### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T Jul y 08, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 03- 11199 & 03- 16083

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 1 - 0 6 0 9 5 - C R - J AG U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s W I L B E R T M c K R E I T H , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l s f

rom the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju l y 8, 2005) B efo re B IR C H , C A RN E S an d R O N E Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: W i l be r tM c K r e i th appe a l s the j ury c onvi c t i ons on s e ve n c ount s of ba nk r obbe ry , 18 U . S . C . § 2113( a ) , a nd thr e e c ount s of us i ng, c a rry i ng, a nd br a ndi s hi ng af i r e a rm i n r e l a t i on t o c r i m e s of vi ol e nc e , 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) ( 1) ( A ) a nd ( C ) , a nd2

the di s tr i c tc our tbe nc h tr i a l c onvi c t i ons on tw o c ount s of know i ngl y pos s e s s i ng f ir e a rm s , h a v in g b e e n p r e v io u s ly c o n v ic te d o f af e lo n y , 1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) . M c K r e ith a r g u e s in s u f

f ic ie n c y o f

th e e v id e n c e , im p r o p e ra d m is s io n o f e v id e n c e , othe rtr i a l e rr or s , a nd be i ng s e nt e nc e d w i thoutc ouns e l i n vi ol a t i on of the C ons t i tut i on. W e a f

f i rm both the c onvi c t i ons a nd the s e nt e nc e . A f t e rar e c i t a t i on of the r a the rc om pl e x f

a c t s i n thi s c a s e , c ons trui ng the tr i a l e vi de nc e i n the l i ght m os tf a vor abl e t o the j ury ve r di c t , w e a ddr e s s e a c h i s s ue a s quot e d di r e c t l y f r om M cK re i th’ s app el l at e bri ef . E i gh tfe dera l l y- i nsured bank s l ocat ed i n sou th F l ori da w er e r ob bed b etw ee n Ja nu ary 20, 20 00 and M ar ch 1, 20 01 . A l l of the robb er i es cont ai ned a si m i l ar p a tte rn . T h e b a n k s w e r e r o b b e d b y a“lig h t- s k in n e d b la c kp e r s o n ” w e a r in g ap la id s hi r ta nd s ki m a s k. T he r obbe rde m a nde d, s om e t i m e s br a ndi s hi ng agun, tha tthe ba nk t e l l e r s pl a c e the m one y i n aduf f e l ba g the r obbe rha d c a rr i e d i nt o the ba nk w i th h i m . S ever al w i tness es fr om these bank l ocat i on s t es t i fi ed thatthe robb er dr ove am a r oon, bur gundy orr e d- c ol or e d c a r . T he ba nks ut i l i z e d s e c ur i ty a nd su rv ei l l an ce cam eras, w h i ch cap tu red i m ag es o f th ese ro b b eri es. B as ed on hi s i nv es t i gat i on , F eder al B ureau o f I nv es t i gat i on A gentJa m es L ew i s devel op ed a c om po si t e des cr i pt i on of the robb ery s uspectand asked l ocal s outh F l or i dapol i c e t o “ be on the l ookout ” f or , a m ong othe rthi ngs , ar e d or3

bu rgun dy four-doo r M er ce des B enz w i th t i nt ed w i nd ow s. A l ocal po l i ce offi ce r cont ac t ed A gentL ew i s w hen h e i dent i fi ed a vehi cl e f i tt i ng thatdesc ri pt i on . T hat ve hi c l e w a s r e gi s t e r e d t o M c K r e i th. A gentL ew i s obt ai ned survei l l ance pi ctures of the robb er i es and sho w ed the m t o M s . K e l l y M orr i s , af e de r a l e m pl oy e e w ho ha d know n M c K r e i th f orthe p r e v io u s y e a ra n d ah a lf a n d h a d v is ite d w ith M c K r e ith a t h is r e s id e n c e . M o rr is t ol d A gentL ew i s thatthe pers on i n the pi cture had a s i m i l arst ature ( i . e. , “ the s t om a c h s t i c ki ng out ” ) , he i ght , a nd pr of i l e a s M c K r e i th. S he a l s o not e d tha t , l i ke th e p e r s o n s h o w n in th e b a n k s ’ s u rv e illa n c e im a g e s , s h e h a d o b s e rv e d M c K r e ith previ ou sl y w ea ri ng tw o w ri stw at ches . S he further not i ce d thatthe pers on depi ct ed i n the survei l l ance pi ctures w as w ea ri ng si m i l arcl othes thatshe had no t i ce d M c K r e i th w e a r i n g i n th e p a s t . M s . M o rr i s t e s t i f i e d , “ H e a l w a y s w o r e th e s a me type of c l othi ng , pl ai d shi rt s, T -s hi rt s, bl ac k j ea ns and d ou bl e w at ches . ” S he had a l s o obs e rve d M c K r e i th’ s m a r oon M e r c e de s pa rke d out s i de hi s r e s i de nc e w he n s he had v i si t ed hi m . M orri s ul t i m at el y i dent i fi ed the pers on i n the survei l l ance pi ctures a s M c K r e i th. T he F B I pl a c e d M c K r e i th unde rs urve i l l a nc e a nd f ol l ow e d hi m t o a re si dence at15 40 N . W . 69 th T erra ce i n M i am i . M cK re i th’ s t ax re cords l i st ed that a d d r e s s a s h is r e s id e n c e . A f te rr e c e iv in g f

