# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No . 1 8 -2 9 42

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Un i t ed St at es o f Am eri ca

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pl a i n t i

f f - Ap pel l ee

v

.

Dav i d R. Bu i e

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap pel l an t

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt
fo r t h e W es t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri - Kan s as Ci t y

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su b m i t t ed : No v em

b er 1 5 , 2 0 1 9

Fi l ed : Decem

b er 2 7 , 2 0 1 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re SHEPHERD, GRASZ, an d KOBES, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

SHEPHERD, Ci rcu i t J u dg e.

A fed eral ju ry co n v i ct ed Da v i d R

. Bu i e o f o n e co u n t o f p o s ses s i o n o f ch i ld

o b s cen i t y i n vi ol at i o n of 1 8 U.S.C. § § 1 4 6 6 A ( b ) (1 ) an d (d ). Bu i e ap p eal s h i s

co n vi ct i o n , arg ui n g t h at t h e cri m i n al s t at u t e u n der wh i c h h e was co n v i ct ed i s

o v erb ro ad an d v ag u e i n v i ol at i o n o f th e Fi rs t an d Fi ft h A m en d m en t s t o t h e Un i t edSt at es Co n s t i t u t io n

. Hav i n g ju ri s d i ct io n u n d er 2 8 U.S.C. § 1 2 9 1

, w e affi rm t h e

ju d g m en t o f t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt

. 1

I.

On Ju l y 11

, 2 0 17

, a s t aff m e m b er at t h e Bl u e Ri d g e Bran ch of t h e M i d

Co n t in en t Pu b l i c Li b rary i n Kan s as Ci t y , M i ss o u ri d i s co v ered t h at a li b rary p at ro n

h ad p ri n t ed v i s u al i m ag es d ep i ct i n g wh at s h e bel i ev ed t o be a b oy en gag i n g i n s ex u al

act s w i t h h i s m ot h er. T h e s taff m em b er d et erm i n ed t h at t h e l i b rary card n u m b er

as s o ci at ed w i t h th e p ri n t jo b bel o n g ed t o Bu i e. On J ul y 12

, 2 0 17

, Fed eral Pro b at i o n

O f f i c e r San d ra Hi l l e was n o ti fi ed ab o u t t h e J ul y 1 1 th i n ci d en t at t he l ib rary

. 2 T h e

fo l l o w i n g d ay , Offi cer Hi l l e v i s i t ed Bu i e at h i s res i den ce. Bu ie co n sen t ed to a s earch

o f h i s h o m e, an d Offi cer Hi l l e fo u n d p ri n t o u ts o f v i s ual i m ag es o n Bu i e’ s k i t ch en

t ab l e. Th e v i s u al i m ag es , i n t ro d u ced at t ri al as Go v ern m en t ’ s E x h i b i t 3a, are d et ai l ed

, fu l l -co l o r d rawi n g s o f h u m an b ei ng s , w h i ch Offi cer Hi l l e d es cri b ed as d e p i ct i n g

“ m i n o rs en g ag in g i n s ex u al act i v i t y wi t h ad u l t s ” wh o “ ap p ear[] t o b e t h ei r paren t s .”

R. Do c. 5 7 , at 7 9

.

Bas ed o n th e p ri n t ed i m ag es reco v ered fro m h is h o m e, Bu i e was ch arg ed wi th

o n e co u n t o f p os s es s io n o f ch i ld o b s cen i t y i n v i ol at i o n o f 1 8 U.S.C. § § 14 6 6 A(b )(1 )

an d (d ). Sect io n 1 4 66 A(b )(1 ) p ro h i b i t s a p ers o n fro m “ k n owi n g l y po s s es s [i n g ] a

v i s u al d ep i ct i o n o f an y k i n d

, i n cl u d i n g a d rawi n g , cart o o n , s cu l p t u re, o r pai n t i n g , t h at

. . . (A) d ep i ct s a m i n o r en gag i n g i n s ex u al l y ex p l i ci t co n d u ct ; an d (B) i s ob s cen e[.] ”

At t ri al

, Bu i e m o v ed fo r ju d g m e n t o f a c q u i t t al at t h e cl o s e o f t h e g o v ern m en t ’ s

ev i d en ce an d a t t h e c l o s e o f al l ev i d en ce, arg ui n g t h at § 14 6 6A(b )(1 ) i s

1 Th e H o n o rab l e St ep h en R. Bo u g h

, U n i t ed St at es Di s tri ct J u d g e fo r t h e W es t ern Di s t ri ct o f M is s o u ri

.

