2005 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 7-7-2005 

# U SA v . C raft P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 03-2499

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2005

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

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. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " U SA v . C r aft " (2005). 2005 D e cisio n s . P ape r 896. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

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___________ UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. ERI C CR AFT, A p p e llan t.

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J une 27, 2005 B E F O R E : N Y G A A R D , S M ITH , and F ISH E R , C i rcui tJudg es. (F il ed Ju ly7 , 2 0 0 5 )2 ___________ OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

___________ N Y G A A R D , C i r cui tJ udge. A ppel l antE r i c C r aftpl eade d gui l tyt o caus i ng the dea th of a pe r s on thr ough us e of a fi rearm , i n v i olat i on of 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 24 (j ) and w as sent enced t o 4 80 m on ths’ i m pr i s onm ent . H e now cl ai m s thatthe G overnm entbr eac hed the pl ea a gr eementand that th e Di s tr i c tCo u r te r r e d i n s e n t e n c i n g h i m. W e wi l l a f f i r m. I. U p o n fin d ing the b o d yo f L o v ell e G am b le sh o t i n the b ac k o f th e h ea d , H arrisbu rg Pol i ce be gan an i nves t i gat i on i nt o hi s death. T he cons ol e of the vehi cl e he w as i n had b ee n ri p p ed fro m the f

loo r, the g lov e c o m p artm en t w as o p en , an d G am b le’s po ck ets w ere tu rn e d in sid e -o u t. A f

ter d u stin g f

o r f in g e rp rin ts, p o lice f

o u n d th re e f

in g e rp rin ts bel ongi ng t o E r i c C r aft . D ur i ng the i nves t i gat i on, pol i ce l earned fr om a conf i dent i al i nform antthatC r aftw as a drug deal erfr om N ew J er s eyw ho cl ai m ed t o have s hot G am b le an d stolen m o n eyan d d rug s fro m a h idd en co m p artm en t i n G am b le’s car.1 O rig in a lly , C ra ft w a s in d ic te d in a tw o c o u n t in d ic tm e n t a n d c h a rg e d w ith

m aki ng f

al s e s t at em ent s i n connec t i on w i t h t he ac qui s i t i on of f i r ear m s , i n vi ol at i on of 18 U . S. C . § 922( a) ( 6) and pos s es s i on of f i r ear m s by a convi ct ed f el on, i n vi ol at i on of 18 U . S. C . § 922( g) ( 1) . W hi l e t hes e cha r ges w er e pendi ng, t he G over nm ents ecur ed a 1 6 -c o u n t s u p e rc e d in g in d ic tm e n t th a t c h a rg e d C ra ft w ith th e fo llo w in g : c o n s p ira c y to d is trib u te 5 0 o r m o re g ra m s o f c ra c k c o c a in e a n d 2 0 0 o r m o re g ra m s o f h e ro in , in v io la tio n o f 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 6 ; d is trib u tio n o f 5 0 o r m o re g ra m s o f c ra c k c o c a in e , in vi ol at i on of

21 U . S. C . § 841( a) ( 1) and ( b) ( 1) ( A ) ; di s t r i but i on of 100 or m or e gr am s of her oi n, i n vi ol at i on of

21 U . S. C . § 841( a) ( 1) and ( b) ( a) ( B ) ; t w o count s of car r yi ng or us i ng a f i r ear m dur i ng and i n r el at i on t o a dr ug t r af f i cki ng cr i m e, i n vi ol at i on of 18 U . S. C . § 924( c) ; m aki ng f al s e s t at em ent s i n connec t i on w i t h t he ac qui s i t i on of f i r ear m s , i n vi ol at i on of 18 U . S. C . § 922( a) ( 6) ; pos s es s i on of f i r ear m s by an ar m ed car eer cr i m i nal , i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . §§ 92 2( g) ( 1) ; con spi r acy t o m ake f al se s ta te m e n ts in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e a c q u is itio n o f f ir e a rm s , in v io la tio n o f 1 8 U .S .C . § 371; and s even a ddi t i onal count s of m aki ng f

al s e s t at em ent s i n connec t i on w i t h t he a c q u isit io n o f fi re a rm s , in v io latio n o f 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 2 2 (a )(6 ). 3 W hi l e the i nves t i gat i on i nt o the G ambl e murde rw as pendi ng, C r aftw as i ndi ct ed fornum er ous fede r al drug and gun r el at ed off ens es . A tthatpoi nt , agent s i nt ervi ew ed