e d e r a l s e a r c h w a rr a n ts f o rb o th4

M cK re i th’ s M er ce des a nd thatre si dence, A gent s T ye S agerand L ew i s e xecut ed th e w ar ra n ts o n A p ril 1 1 , 2 0 0 1 . T h ey se ar ch ed fo r item s c o n n ec ted to M cK re ith ’s s us pe c t e d ba nk r obbe r i e s . T he s e a r c h r e ve a l e d, a m ong othe rthi ngs , “ af l a nne l or pl ai d type s hi rt , ” tw o b l ac k ski m as ks, and “ a vi nyl bl ac k sem i -s tri ped b ag. ” A sa fe w as al so di sc ov er ed i n the m as t erbedroo m cl oset . Itcont ai ned a . 38 0-ca l i ber h a n d g u n , s e v e r a l b o x e s o f v a ry in g a m m u n itio n , a n d th r e e w r is t w a tc h e s . M c K r e ith w a s a rr e s t e d a tthe r e s i de nc e a nd t a ke n t o a n F B I f i e l d of f i c e . A s e a r c h of M c K r e i th’ s M e r c e de s di s c ove r e d aba g s i m i l a rt o the ba g us e d i n one of the r o b b e r i e s , p h o t o g r ap h s o f Mc Kr e i th d e p i c t i n g h i m s i m u l t a n e o u s l y we a r i n g two w a tc h e s , a n d as e ttle m e n t s ta te m e n t f o rM c K r e ith ’s p u r c h a s e o f th e 1 5 4 0 N .W . 69 th T erra ce re si dence. T he pl ai d shi rt , m anufactured by “ V an H uess en, ” s ei ze d from the re si dence w as se ntt o an F B I c ri m e l ab and w as anal yz ed by fore nsi c a nal ys tR i char d V order B ruegge. M r. V order B ruegge anal yz ed the shi rt , al on g w i th v ar i ou s vi deot apes and p ho t og raph s, t o d et erm i ne i f thatshi rtand o ther a rt i cl es he w as gi ven m at ched the a r t i c l e s w orn by the r obbe ri n the s urve i l l a nc e i m a ge s . V or de rB rue gge t est i fi ed th at“ [a] l l o f th e ch aract eri st i cs o f th i s sh i rtm at ch ed th e cl ass char ac t er i st i cs of the shi rtw orn b y the bank robb eri n tho se ca se s thatw e c ou l d see th e s h ir t,” w h ic h w a s s e v e n o f th e e ig h t r o b b e r ie s c ap tu r e d b y s u rv e illa n c e im a g e s .5

