FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT MAY 8, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 06- 14256 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 0 0 0 2 0 - CR- 3 - RV 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 D E O N S E Y L O N T E J O H N S O N , T E D D Y L E E H I C K S , J R ., D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lla n ts .

________________________ A pp ea l s f

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

_________________________ ( M ay 8, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

A N o rth e rn D is tr ic t o f

F lo r id ag r a n d ju ry in d ic te d ap p e lla n ts , D e o n s e y L o n te J ohns on a nd T e ddyL e e H i c ks , J r . , w i th tw o of f e ns e s a r i s i ng outof

r oa ds i de r o b b e ry a n d c a r

ja c k in g o n S e p te m b e r3 0 , 2 0 0 5 . C o u n t O n e c h a r g e d th e m w ith vi ol a t i ng 18 U . S . C . §§ 2119 a nd 2; C ountT w o c ha r ge d the m w i th know i ngl y us i ng a n d c a rry in g af

ir e a rm , as h o tg u n , in f

u rth e r a n c e o f

th e C o u n t O n e o f

f e n s e in vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . §§ 924( c ) ( 1) ( A ) a nd 2. A ppe l l a nt s pl e d notgui l ty a nd s t ood tr ia l. A ju ry f

o u n d th e m g u iltya s c h a r g e d . T h e y n o w ap p e a l th e irc o n v ic tio n s . B oth c ha l l e nge the s uf

f i c i e nc y of

the e vi de nc e t o c onvi c ta nd thus s e e k aj udgm e nt of ac qu i tt al . H i cks a l t ernat i vel y s ee ks a new tri al on the grou nd thatthe di stri ct c ourtabus e d i t s di s c r e t i on i n a dm i tt i ng s i m i l a ra c t s e vi de nc e unde rF e de r a l R ul e of Ev i d e n c e 4 0 4 ( b ) . W e a f f i rm. T he G ove rnm e nt ’ s pr oof e s t abl i s he d the f

ol l ow i ng. O n S e pt e m be r30, 2005, in P e n s a c o la , F lo r id a , H ic k s a n d h is g ir lf r ie n d , H e a th e rW y lie , w e r e s le e p in g in H i cks’ s par ent s tra i l er . T hey w er e drug add i ct s, havi ng st ay ed up the ni gh tbefore usi ng coca i ne. John son cam e t o the tra i l er , aw akened them , and sai d thathe had s e e n s o m e o n e –th e e v e n tu a l v ic tim s –w ith aw a do f c a s h a t an e a rb y g a s s ta tio n . H ic k s a n d W y lie im m e d ia te lyd r e s s e d , H ic k s a rm e d h im s e lf w ith h is p is to l- g r ip s hot gun, a nd he , W y l i e a nd J ohns on dr ove t o the ga s s t a t i on i n hi s c a r . J ohns on r o d e in th e f

r o n t p a s s e n g e r ’s s e a t; W y lie w a s in th e b a c ks e a t.3

B y th e t i m e th ey g o tt o th e g as st at i o n , th e v i ct i m s w ere o n th e h i g h w ay, h e a d e d to w a r d I n te r s ta te 1 0 . H ic k s f o llo w e d th e v ic tim s ’ c a ro n to th e in te r s ta te a n d p u l l e d i n t o th e l e f

tl a n e , a l o n g s i d e th e c a r . J o h n s o n mo t i o n e d t o th e v i c t i ms tha tthe i rc a rw a s dr a ggi ng s om e thi ng a nd i ndi c a t e d tha tthe y s houl d pul l of f the h i g h w a y o n t o th e s h o u l d e r . H i c k s d r o v e o n t o th e s h o u l d e r , a n d th e v i c t i ms f ol l ow e d s ui t , pa rki ng be hi nd H i c ks ’ s c a r . T he vi c t i m s gotoutof the i rc a ra nd w al ked b ehi nd i tt o see w hatw as w rong . A s they w er e e xam i ni ng thei r c ar , John son app roac hed them w i th the shot gu n, ye l l i ng “ gi ve i tup , I’ m no tpl ay i ng . ” T h e v ic tim s in d ic a te d th a t a n y c a s h th e y h a d w a s in th e irc a r , s o J o h n s o n g o t in to its d r iv e r ’s s e a t, le f

