T hi s or derand j udgm enti s notbi ndi ng pr ece dent , exce ptundert he * d o ctri n es o f law o f th e c ase , res jud icata, and co ll ateral estop p el. T h e c o u rt gener al l ydi s favor s t he ci t at i on of or der s and j udgm ent s ; nevert hel es s , an or der and j udgm entm aybe ci t ed undert he t er m s and condi t i ons of 10th C i r . R . 36. 3. 

## F I LED United States C ourt of Appeals Tenth Circuit 

### Ju ly27,2006 Elisab eth A. Shumaker C l erk of C ourt UNI TED S TATES CO URT O F AP PEALS

T E N T H C IR C U IT UNI T E D S T AT E S OF AM E RI CA ,

Pl ai nt i ff - A ppel l ee, N o. 05- 6295 v . W . D. Ok l a h o ma DO NA LD PA UL B ELL,

D e fe n d a n t - A p p e llan t. ( D. C. No . 0 4 - CR- 1 9 0 - R)

ORDE R AND J UDGM EN T * B efor e HA RTZ , HOLL OW AY, and EBEL , C i rcui tJudg es. D o n a ld P a u l B e ll w a s c o n v icte d b ya ju ryo n tw o c o u n ts o f b e in g a fe lo n in p o s s e s s i o n o f

a fi r e a r m, a n d wa s s e n t e n c e d t o 2 4 0 mo n t h s ’ i mp r i s o n me n t . On appea l he cont ends t hat( 1) pol i ce offi cer s conduct ed an unl aw ful s ear ch of a w o o d e d a re a b e h in d h is tra iler h o m e ; (2 ) th e re w a s in su fficie n t ev id e n c e to s uppor tt he convi ct i ons ; and ( 3) he w as s ent ence d i n vi ol at i on of Uni t ed Stat es v. B ooker , 543 U . S. 220 ( 2005) . W e have j ur i s di ct i on under28 U . S. C . § 1291 and aff i r m t he j udgm entof the di s t r i ctcour t , hol di ng t hat( 1) M r . B el l had no-2-

expec t at i on of pr i vacyi n t he w ooded ar ea be hi nd hi s hom e, beca us e i tw as not i ncluded w i t h the hom e’s curt i l age; ( 2) the ev i den ce supp ort ed the con vict i on s; a n d (3 ) th e p o st- B ookers ent enci ng di d notvi ol at e B ooker . I . BA CKGROUND O n J une 22, 2004, O kl ahoma C i t ypol i ce offi cerA ar on H ar m on, act i ng on a t i p f r o m a c o n fi d e n t i a l s o u r c e , we n tt o 4 8 0 1 S o u t h Be r r yma n Ro a d i n Ok l a h o ma C i t yl oo king fo r D ave H am m on s, a fed eral fug i t i ve. T he p ropertyi s on the w est sid e o f B e rry m a n R o a d . A p o rtio n o f th e p ro p e rty(“ th e e n c lo se d a re a ” ) is la rg e ly en clos ed as fo ll o w s: T h e n o rth an d so u th b o u n d aries o f th e e n clos ed are a a re defined b yfenc es t hat ext end from t he st reeta bitm ore t han 50 feet . O n the east sid e (th e stre e t sid e ) is a tra iler h o m e . A fe n c e a b u tti n g th e tra iler e x ten d s n o rth t o t he nor t hern- boundaryfenc e. A not herfenc e abutt i ng t he tr ai l erext ends s out h a few fee tt o t he dr i vew ay , w hi ch i s unobs truct ed and l eads t o t he i nt er i orof the pr oper t y . T her e mayhave be en a “ N o T r es pas s i ng” s i gn on t hi s por t i on of fe nce, b u t it is n o t c le a r f