V order B ruegge al so t es t i fi ed thatthe bl ac k b ag se i ze d from M cK re i th’ s r es i dence w a s “ i ndi s t i ngui s habl e ” f r om the ba g s e e n i n the phot os a tone of the ba nk r obbe r i e s . H e f

ur the rt e s t i f

i e d tha tby e xa m i ni ng the ba nk s urve i l l a nc e i m a ge s , he w a s abl e t o i de nt i f

y tha t“ the r e a r e s i m i l a r i t i e s ” be tw e e n M c K r e i th a nd the pe r s on d e p ic te d in th o s e im a g e s , in c lu d in g “th e s h ap e o f th e n o s e , m o u th a n d c h in .” M cK rei th m o v ed fo r F ed . R . C ri m . P . 1 2 j u d g m en t s o f acq u i tt al atth e cl o se of the gove rnm e nt ’ s c a s e - i n- c hi e f , w hi c h w a s de ni e d. M c K r e i th r e s t e d w i thout pres ent i ng a c as e- i n-chi ef . A ft era s i x-day tri al , the j ury r eturned a gu i l ty ver di ct on c ount s tw o thr ough s e ve n, w hi c h i nc l ude d s e ve n of the e i ghtc ount s of

ba nk r obbe ry , 18 U . S . C . § 2113( a ) , c ha r ge d i n the s upe r c e di ng i ndi c tm e nt , a nd thr e e of the four coun t s of usi ng , ca rryi ng , and b ra nd i shi ng a f i re arm i n rel at i on t o cri m es of vi ol e nc e , 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) ( 1) ( A ) a nd ( C ) . A be nc h tr i a l w a s the n he l d on the tw o fel on -i n-po ss es si on of a f i re arm coun t s ( coun t s 13 and 14 ). T he di stri ctcourt f ound M c K r e i th gui l ty of both c ount s of

know i ngl y pos s e s s i ng f i r e a rm s , ha vi ng b e e n p r e v io u s ly c o n v ic te d o f af e lo n y , 1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) . H e w a s s e n te n c e d to a n a g g r e g a te o f

1 ,1 1 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. A rgu m en t 1. “T h e E vi d en ce p re se n te d w as i n su ff i ci en t t o e s t ab l i s h b e y on d a r e as on ab l e d ou b t t h at W i l b e r t M c K r e i t h w as t he c ul pr i t ; a bs e nt t he unc o ns t i t ut i o na l l y o bt a i ne d a nd i m pe r m i s s i bl y a l l o w e d e v i de nc e , t he g o v e r nm e nt f a i l e d t o pr e s e nt a pr i m a f

a c i e c a s e o f

g ui l t i n t hi s ‘ a l lo r no t hi ng ’ pr o s e c ut i o n. ”6

T he r e i s s uf

f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o s uppor tthe j ury ’ s gui l ty ve r di c t . N um e r ous w itn e s s e s id e n tif

ie d , a m o n g o th e rth in g s , M c K r e ith ’s m a r o o n M e r c e d e s c a r , p la id s hi r t , s i m ul t a ne ous l y w e a r i ng tw o w r i s tw a t c he s , s ki m a s ks , a nd duf f l e ba g f r om the s c e ne s of

the r obbe r i e s . T he s e w i tne s s e s w e r e thor oughl y c r os s - e xa m i ne d by M cK rei th ’ s tri al co u n sel , att em p t i n g t o u n co v er i n co n si st en ci es. T he ba nks ’ s urve i l l a nc e f oot a ge w e r e a l s o thor oughl y a na l y z e d. T he evi dence s ei ze d p ursuantt o the l aw ful l y obt ai ned and exec ut ed fe dera l se ar ch w a rr a nta tM c K r e i th’ s r e s i de nc e c orr obor a t e d the t e s t i m ony of the va r i ous e y e w i tne s s e s of

the r obbe r i e s . A f

or e ns i c e xpe r tt e s t i f

i e d tha tthe s hi r ts e i z e d f r om M cK re i th’ s r es i dence m at ched the shi rtse en i n sever al of the bank survei l l ance i m ages . A re as on abl e tri erof fa ctcoul d h ave f ou nd thatthe evi dence es t abl i shed M c K r e ith g u ilty b e y o n d ar e a s o n ab le d o u b t. Se e U ni te d State s v . C alde r on , 127 F . 3d 13 14 , 13 24 (11th C i r. 19 97 ) ( no t i ng thatthi s C ou rti s t o aff i rm j ury conv i ct i on s “ prov i ded thata r ea sonabl e tri erof fa ctcoul d fi nd thatthe evi dence es t abl i shed gu i l tbeyond a r ea sonabl e dou bt ”) . A rgu m en t 2. “T h e gov er n m en t i m p rop er l y ob tai n ed st atem en ts f r o m t h e d e f