1 C raftand he ad m i t t ed to bei ng presentatthe sho oti ng of G am ble, bu tcl ai m ed E rnest H e d g e s p e th s h o t h im . C ra f t f a ile d a p o lyg ra p h e x a m in a tio n a b o u t w h o s h o t G a m b le . C r aftthen cl ai m ed J eff

eryH ol l and s hotG ambl e. I m m edi at el ybefor e a s econd pol y gr aph, C r afts poke w i th hi s att orney , and then i nform ed i nves t i gat or s thathe ac tual l ys hot G ambl e. C ra f t to ld in v e stig a to rs th a t h e n e e d e d to m a k e q u ick m o n e yso h e a g re e d to part i ci pat e i n a r obberyw i th H ol l and and H ol l and’ s br otherR i cky . H ol l and then s etup a m eet i ng w i th G ambl e, al l egedl yt o buycr ack c ocai ne. A tthe meet i ng, J eff eryH ol l and and C r aftboth ended up i n the ca r , w i th H ol l and i n the fr ontand C r afti n the bac k. T he4

tw o then pul l ed outthei rguns and demanded G ambl e’ s m oneyand drugs w hi l e R i cky H o llan d a p p ro a c h e d th e d riv e r’s sid e d o o r. F o llo w in g a stru g g le, C ra f t g ra b b e d G a m b le a n d s h o th i m i n th e b a c k o f th e h e a d , k i l l i n g h i m. C ra f t th e n p u t o n g lo v e s, m o v e d th e b o d yto th e p a ss e n g e r’s se a t, an d d ro v e to ano ther l ocati on . T heythen ri pp ed o pen the co nsole and st ole the d rugs and cash cont ai ned i ns i de a hi dden compar t m ent . C r aftthen l eftthe key s i n the i gni t i on, t ook $1 , 00 0 from the g l ov e com partm ent, and tri ed to w i pe aw ayanyfi ng erpr i nts . II. I n excha nge forpl eadi ng gui l tyt o caus i ng the dea th of a pe r s on thr ough us e of a fi r earm , the G overnm entagr eed t o dr op al l char ges pendi ng underthe 16- count ind ictm en t. C raf

t agre ed that h e w o u ld w aive h is r igh t t o an ind ictm en t bya g ran d jury and “pl ead gui l tyt o a fe l onyi nform at i on w hi ch w i l l be fi l ed aga i ns tthe def endant . ” A c c o rd in g to th e a g re e m e n t, th e in f o rm a tio n w a s to c h a rg e C ra f t w ith “ a v io latio n o f

T itl e 18, U ni t ed St at es C ode, Sect i on 924( j ) , ( caus i ng the dea th of anotherbyus e of a gun dur i ng a cr i m e of vi ol ence ordrug tr aff i cki ng offe ns e) . ” Sect i on 924( j ) of the U ni t ed S tate s C o d e p ro v id e s: A per s on w ho, i n t he cour s e of a vi ol at i on of s ubs ect i on ( c) , caus es the d e a th o f a p e rso n th ro u g h th e u se o f a f ire a rm , sh a ll— ( 1) i f the ki l l i ng i s m ur der( as defi ned i n s ect i on 1111) , be puni s hed by death ori m pr i s onm entforanyt erm of y ear s orl i fe; and ( 2) i f the ki l l i ng i s m ans l aught er( as defi ned i n s ect i on 1112) , be puni s hed as pr ovi ded i n t hats ect i on. 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 2 4 (j ).5

W h e n th e G o v e rn m e n t f iled its su p e rse d in g in f

o rm a tio n , itc h a rg e d th a t C ra f t d id “thr ough the us e of s ai d fi r earm , m ur derL avel l e G ambl e a/k/ a/‘ B os t on’ . A l l i n vi ol at i on of Ti t l e 18, U ni t ed St at es C ode, Sect i on 924( j ) . ” ( emphasi s added) . T hi s s uper s edi ng i n f o r m a t i o n w a s f

i l e d o n S e p t e m b e r1 1 , 2 0 0 2 . C r a f te n t e r e d h i s g u i l ty p l e a th e n e x td a y, Sept ember12, 2002. A thi s pl ea he ar i ng, the C our tdr ew att ent i on t o the fa ctthathe w as “ent er i ng a pl ea of

gui l tyt o a s uper s edi ng i nform at i on thatw as fi l ed y es t er day . ” The C our tthen as ked the G overnm entw hatthe pena l t i es w er e forthe off ens e. T he G overnm entcouns el s t at ed thatSect i on 924( j ) “i n es s ence tr acks the pena l t i es form ur der underSect i on 1111 of Ti t l e 18. ” The G overnm entw enton t o di s cus s the di ffe r ence b e tw e e n f

ir s t d e g re e a n d s e c o n d d e g re e m u rd e r. A t n o tim e w a s m a n s la u g h te r d is c u s s e d . C r a f tth e n p l e a d e d g u i l ty. L at erathi s s ent enci ng, hi s couns el att empt ed t o ar gue thathe s houl d be s ent ence d b ase d o n sec o n d d eg ree m u rde r. T h e C o u rtrejected the a rgu m en t fi n d ing , “I’m p ersu ad ed n o t on lyb ya p rep o n d era n ce o f th e e v iden ce b u t bey o n d an yd o u b t th at I’m deal i ng her e w i th a fe l onym ur ders i tuat i on. ” C ra f t n o w c laim s th a t th e G o v e rn m e n t b re a c h e d th e p lea a g re e m e n t b e c a u se h e d id notagr ee t o pl ead gui l tyt o m ur der , onl yt o ei therm ur derorm ans l aught erunderSect i on 924( j ) . H e ar gues thatbeca us e of the G overnm ent ’ s br eac h, w e s houl d i nt erpr etthe agr eementi n t he w aythatm os tfavor s hi m — a convi ct i on forM ans l aught er - C r i m i nal N egl i gence . W hetherthe G overnm enthas br eac hed a pl ea a gr eementi s a ques t i on of l aw6