ro m th e re c o rd . A t hi r d fenc e ext ends fr om t he s out h s i de of t he dr i vew ayt o t he s out hern- boundaryfenc e. O n t he w es ts i de of the enc l os ed ar ea a r e tw o bui l di ngs . A fenc e ext ends nor t h fr om t he nor t hern bui l di ng t o t he nor t hern- boundaryfenc e. T her e ar e s m al l gaps betw een the tw o bui l di ngs and betw een the s out hern bui l di ng and a fence t hatext ends s out h t o t he s out hernb o u n d a ry fe n c e . T o th e w e s t o f th e e n c lo s e d a re a is a “ w o o d e d a re a .” R . V o l. 2 at 25 . (S ee d iagra m . ) A t oral arg u m en t M r. B ell ’s att o rne ysu g g ested that there-3-

w as an out erbarbed- w i r e fe nce thatencl os ed both t he enc l os ed ar ea a nd t he w o o d e d a re a . B u t n o m e n tio n w a s m a d e o f th is fe n c e b e fo re th e d istric t co u rt, and i ti s not apparentfrom t he record t hat s uch a fen ce exis t s. NO RTH

T R A I L E R H O ME W OO DED AR EA Offi c e r s ’ p a t h DR I VE WAY

O ffi cerH ar m on and fe l l ow offi cerE d G r i m es ent er ed the pr oper t yt hr ough t he dr i vew ay t o l ook forM r . H amm ons . T her e w as no r es pons e t o knocks on t he fr ontand bac k door s of the tr ai l erhom e. T he off i cer s t hen s aw a l i ghton i n a t r avel t r ai l erpar ked i n t he w ooded ar ea. O ffi cerG r i m es w entt hr ough t he gap betw een the fe nce a nd t he s out hern bui l di ng on t he w es ts i de of the enc l os ed ar ea-4-

and knocked on t he door of t he t r ai l er . T her e w as no r es pons e. H e then knocke d on t he doorof a s econd tr avel t r ai l eri n t he w ooded ar ea, butagai n no one an sw ere d . A s h e w alke d b ac k tow ard the fir st trav el t rail er, he p asse d a third tr ail er a n d n o ti ce d that the s erial- n u m b er p lat e h ad b ee n rem o v ed . T h e o fficers w rote d o w n the v eh icl e ide n ti fica ti o n n u m b er (V IN ) fro m an o ther o f th e trail ers and al s o fr om a J ohn D eer e tr act ori n t he w ooded ar ea. A chec k w i t h t he pol i ce di s pat cherr evea l ed thatt he tr ai l erand the tr act orhad bee n r epor t ed s t ol en. A s ear ch w arr antw as obt ai ned fort he tr ai l erhom e on the pr oper t y . T he sear ch revealed t w o h and gu ns and t w o ri fl es i n the m ast er bedroom . T hese w e a p o n s w e re th e b a s is fo r C o u n t 1 o f th e in d ic tm e n t. Du r i n g t h e s e a r c h o f

t h e t r a i l e rh o me t h e o ffi c e r s fo u n d s e v e r a l i t e ms in d ica tin g M r. B e ll’s o w n e rsh ip o f th e p re m ise s. T h e yin c lu d e d tw o b ill s to h im at t h e B errym an ad d ress f rom the O k laho m a E lectri c C o o p era ti v e d ated F eb rua ry 4 and M ar ch 30, 2004, and a s i m i l ar l yaddr es s ed s t at ement fr om A T & T fort he per i od February27 t o M ar ch 26, 2004. C har l es B ar t on, fi nance m anage rof the O kl ahoma E l ectr i c C ooper at i ve, t es t i fi ed att r i al t hatan ac counthad bee n opened fo r 4 8 0 1 S o u th B e rry m a n R o a d o n O c to b e r 2 0 , 2 0 0 3 , in th e n a m e o f D o n B e ll, and thata moneyor derw i t h M r . B el l ’ s name on i tw as pur chas ed on A ugus t10, 2004, t o paya bi l l . A cart i t l e i s s ued on J une 4, 2004, w as al s o found. T he ca r w a s re g is te re d to M r. B e ll a t th e s a m e a d d re s s .-5-