e n d a n t w a r r a n t in g a n e w t r ia l.” M c K r e i th a r gue s tha tbe c aus e the a ge nt s ha d a s ke d hi m f orthe c om bi na t i on t o th e safe after he h ad i n v o k ed h i s Mi r anda r ig h ts , th e c o n te n ts o f th e s a f e s h o u ld ha ve be e n s uppr e s s e d a s i l l e ga l f rui t s of the s e a r c h. T he gove rnm e ntdi d not7

p r e s e n t to th e ju ry a n y o f M c K r e ith ’s p o s t- Mi r anda s ta te m e n ts c o n c e rn in g h is p r o v id in g th e c o m b in a tio n to th e s a f e f o u n d in h is r e s id e n c e . T h e g o v e rn m e n t o n ly pres ent ed t o the j ury the i t em s thatw er e f ou nd i n the sa fe , no tthatM cK re i th h ad t ol d them the com bi nat i on of the sa fe . T he se ar ch w arra ntprov i ded for the se ar ch o f th e h o u s e a n d its c o n te n ts . B e c au s e th e s a f e w a s lo c a te d in th e h o u s e , th e a g e n ts w e r e f r e e t o s e a r c h i t . T he gove rnm e ntm e r e l y a voi de d br e a ki ng the s a f e ope n by a s k in g M c K r e ith f

o rits c o m b in a tio n . See U ni ted Stat es v. M

art i nez , 949 F . 2d 11 17 , 11 20 (11th C i r. 19 92 ) ( no t i ng that“ a w arra ntt o sea rc h a spec i fi c a re a f or a ce rt ai n cl as s of thi ng s autho ri ze s gov ernm entagent s t o b re ak op en l ocked c o n ta in e r s w h ic h m a y c o n ta in th e o b je c ts o f th e s e a r c h ” ) . T h e r e is n o r e v e r s ib le e rr oron thi s gr ound. A r g um e nt 3 . “ The de f e nda nt m e t hi s bur de n e s t a bl i s hi ng t ha t t he a ffi d a v i ts i n su p p o rt o f th e sea rch w a rra n ts co n ta i n ed fa l se s t a t e m e nt s w hi c h w e r e k no w i ng l y m a de i n o r de r t o s e c ur e t he is s u a n c e o f

t h e w a r r a n t s .” M cK re i th d i d n otm ee thi s burden est abl i shi ng thatthe af fi davi t s i n sup po rt of the s e a r c h w a rr a ntc ont a i ne d r e c kl e s s ori nt e nt i ona l m i s r e pr e s e nt a t i ons or om i s s i ons . A f

t e raf ul l e vi de nt i a ry he a r i ng on M c K r e i th’ s m ot i on t o s uppr e s s , the m agi stra t e j ud ge i ss ued a tho roug h reportand recom m endat i on , w hi ch w as adop t ed b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t, in d ic a tin g th a t th e a lle g a tio n s m a d e b y A g e n t L e w is in h is appl i c a t i on f

ors e a r c h w a rr a nt“ w e r e ne i the rf a l s e norm i s l e a di ng. ” T he r e i s no8

c le a re rr o rin th is f

in d in g . Se e U

ni te d State s v . J

e nki ns , 9 0 1 F .2 d 1 0 7 5 , 1 0 7 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) . F u r th e rm o r e , th e r e w a s n o e rr o rin d e n y in g ah e a r in g p u r s u a n t to Fra n ks v. D ela w a re , 4 3 8 U .S . 1 5 4 ( 1 9 7 8 ) . Se e J e nki ns , 901 F . 2d a t1080- 81 (a ff i rm i ng the di stri ctcourt ’ s r ef usal t o h ol d a Fra n ks h e a r in g ; a n d n o tin g th a t a Fra n ks h eari n g i s o n l y req u i red w h en d efen d an tp ro v es k n o w i n g o r reck l ess re pres ent at i on ). A rgu m en t 4. “T h e ‘ go od fai th ’ e xcep ti on d oes n ot ap p l y to w ar r an t s b as e d u p on f ac t u al l y i n ac c u r at e or f al s e i n f or m at i on i nt e nt i o na l l y s uppl i e d by t he a f f i a nt i n o r de r t o pr o c ur e t he is s u a n c e o f

a s e a r c h w a r r a n t .” T he m agi stra t e j ud ge further rul ed thateven i f A gentL ew i s had prov i ded i na c c ur a t e i nf