t th e v ic tim s s ta n d in g th e r e , a n d d r o v e o f f , w ith H ic k s ’s c a rin the l ea d. T he tw o v ehi cl es then exi t ed the i nt er st at e. John son turned d ow n a di rt r oa d, r i ghtof

f the e xi t . H i c ks , dr i vi ng a he a d, ba c ke d up a nd pul l e d be s i de J o h n s o n . T h e y tr a n s f

e rr e d th e v ic tim s ’ b e lo n g in g s to H ic k s ’s c a r , d r o v e to Jo h n so n ’ s resi d en ce, a trai l er, an d d i v i d ed th ei r sp o i l s. T hese event s w er e des cr i bed b y the vi ct i m s and by W yl i e, w ho t es t i fi ed u n d e rag r a n to f

u s e i m m u n i ty . S h e wa s f a c i n g c h a r g e s s t e m m i n g f r o m wh a twe have rel at ed abov e and a hom e i nv as i on robb ery H i cks and she had com m i tt ed thr e e da y s be f

or e , us i ng H i c ks ’ s s hot gun. W y l i e ’ s t e s t i m ony r e m ove d a ny doubt a s t o the i de nt i ty of

the tw o m e n w i th he rdur i ng the c a r j a c ki ng; the y w e r e H i c ks4

a nd J ohns on. T o m a ke outac a s e of

c a r j a c ki ng, a s a l l e ge d i n C ountO ne , the gove rnm e nt m u s t e s tab lis h th a t th e d e f e n d a n t, “[ w ]ith th e in te n t to c au s e d e a th o rs e r io u s b o d ily h a rm , [ to o k ] am o to rv e h ic le th a t h a s b e e n tr a n s p o rte d , s h ip p e d , o rr e c e iv e d in i nt e r s t a t e orf

or e i gn c om m e r c e f

r om the pe r s on orpr e s e nc e of a nothe rby f

or c e a nd vi ol e nc e orby i nt i m i da t i on, ora tt e m pt [ e d] t o do s o. ” 18 U . S . C . § 2119. T he i nt e nt el em entof thi s off

ense i s s at i sf

i ed w hen, “ atthe m om entthe defendantdem anded o rto o kc o n tr o l o v e rth e d r iv e r ’s au to m o b ile , th e d e f e n d a n t p o s s e s s e d th e in te n t to s e r i ous l y ha rm orki l l the vi c t i m i f ne c e s s a ry t o s t e a l the c a r . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. F ul f or d, 267 F . 3d 1241, 1244 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i ons om i tt ed). C ountT w o of

f e ns e c ha r ge d avi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) . T ha ts e c t i on s t a t e s tha t“ a ny pe r s on w ho, dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a ny c r i m e of vi ol e nc e ordrug tr a f f i c ki ng c r i m e . . . f

orw hi c h the pe r s on m a y be pr os e c ut e d i n ac ourtof the U n ite d S ta te s . . . p o s s e s s e s af ir e a rm ” is s u b

je c t to c e rta in m a n d a to ry p e n a ltie s . B o th ap p e lla n ts w e r e c h a r g e d in b o th c o u n ts w ith v io la tin g 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 . S e c t i on 2 s t a t e s tha tape r s on w ho “ c om m i t s a n of f e ns e a ga i ns tthe U ni t e d S t a t e s or a id s , ab e ts , c o u n s e ls , c o m m a n d s , in d u c e s o rp r o c u r e s its c o m m is s io n , is p u n is h ab le a s apr i nc i pa l . ” I n or de rt o s us t a i n ac onvi c t i on unde ra n a i di ng a nd abe tt i ng5