O th e r t ri a l w itn e s s e s a ls o tie d M r. B e ll to th e p ro p e rt ya n d th e fir e a rm s . Ri c k yAs h , wh o a g r e e d t o c o o p e r a t e a f t e rh e wa s a r r e s t e d o n d ru g a n d fi r e a r ms char ges , t es t i fi ed thathe had be en t o t he home at4801 Sout h B err ym an R oad on m anyocca s i ons . H e s ai d t hatM r . B el l l i ved att he hous e, t hatM r . B el l “w as t her e al l t he t i m e, ” and thathe had s een f i r earm s att he hous e, al l of w hi ch bel onged t o M r . B el l . R . V ol . 4 at211. H e adde d t hatM r . B el l “w as w i t h a fi r earm al l t he t i m e. ” Id . at212. D ave H a m m o n s a lso tes tifie d th a t M r. B e ll l i ved att hataddr es s , and thathe kepta fi r earm on hi m “al l t he t i m e. ” Id . a t 2 6 7 . B ot h fur t hert es t i fi ed thatM r . B el l oft en tr aded drugs forfi r earm s w hi l e att hat addr es s , and thatM r . B el l keptt he home padl ocked w hen no one w as t her e; n e ith e r h a d a k e y . I n addi t i on, M r . H amm ons , w ho had bee n l i vi ng i n a tr avel t r ai l eron t he pr oper t ys i nce the begi nni ng of J une, t es t i fi ed aboutevent s on t he dayof the sea rch . H e a n d h is w ife w ere in the tr av el t rail er o n Ju n e 2 2 w h en theysaw M r. B el l and a w om an w ho w as s t ay i ng w i t h hi m run outof the tr ai l erhous e and dr i ve o ff. S u s p e c tin g th a t s o m e th in g w a s w ro n g , M r. H a m m o n s a n d h is w ife a ls o fle d . H e met w i t h M r . B el l aboutan hourl at erand “that ’ s w hen he t ol d m e thatt he pol i ce w as comi ng outt her e and w e nee ded t o s t ayaw ayfr om t he hous e. ” Id . at 2 6 9 . O ffice r H a rm o n tes tifie d th a t h e lo o k e d fo r M r. B e ll fo r a p p ro x im a tely t hr ee mont hs befor e fi nal l yl ocat i ng and arr es t i ng hi m . D ur i ng t hi s t i m e, on-6-

A u g u st 2 6 , 2 0 0 4 , M r. B e ll w a s s to p p e d fo r a tra ffic v io latio n b yO ffice r D a v id C arr ol l of t he C hoct aw , O kl ahoma Pol i ce D epart m ent . T he dr i ver ’ s l i cens e he pr oduced w as i n t he name of W ayne O r an Lew i s . M r . B el l cons ent ed t o a s ear ch o f th e v eh icl e. O fficer C arro ll test ifi ed at t ri al t h at on the f ron t seat ne x t t o w h ere t he dr i verw oul d s i the found a “gr een a r m y - s t y l e bag” t hatcont ai ned a pi s t ol and s ever al ot heri t ems. R . V ol . 3 at104. “M r . L ew i s ” t ol d O ffi cerC arr ol l t hatt he bag and i t s cont ent s w er e nothi s . A tt r i al anotheroffi ceri dent i fi ed M r . B el l as th e d riv e r w h o w a s c a lli n g h im se lf W a yn e L e w is. T h e fire a rm fo u n d d u rin g th is tr a ffic s to p w a s th e b a s is fo r C o u n t 2 o f th e in d ic tm e n t. I I . DI S CU S S I ON A . T he Search M r . B el l cont ends t hatt he off i cer s conduct ed an i l l egal s ear ch on J une 22, 2004, bychec ki ng t he V I N s on t he tr ai l erand tr act ort hatw er e i n t he w ooded ar ea. H e as s er t s t hatonce the off i cer s at t empt i ng t o exec ut e the arr es tw arr ant had conc l uded thatM r . H amm ons w as nott her e, t hei rfur t heri nves t i gat i on v i o l a t e d t h e F o u r t h A m e n d m e n ta n d t a i n t e d th e s e a r c h w a r r a n tfo rt h e h o m e . We di s agr ee. B eca us e the w ooded ar ea w as notw i t hi n t he curt i l age of t he home, t he F o u rt h A m e n d m e n t p ro v id e d n o p ro te c tio n a g a in s t th e o ffic e rs ’ i n tru s io n . See O l i verv. Uni t ed Stat es , 466 U . S. 170, 178 ( 1984) ( “[A ] n i ndi vi dual m aynot l egi t i m at el ydemand pr i vacyforact i vi t i es conduct ed outof door s i n fi el ds , exce pt in th e a re a im m e d iate lysu rro u n d in g th e h o m e .”); id . at180 ( “[O ] nl yt he curt i l age,-7-