orm a t i on, “ i tw oul d ha ve be e n no di f f e r e nti n t e rm s of

m y f i ndi ng of prob abl e c ause t o i ss ue the w arra nt [s ] . ” S i nce the re cord supp ort s the fi nd i ng that the al l egat i on s m ade by A gentL ew i s i n h i s app l i ca t i on for s earc h w arra nt“ w er e nei ther f al se no r m i sl ea di ng , ” the “ go od fa i th” except i on do es no tcom e i nt o p l ay and there fore , there w as no re vers i bl e e rr or on thi s i ss ue. A r g um e nt 5 . “ The di s t r i c t c o ur t r e v e r s i bl y e r r e d by a l l o w i ng im p r o p e r e x p e r t t e s t im o n y .” T he di s tr i c tc our tdi d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by a dm i tt i ng the t e s t i m ony of gove rnm e ntf

or e ns i c e xpe r tR i c ha r d V or de rB rue gge . T he c our tc onduc t e d a D au bert v. Merre l l

D ow P ha rm . , Inc. , 50 9 U . S . 57 9 (19 93 ) heari ng , w here9

M c K r e i th ha d the oppor tuni ty t o voi r di re a nd, dur i ng hi s t e s t i m ony , c r os s - e xa m i ne V or de rB rue gge a s t o hi s s c i e nt i f i c t e c hni que s a nd c onc l us i ons , i nc l udi ng the c o m m o n a lity o f

th e s h ir t s e iz e d in M c K r e ith ’s r e s id e n c e w ith th e s h ir ts d e p ic te d in the bank s’ survei l l ance i m ages . T he j ury w as fr ee t o acc eptor re j ec tV order B ru eg g e’s tes ti m o n y. A lt er n ativ ely, an y e rr o r in ad m itti n g V o rd erB ru eg g e’s t est i m o n y w as h arm l ess i n l i g h to f th e o v erw h el m i n g ev i d en ce o f eyew i tn ess id e n tif ic a tio n s o f

M c K r e ith ’s M e r c e d e s , c lo th in g , a n d d u f f le b a g a t th e b a n k s , h is id en ti fica ti o n b y K elly M o rr is, as w ell as th e e v id en ce se ized fr o m M cK re ith ’s re si dence and car . A r g um e nt 6 . “ The di s t r i c t c o ur t r e v e r s i bl y e r r e d by c o nv i c t i ng W i l l i a m M c K r e i t h o n C o unt s 1 3 a nd 1 4 o f t he s upe r c e di ng in d ic t m e n t .” T h e d i s tr i c tc o u r td i d n o te rrb y a d j u d i c a t i n g Mc Kr e i th g u i l ty o f th e two char ged fel on -i n-po ss es si on of a f i re arm coun t s ( coun t s 13 and 14 ) a ft era bench tr i a l . M c K r e i th f

i l e d am ot i on t o s e ve rthe s e tw o c ha r ge s f r om the j ury tr i a l a nd r e que s t e d tha tthe y be tr i e d i n abe nc h tr i a l due t o hi s f e a rtha tthe j ury w oul d be

“ prej ud i ce d” by l ea rni ng thathe w as a c on vi ct ed fe l on . T he di stri ctcourtgrant ed M cK re i th’ s m ot i on t o sever . In so do i ng , M cK re i th thu s w ai ved h i s r i gh tt o a j ury tr ia l o n th e s e c o u n ts a n d c o n s e n te d to ab e n c h tr ia l.10

M c K r e i th a l s o s t i pul a t e d tha tthe f i r e a rm s w e r e m a nuf

a c tur e d out s i de the s ta te o f F lo r id a , w h ic h h e n o w , o n ap p e a l, c o n te n d s th e g o v e rn m e n t f a ile d to p r o v e . A re v iew o f th e tra n sc rip t rev ea ls th e f o ll o w in g stip u lati o n fr o m M cK re ith ’s coun se l , “ T he gu ns w er e notm anufactured i n the S t at e of F l ori da. ” T he di stri ct courtac ce pt ed the st i pu l at i on of the part i es , “ S o the re cord m aybe cl ea r, the C ou rt w i l l a c c e p tth e s t i p u l a t i o n o f th e p a r t i e s w i th r e s p e c tt o , A , th e f a c tth a tth e f

