth ab ov e, we affi rm th e di st ric t cou rt' s de ni al of ha be as
rel ie f to Mu ss er.

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in te rp ret Mu ss er's ap pe al br ie f as ad va nc in g a free -s pe ech arg um en t, an d th us if th ere is an y Fi rs t Am en dm en t ch al le ng e pr es e n t, it m us t ari se fro m th e rig ht of free

as so ci at io n.

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