nott he nei ghbor i ng open fi el ds , w arr ant s t he Four t h A m endment pr ot ect i ons t hat a ttac h to th e h o m e .”). W h e n th e a re a se a rc h e d is o u tsid e th e h o m e ’s c u rtilag e , it is ir re le v a n t w h e th e r t h e o ffic e rs h a v e tr e s p a s s e d o n th e p ro p e rt y . S e e id . at182- 84 ( pr es ence of “N o T r es pas s i ng” s i gns and comm on l aw of tr es pas s do not g o v e rn F o u rt h A m e n d m e n t p ro te c tio n ). “[U ] l t i m at e curt i l age c oncl us i ons ar e t o be r evi ew ed undera de novo s t andar d al t hough w e cont i nue t o r evi ew fi ndi ngs of hi s t or i cal fac t s forcl ear err or . ” Uni t ed Stat es v. Tol as e- C ous i ns , N o s. 0 4 -2 2 1 8 & 0 4 -2 2 6 4 , slip . o p . at 9 ( 10t h C i r . J ul y26, 2006) ( en banc ) . T he “c entr al component ” of the curt i l age inq u iry i s w hethert he ar ea ha rbor s t he i nt i m at e ac t i vi t yas s oci at ed w i t h t he san cti tyo f a m an ’s ho m e a n d the p ri v ac ies o f li fe . . . . [F ]ou r fa ctors [ar e] us ed t o det er m i ne w hethera part i cul arar ea w as w i t hi n t he cur t i l age of

a hous e: ( 1) t he pr oxi m i t yof the ar ea t o t he hous e; ( 2) w hethert he ar ea i s i ncl uded w i t hi n an enc l os ur e s ur r oundi ng t he hom e; ( 3) t he natur e of the us e t o w hi ch the ar ea i s put ; and ( 4) t he s te p s ta k e n b yth e re s id e n t to p ro te c t th e a re a f ro m o b s e rv a tio n . Id . a t1 0 ( p a n e l o p i n i o n ) ( i n t e r n a l q u o t a t i o n m a r k s a n d c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d ) . We ex am ine e ac h fa ctor in tu rn. F ir st, the w o o d ed are a w as n o t nea r th e h o m e. It w as bey ond t he w es t ern- boundaryfenc e, w hi ch w as appr oxi m at el y50 fee tw es tof th e tr a ile r h o m e . S e c o n d , th e a re a w a s o u ts id e th e e n c lo s e d a re a . See Uni t ed St at es v. D unn , 480 U . S. 294, 302 ( 1987) ( “[I ] ti s pl ai n t hatt he fe nce s ur r oundi ng t he r es i dence s er ves t o demar k a s peci fi c ar ea of l and i m m edi at el yadj ace ntt o t he h o u se th a t is re a d ilyid e n tifia b le a s p a rt a n d p a rc e l o f th e h o u se .”); O l i ver , 466-8-