theory, “ the go vernm entm ustshow thata s ub st ant i ve offens e w as com m i tt ed, that [ the de f e nda nt ] a s s oc i a t e d hi m s e l f w i th the c r i m i na l ve ntur e , a nd tha t[ the defe nd ant ] com m i tt ed som e a ctw hi ch furthere d the cr i m e. ” U ni t ed S t at es v. P er ez , 92 2 F . 2d 78 2, 78 5 (11 th C i r. 19 91 ). In addi t i on , “ the go vernm entm ustshow that [ the de f e nda nt ] ha d the s a m e unl a w f ul i nt e nta s the a c tua l pe rpe tr a t or s . ” I d. T h e p r o s e c u tio n ’s c a s e a g a in s t J o h n s o n w a s o v e rw h e lm in g o n b o th c o u n ts . W e th e r e f

o r e r e je c t h is s u f

f ic ie n c y - o f

- th e - e v id e n c e c h a lle n g e a n d a f f irm h is co n v i ct i o n s. H ic k s c o n c e d e s th a t th e p r o o f s h o w e d th a t h e a g r e e d a n d in te n d e d to pa rt i c i pa t e i n a n a rm e d r obbe ry , butc ont e nds tha the ha d no know l e dge tha tthe v i ct i m s’ car w as g o i n g t o b e st o l en u n t i l Jo h n so n h ad actu al l y st o l en i t . H e al so c ont e nds tha the c oul d notbe f ound gui l ty of

pos s e s s i on of

af i r e a rm dur i ng the c a r ja c k in g if

h e d id n o t in te n d to c o m m it ac a r ja c k in g . H i c ks doe s notdi s put e tha tJ ohns on c om m i tt e d ac a r j a c ki ng. H i c ks a s s o c ia te d h im s e lf

w ith th e o f

f e n s e w h e n h e d r o v e W y lie a n d J o h n s o n in h is c a rto th e g a s s ta tio n , f

o llo w e d th e v ic tim s ’ f

r o m th e r e o n to th e in te r s ta te a n d p u lle d in f r o n t o f it, a n d th e n o b s e rv e d J o h n s o n e x it h is c a rc a rry in g h is , H ic k s ’s , s h o tg u n . H ic k s f u rth e r e d th e c r im e b y b r in g in g h is s h o tg u n a lo n g , w h e n th e y le f t h is p a r e n ts ’ tr a ile rto f

in d th e v ic tim s . A lth o u g h th e irp r im a ry o b je c tiv e w a s to s te a l aHe identifie d Hicks from a photo lineup. 1 6 l ar ge am ou ntof ca sh, H i cks knew John son h ad use of hi s s ho t gu n, and saw J ohns on l e a ve hi s c a rw i th the s hot gun a nd poi nti ta tthe vi c t i m s be f or e ge tt i ng i nt o the i rc a r . I n s hort , the e vi de nc e w a s s uf f i c i e ntt o c onvi c tH i c ks f ora i di ng a nd ab ett i n g th e co m m i ssi o n o f th e ch arg ed o ffen ses. H i cks argues a l t ernat i vel y thathe i s e nt i t l ed t o a new tri al because the court ab u s e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n a d mi tt i n g t e s t i mo n y f r o m W y l i e a n d th e v i c t i m o f th e h o me i nva s i on r obbe ry s he a nd H i c ks pe rpe tr a t e d. W y l i e t e s t i f i e d tha ton S e pt e m be r27, three days before the carj ac ki ng , she and H i cks w entt o a tra i l erho m e they had v i s i t e d w i th af

r i e n d e a r l i e ri n th e d a y . H i c k s t o o kh i s s h o t g u n a l o n g –th e s a me s h o tg u n J o h n s o n u s e d in th e c a r ja c k in g –a n d k n o c k e d o n th e d o o r . T h e o c c u p a n t, ac ons truc t i on w orke rf