i r e a rms w ere n o tm an u factu red i n th e S t at e o f F l o ri d a; B , th atth e d efen d an ti n d eed i s a c onvi c t e d f

e l on; a nd C , tha t. . . the y a r e f i r e a rm s . ” T hi s s t i pul a t i on w a s s uf f i c i e nt t o m e e tthe gove rnm e nt ’ s bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng the e l e m e nt s of the f e l on- i np o s s e s s io n o f

af ir e a rm c h a r g e s , 1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 4 ( g ) ( 1 ) . See U ni ted Stat es v. H a rd in , 139 F . 3d 813, 816- 17 ( 11th C i r . 1998) ( uphol di ng f e l on i n pos s e s s i on of f ir e a rm ju ry c o n v ic tio n w h e r e d e f e n s e a tto rn e y s tip u la te d to “e s s e n tia l e le m e n t” offe nse) . A r g um e nt 7 : “ The di s t r i c t c o ur t r e v e r s i bl y e r r e d by a l l o w i ng e v id e n c e o f

b a n k f r a u d d u r in g t h is b a n k r o b b e r y t r ia l.” M cK re i th argues thatthe di stri ctcourterre d b y perm i tt i ng R on al d A m i ra , th e o w n e ro f

“A m ir aH o m e s ” w h o h a d s o ld th r e e h o m e s to M c K r e ith in appr oxi m a t e l y 2000, t o t e s t i f y tha tM c K r e i th ha d a“ pr ope ns i ty f orc onc e a l i ng f a c t s . ” A ttr i a l , the gove rnm e nta s ke d A m i r aw he the rhe ha d know l e dge of w he the rM c K r e i th ha d be e n e m pl oy e d by A m i r aH om e s orP ool a nd P a t i o K i ng11

S e rvi c e , A m i r a ’ s br othe r ’ s c om pa ny , w hi c h w e r e l i s t e d a s “ j ob r e f e r e nc e s ” on M c K r e i th’ s m or t ga ge appl i c a t i ons tha tw e r e us e d t o s e c ur e m or t ga ge s f orthe ho m es M cK re i th h ad pu rc hase d from A m i ra . A m i rat es t i fi ed thatM cK re i th h ad no tbeen em pl oyed by tho se tw o com pani es ea rni ng a m on thl y i ncom e of $3, 30 0 as w as l i st ed on M cK re i th’ s m ort gage l oan app l i ca t i on . A m i rafurther t es t i fi ed that h e h ad recal l ed M cK rei th : (1 ) p u l l i n g $ 1 , 0 0 0 i n cash fro m h i s p o ck ett o p ay a d ep o si to n o n e o f th e h o m es an d (2 ) d ri v i n g a b u rg u n d y M erced es. F i r s t , b e c au s e Mc Kr e i th d i d n o to b j e c tt o Am i r a ’ s t e s t i m o n y a ttr i a l , we r e v ie w th is c la im f

o rp la in e rr o r . Se e U

ni te d State s v . P uc he , 350 F . 3d 1137, 1151 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . N e xt , the r e w a s no e rr or , pl a i n orothe rw i s e , be c aus e the e v id e n c e w a s o f

f e r e d b y th e g o v e rn m e n t to e s tab lis h M c K r e ith ’s la c ko f le g itim a te s our c e s of

i nc om e a nd une xpl a i ne d s udde n w e a l th a nd e xpe ndi tur e s dur i ng the t i m e pe r i ods of

the c ha r ge d ba nk r obbe r i e s , w hi c h w a s ar e c urr i ng the m e of the g o v e rn m e n t’s c a s e . I t w a s n o t o f f e r e d to s h o w M c K r e ith ’s c r im in a l p r o p e n s ity to c o m m it “b a n kf

r au d ,” a s h e a r g u e s h e r e . See U ni ted Stat es v. G on zalez , 940 F . 2d 1413, 1423 ( 11th C i r . 1991) ( r e j e c t i ng de f

e nda nt ’ s R ul e 404( b) a r gum e nt , a nd f i ndi ng no abus e of

di s c r e t i on i n di s tr i c tc our t ’ s a dm i s s i on of l oa n appl i c a t i on a nd he a l th i ns ur a nc e f

orm t o s how f

a l s e e m pl oy m e nthi s t ory , not i ng, “ e vi de nc e of appe l l a nt ’ s appa r e nta tt e m ptt o c onc e a l the true s our c e of hi s s udde n w e a l th by12