U . S. at182 n. 12 ( “[F] orm os thom es , t he boundar i es of the curt i l age w i l l be cl ear l y m ar ked. ”) . T hi r d, t her e w as no evi dence att he s uppr es s i on hear i ng r egar di ng w hatt he w ooded ar ea w as us ed for . I t s appea r ance i ndi cat ed thati tw as us ed t o s t or e vehi cl es and tr ai l er s , har dl ya pr i vat e ac t i vi t yas s oci at ed w i t h t he i nt i m acyof a home. A l t hough t he off i cer s ’ obs er vat i ons i ndi cat ed thats om eone m i ghthave be en s t ay i ng i n one of the s m al l t r avel t r ai l er s , M r . B el l ’ s ar gum ent w as t hatt he s ear ch w as conduct ed w i t hi n t he curt i l age of t he tr ai l erhom e, not s om e other“home” on t he pr emi s es . I ndeed, hi s at t or neym ade no a r gum ent b a se d o n o c c u p a n c yo f th e tra v e l traile r. F o u rth , the w o o d e d a re a w a s re a d ily v isib le to p e rso n s o n n e ig h b o rin g p ro p e rty . T h e o n lya rtific ial o b stru c tio n to o n e ’s v ie w w a s th e fe n c e b e tw e e n th e w o o d e d a re a a n d th e e n c lo s e d a re a . C o n sid e rin g a ll th e se fa c to rs, it is a p p a re n t th a t M r. B e ll h a d n o re a so n a b le expec t at i on of pr i vacyi n t he w ooded ar ea. W e hol d t hatt he w ooded ar ea w as not w ith in th e tr a ile r h o m e ’s c u rt ila g e . C f . D unn , 480 U . S. 294 ( barn t hatw as 60 y a rd s f ro m th e h o u se , o u tsid e th e m a in fe n c e su rro u n d in g th e h o u se b u t w ith in anotherfenc e on the pr oper t y , notus ed forpr i vat e ac t i vi t i es , and notpr ot ect ed from ob ser vati on , w as not w i t hin the cu rt i l age o f t he h om e). H ence, the o ffi cers ’ in tru s io n d id n o t v io la te th e F o u rt h A m e n d m e n t. B . Suffi ci ency of t he E vi dence M r. B el l ’s cl ai m s of i nsuffi ci ent evi den ce hav e no m eri t . W e revi ew t hese c l a i ms d e n o v o , “ v i e wi n g t h e e v i d e n c e a n d t h e r e a s o n a b l e i n fe r e n c e s t o b e d r a wn-9-

t her efr om i n t he l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o t he governm ent , ” and r ever s i ng t he convi ct i on “onl yi f no r at i onal t r i erof fa ctcoul d have found t he es s ent i al el ement s of the cr i m e bey ond a r eas onabl e doubt . ” Uni t ed Stat es v. Tol es , 297 F. 3d 959, 968 ( 10t h C i r . 2002) ( i nt ernal quot at i on m ar ks om i t t ed) . “[W ] e do not ques t i on t he j ur y ’ s cr edi bi l i t ydet er m i nat i ons ori t s concl us i ons aboutt he w ei ght of the evi dence . ” Uni t ed Stat es v. Nor m an , 388 F. 3d 1337, 1340 ( 10t h C i r . 2004) (i n te rn a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ). B o th g u il tyv erd ict s w ere fo r vio lat ion s o f 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 2 2 (g)(1 ). “[ I]n or dert o pr ove a vi ol at i on of § 922( g) ( 1) , t he governm entm us tes t abl i s h t he fo llo w in g e lem e n ts b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t: (1 ) th e d e fe n d a n t w a s p re v io u sly co n v ict ed o f a fe lon y ; ( 2 ) th e d efen d an t th ere af ter kn o w ing lyp o sses sed a fir ea rm oramm uni t i on; and ( 3) t he pos s es s i on w as i n oraffect i ng i nt er s t at e comm er ce. ” Id . For eac h ver di ctM r . B el l chal l enges onl yt he s econd e l ement . “‘ Poss es s i on’ can be ei t heractual orcons t ruct i ve under§ 922( g) ( 1) . C ons t ruct i ve pos s es s i on occur s w hen a pe r s on know i ngl yhol ds ow ner s hi p, dom i ni on orcontr ol overt he obj ectand pr emi s es w her e i ti s found. ” Id . ( i nt ernal ci t at i on and quot at i on m ar ks o m itted) A s to C o u n t 1 , M r. B e ll co n ten d s th a t th e re w a s in su fficie n t ev id e n c e to connec thi m t o t he fi r earm s t hatw er e found i ns i de the tr ai l erhom e. B uts ever al document s found i n t he tr ai l eri ndi cat ed hi s dom i ni on overt he pr emi s es . A nd R i ckyA s h and D ave H amm ons t es t i fi ed thatM r . B el l l i ved ther e, al w ay s had a-10-