r om E l S a l va dor , w oul d notc om e t o the door , s o H i c ks s e n t W y lie to g e t as c r e w d r iv e rf r o m h is c a r ; h e u s e d it to p ry o p e n th e d o o r . Hi c k s a n d Wy l i e th e n e n t e r e d th e tr a i l e ra n d d e m a n d e d m o n e y f r o m th e m a n . He sa i d i tw as i n the bedroo m . W hen W yl i e c ou l d n otfi nd i t , H i cks and the m an scu ffl ed o v er th e sh o t g u n , an d i tfi red . H i ck s an d W yl i e fo u n d th e m an ’ s m o n ey, le f t th e tr a ile ra n d u s e d th e m o n e y to b u y d ru g s . T h e r o b b e ry v ic tim te s tif ie d to th e r o b b e ry . H e s a id th a t H ic k s s tru c kh im w i th the gun a nd putthe gun i n hi s m outh. W he n he pus he d H i c ks a w a y , the gun 17

w e ntof f . H e w a s r e nde r e d unc ons c i ous . W he n he c a m e t o, he di s c ove r e d tha tthe in tru d e r s h a d ta k e n $ 4 0 0 f r o m h is w a lle t. R u l e 4 0 4 o f th e F ed eral R u l es o f E v i d en ce p ro v i d es: (b ) O th er cri m es, W ro n g s, o r A ct s. – E v i d en ce o f o th er cri m es, w ro n g s, o ra c ts is n o t a d m is s ib le to p r o v e th e c h a r a c te ro f ap e r s o n in o r d e rto s h o w a c tio n in c o n f

o rm ityth e r e w ith . I t m a y , h o w e v e r , b e a d m is s ib le f o ro th e rp u rp o s e s , s u c h a s p r o o f o f m o tiv e , o p p o rtu n ity , in te n t, pr e pa r a t i on, pl a n, know l e dge , i de nt i ty , orabs e nc e of m i s t a ke or a c c id e n t . . . . F e d . R . E v id . 4 0 4 ( b ) . T o be a dm i s s i bl e , R ul e 404( b) e vi de nc e m us t( 1) be r e l e va ntt o one of the e num e r a t e d i s s ue s a nd nott o the de f e nda nt ’ s c ha r a c t e r ; ( 2) the pr i ora c tm us tbe prov ed suff

i ci ent l y t o p erm i tthe j ury t o d et erm i ne thatthe defendantcom m i tt ed th e a c t; a n d ( 3 ) th e p r o b a tiv e v a lu e o f th e e v id e n c e c a n n o t b e s u b s ta n tia lly outw e i ghe d by i t s undue pr e j udi c e . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C ha ve z , 204 F . 3d 105, 1317 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . H i c ks doe s nott a ke the pos i t i on i n hi s br i e f tha ta l l of

the e vi de nc e of

the hom e i nva s i on w a s i na dm i s s i bl e ; he appe a r s t o c onc e de the f i r s tof the above thr e e e l e m e nt s . H i s a r gum e nti s tha tthe pr os e c ut i on i m pr ope r l y m a de th e h o m e in v a s io n af

e a tu r e o f th e tr ia l a n d th e r e b y d iv e rte d th e ju ry ’s a tte n tio n to the c ha r ge d of

f e ns e s – s pe c i f

i c a l l y , t o hi s r ol e i n the c a r j a c ki ng. W e di s a gr e e . T he gove rnm e nt ’ s c a s e f

oc us e d on the w hol e on the c a r j a c ki ng. T he hom e i nva s i on t e s t i m ony w a s hi ghl y pr oba t i ve of H i c ks ’ s i nt e nt , i de nt i ty , s t a t e of m i nd, a nd –8

m ostof al l – h i s pl anni ng of the carj ac ki ng . H e knew thatthe vi ct i m s w er e tr a ve l i ng i n ac a ra nd tha tthe c a rha d t o be s t oppe d i f he a nd J ohns on w e r e t o r ob them of thei r c as h. H e arm ed hi m se l f t o ensure thatthei r s ucce ss , i n the sa m e w ay he a rm e d hi m s e l f

t o r ob the S a l va dor a n c ons truc t i on w orke r . W e the r e f or e f i nd no abus e of di s c r e t i on i n the c ourt ’ s e vi de nt i a ry rul i ng. AF F I RME D.