s u b je c t to p le n a ry re v ie w , e v e n w h e re th e d e f e n d a n t d id n o t r a is e it b e lo w . U ni t ed Stat es v. R i vera , 3 5 7 F . 3 d 2 9 0 , 2 9 3

– 9 4 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 4 ). P le a a g re e m e n ts , th o u g h a ri s in g in c ri m in a l la w , a re a n a lyze d u n d e r c o n tr a c t la w . U ni t ed Stat es v. N

olan- C ooper , 1 5 5 F .3 d 2 2 1 , 2 3 6 (3 d C ir. 1 9 9 8 ). T h u s, w e lo o k to w hetherthe G overnm ent ’ s conducti s cons i s t entw i th w hatw as r eas onabl yunder s t ood by th e d e f e n d a n t w h e n e n te ri n g a p le a o f g u ilty. I d. H er e, w hen C r aftent er ed hi s pl ea of g u il ty , h e u n d erstoo d h e w as p lead ing g u il tyto S ec ti o n 9 2 4 (j ) m u rde r, n o t m an slau g h ter, b e c a u s e th e s u p e rc e d in g in f o rm a tio n h a d a lr e a d yb e e n f ile d . D ur i ng the pl ea c ol l oquy , i tw as cl earthatthe G overnm entbel i eved thi s t o be a c a s e o f m u rd e r. T h e G o v e rn m e n t a tto rn e yd e s c ri b e d th e p e n a ltie s f o r “ m u rd e r,” di s cus s ed the di ffe r ence betw een s econd a nd fi r s tdegr ee mur der , and gave the G o v ern m en t’ s p o sit ion that this w as a first , n o t seco n d , d eg ree m u rde r ca se. T h e C o u rt i nform ed C r aftthatthe maxi m um penal tyw as l i fe i m pr i s onm ent

— the murde r penal ty— of w hi ch C r afts ai d he w as aw ar e. T he G overnm entr eci t ed fa ct s es t abl i s hi ng th a t th e k ill in g to o k p lac e d u rin g a ro b b e ry , an d b o th C ra f t an d h is a tto rn e ya g re e d w ith the G overnm ent ’ s depi ct i on of the fa ct s . A ft eral l of thi s , the C our tas ked how C r aft w ish e d to p lea d a n d h e sa id , “g u ilty .” T h is is n o t a c a se w h e re a d e f e n d a n t p lea d e d g u ilty w ith o n e e x p e c ta tio n a n d a s u b s e q u e n t b re a c h b yth e g o v e rn m e n t a lte re d th a t e x p e c ta tio n .2 E v e n if w e w e re to a d o p t C ra f

t’s a rg u m e n t th a t h e d id n o t n e c e ss a rilyin ten d to pl ead gui l tyt o m ur derw hen he s i gned the w r i t t en agr eementw i th the G overnm ent , the agr eemental l ow ed form odi fi cat i on on the r ecor d i n open court . T hus , w hen he m ani fes t ed a c l eari nt entt o pl ead gui l tyt o the murde rchar ge i n open courti tcl ar i fi ed u n d e rw h i c h p r o v i s i o n o f 9 2 4 ( j ) h e w a s p l e a d i n g g u i l ty. 3 B eca us e w e fi nd thatC r aftpl eade d gui l tyt o m ur der , w e al s o r ej ecthi s cl ai m t hat he di d notw ai ve hi s r i ghtt o have a j urydeci de w hetherhe w as gui l tyof m ur deror m an slau g h ter. A tthe t i m e C r aftpl eade d gui l ty , he di d s o know i ng he w as pl eadi ng gui l tyt o a murde r char ge. A ccor di ngl y , w e w i l l aff i r m hi s convi ct i on. 2 3 III . F inally , C raf

t objects t o the im p o sit ion o f h is sen tenc e u n d er U ni t ed Stat es v. B ooker , 543 U . S. __, 125 S. C t . 738 ( 2005) . C r aftw ai ved hi s r i ghtt o appea l hi s s ent ence w hen he e nt er ed hi s gui l typl ea. T her efor e, he ca nnotnow att empt t o t ake a dvant age of the Supr eme C our t ’ s deci s i on i n B ooker . U n itedS ta tes v . L o c ke tt , N o. 04- 2244, 2005 U .S . A p p . L E X IS 7 7 8 4 , at * 1 7 (3 d C ir. M a y5 , 2 0 0 5 ). A c c o rd in g ly , C ra f ts’ s e n ten c e is aff i r m ed.