f a l s e l y l i s t i ng as our c e tha tappe a r e d t o be l e gi t i m a t e i s r e l e va ntt o ne ga t e a ny le g itim a te s o u r c e f

o rth e s e f u n d s , a n d is n o t u n f

a ir ly p r e ju d ic ia l” ) . A r g um e nt 8 . “ The di s t r i c t c o ur t r e v e r s i bl y e r r e d by f o r c i ng W i l b e r t M c K r e i t h t o b e s e n t e n c e d w i t h ou t c ou n s e li n vi ol at i on of h is c o n s t it u t io n a l r ig h t s .” T he tr a ns c r i pt s r e ve a l tha tM c K r e i th know i ngl y e l e c t e d t o pr oc e e d p ro se du ri ng se nt enci ng , despi t e the di stri ctcourt ’ s tho roug h exp l anat i on of “ the dang er s o f p ro ceed i n g ” w i th o u tan att o rn ey as req u i red b y Fa r r e tta v . C a lifo rn ia , 4 2 2 U . S. 8 0 6 ( 1 9 7 5 ) . D e s p ite th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s c au tio n , M c K r e ith e x p r e s s ly c h o s e to pr oc e e d w i thouthi s l a w y e r , J ohn H ow e s , r e que s t i ng i n am ot i on f i l e d w i th the di s tr i c tc our ttha tH ow e s be di s c ha r ge d a nd tha the be pe rm i tt e d t o r e pr e s e nt

“ hi m se l f. ” Se e U

n ite d S ta te s v . Kim b a ll , 291 F . 3d 726, 730- 31 ( 11th C i r . 2002) ( e xpl a i ni ng r e qui r e m e nt s f orde f e nda ntt o pr oc e e d pro se un der Fa r r e tta ) . A t a he a r i ng on M c K r e i th’ s m ot i on t o di s c ha r ge A tt orne y H ow e s a nd t o pr oc e e d p ro se , the di s tr i c tc our tnot e d:

I w ou l d rem i nd you thatthe re cord i n thi s c as e w i l l re fl ec t thati n thi s r oo m af

t ercl osi ng ar gu m ent s, w hi l e the j ury w as del i bera t i ng , you adv i se d the C ou rtthatyou w er e ve ry happy w i th the w a y M r . H ow e s ha d r e pr e s e nt e d y ou i n con nect i on w i th thi s c as e. A nd I w as ce rt ai nl y pl ea se d t o he a rtha t , be c aus e i tw a s m y opi ni on, w hi c h I thi nk I s t a t e d a tthe t i m e , tha tI c e r t a i nl y a gr e e d w i th y ou a nd I thoughthe ha d done a n e xc e l l e ntj ob i n r e pr e s e nt i ng y ou, c ons i de r i ng the w e i ghtof the e vi de nc e the gove rnm e nt h a d a g a in s t y o u . T h e C o u r t f in d s th a t it h a s p r e v io u s ly13 e xpl a i ne d a tgr e a tl e ngth t o thi s de f e nda nta tthe t i m e of the F a r e tt ahe a r i ng . . . of the pe r i l s of

pr oc e e di ng p ro se i n c onne c t i on w i th ac r i m i na l c a s e . H ow e ve r , s i nc e he ce rt ai nl y has every r i gh ti n the w orl d t o repres enthi m se l f, a nd s i nc e he i s no l onge rs a t i s f i e d w i th hi s c ouns e l , the defe nd antW i l bertM cK re i th’ s m ot i on t o w i thd ra w c ouns e l a nd t o pr oc e e d t o r e pr e s e nthi m s e l f w i l l be gr a nt e d, a nd M r . M c K r e i th c a n pr oc e e d t o r e pr e s e nt hi m se l f pro se i n thi s m att er . M c K r e i th ha s noti de nt i f i e d, norha s thi s C our tf ound, a ny a uthor i ty r e qui r i ng a r ever sa l un der the fa ct s a nd ci rc um st ance s of thi s c as e. T here w as no error, const i tut i on al or otherw i se , by the di stri ctcourtgrant i ng M cK re i th’ s m ot i on t o fi re hi s a tt orne y a nd t o pr oc e e d pro se. AF F I R ME D.