fir e a rm in h is p o s s e s s io n , a n d o f te n tr a d e d d ru g s fo r fir e a rm s a t th a t lo c a tio n . Speaki ng of the mast erbedr oom w her e the fi r earm s w er e found, M r . H amm ons t est i fi ed thatM r. B el l “hardl yever l etanybo dyi n ther e byt heirsel f, ” beca use t here w as “[u]sual l ym on eyi n ther e or dop e. ” R . V ol. 4 at 258. B oth M r. A sh and M r . H amm ons al s o t es t i fi ed thatM r . B el l keptt he home padl ocked w hen no one w as t her e, and thatnei t herhad a ke y ; and M r . H amm ons t es t i fi ed that M r. B e ll w a s th e re im m e d iate lyb e fo re th e p o lice a rriv e d o n Ju n e 2 2 . T h is e v i d e n c e wa s mo r e t h a n s u ffi c i e n tt o c o n v i c tM r . Be l l o f p o s s e s s i n g t h e fi r e a r ms fo u n d in th e h o m e . T he evi dence w as al s o s uffi ci enton C ount2. A fi r earm w as found i n a bag o n th e b e n c h se a t n e x t to w h e re M r. B e ll h a d b e e n sittin g . H e d e n ied o w n e rsh ip of the cont ent s of the bag, s ay i ng t hathe had j us tpur chas ed the truck. B utt he j ur ycoul d eas i l yhave found hi s s t or yi m pr obabl e. T her e w as no one el s e i n t he tru c k , a n d M r. B e ll p re s e n te d th e o ffic e rs w ith a fa k e n a m e a n d d ri v e r’ s lic e n s e . F u rt h e r, t h e re w a s te s tim o n yth a t M r. B e ll a lw a y s c a rr ie d a fir e a rm . C . Sent ence F in a lly , M r. B e ll co n ten d s th a t at s e n ten c in g th e c o u rt c o n d u c ted a “ m in itrial o f a su b sta n tiv e o ffe n se fo r th e p u rp o se o f e n h a n c in g th e se n ten c e ,” in vi ol at i on of B ooker . A pl t . B r . at37. B utt her e w as no B ookere rr o r. B ookerh e ld t hatw hen a facti s us ed t o i ncr eas e a s ent ence m andat or i l y , t he fa ctm us tbe admi t t ed byt he defendantorfound bya j urybey ond a r eas onabl e doubt . 543-11-

U . S . at 2 2 4 . M r. B ell ’s sen tenc ing o cc u rred af ter B ookerw as deci ded, and the di s t r i ctcour tcl ear l ys t at ed “thatt he gui del i nes ar e advi s or yand they ’ r e not m andat or y . ” R . V ol . 5 at63. A ccor di ngl y , t her e w as no r equi r ement t hat s e n te n c in g fa c to rs b e fo u n d b ya ju ry. See Uni t ed Stat es v. D al t on , 409 F. 3d 1 2 4 7 , 1 2 5 2 (10 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) (j u d ici al fa ct-find ing is un co n sti tuti o n al af ter B ooker “onl yw hen i toper at es t o i ncr eas e a de fenda nt ’ s s ent ence m a n da to rily .” ). M r. B e ll r a is e s n o o th e r c h a lle n g e s to h is s e n te n c e . I I I . CO NC L US I ON W e A F F IR M th e ju d g m e n t o f th e d is tr ic t c o u rt . ENT ERE D FOR T HE COURT H a rris L H a rtz C i r cui tJ udge