2 At t h e t i m e o f t h e in ci d en t

, Bu i e was on s u perv i s ed rel eas e rel at ed t o an earl i er fed eral co n v ict i o n , an d Offi cer Hi l l e was h i s p ro b at i on o ffi cer.

-2

-u n co ns t it u t i o n al l y o v erb ro ad an d v ag u e. Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt d en i ed b o t h m o t i o n s

. Th e

ju ry co n v i ct ed Bu i e an d t h e d i s tri ct co u rt sen t en ced h i m t o 12 1 m o n t h s i m p ri s o n m en t

an d a l i fe t erm

o f s u perv i sed rel eas e. Bu ie n o w ap p eal s h i s co n v i ct i o n

.

II.

Bu i e arg u es t h at hi s co n v i ct i o n m u st b e o v ert urn ed b ecau s e § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) i s

o v erb ro ad i n v i o l at i o n o f t h e Fi rs t Am en d m en t an d v ag u e in v i o l at i o n o f t h e F ift h

Am en d m en t

. W e rev i ew bo t h a Fi rs t Am en d m en t o v erb read t h ch al l en g e an d a Fi ft h

Am en d m en t v ag u en es s ch al l en g e d e n o v o

. Un it ed St at es v

. An d ers o n , 7 5 9 F.3 d 8 9 1,

8 9 3 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 4 ) (o verb read t h ch al len g e); Un i t ed St at es v

. Bi rb ra g h e r , 6 0 3 F.3 d

4 7 8 , 4 8 4 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 0 ) (v ag u en es s ch al l en ge).

A.

Bu i e fi rs t arg u es t h at § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) i s u n co n st i tu t i o n al ly o v erb ro ad o n i t s face

b ecau s e i t “ s ub

j e c t s m at eri al s t o p ro secu t i o n t h at s ho u l d ri g h t l y b e co n s i d ered

p ro t ect ed s p eech .” A s t at u t e i s ov erb ro ad un d er t h e Fi rs t Am en dm en t an d

, t herefo re,

faci al l y u n co n s t it u t i o n al “ i f i t p ro h i bi t s a s u b s tan t i a l am ou n t o f p ro t ect ed s p eech .”

Un i ted St at es v

. W i l l i am s , 5 5 3 U.S. 2 8 5

, 2 9 2 (2 0 0 8 ). H o wev er, i t i s un d i s p u t ed t h at

m at eri al t h at i s “ ob s cen e” u n der t h e s t an d ard an no u n ced i n M i l l er v

. Cal i fo rn i a, 4 1 3

U.S. 1 5 (1 9 7 3 ), 3 d o es n o t co n s t i t u t e p ro t ect ed s p eech u n d er t h e Fi rs t Am en d m en t

. W i ll i am s , 5 5 3 U.S. at 2 8 8 ; As h cro ft v

. Free Sp eech Co al

., 5 3 5 U.S. 2 3 4

, 2 4 0 (2 0 0 2 ).

3 In M il l er, t h e Su p rem e Co u rt es t ab li s h e d a t h ree-p art t es t fo r d et erm i n i n g wh et h er m at eri al i s o b s cen e: “ (a) wh et h er t h e av erag e p ers o n, ap p ly i n g co n t em p o rary

co m m u n it y st an d a r d s w o u l d fi n d t h at t he wo rk

, t ak en as a wh o l e, ap p eal s t o t h e

p ru ri en t i n t eres t ; (b ) wh et h er t h e wo rk d ep i ct s o r des cri b es , i n a p at en t l y o ffen s i v e

way , sex u al co n d u ct s p eci fi cal ly d efi n ed b y t h e ap p l i cab l e s t at e l aw; an d (c) wh et h er

t h e wo r k

, t a k e n as a w ho l e, l ack s s eri o u s l i t erary , art i s ti c, p ol i t i cal

, o r s ci en t i fi c

v al u e.” 4 1 3 U.S. at 2 4 (i n t ern al q u ot at i on s an d ci tat i on s o m i tt ed ).

-3

-Th e l an gu ag e of § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) ex p l i ci t l y req u i res t h at t h e v i s u al d ep i ct i o n at

i s su e b e “ o bs cen e”; t h u s , M il l er’ s th ree-p ro n g ed t es t i s neces s ari l y i n co rp o rat ed i n to

t h e es sen ti al el em en t s of t h e o ffen s e. See H am li n g v

. Un i t ed St at es , 4 1 8 U.S. 8 7

, 1 1 5
(1 9 7 4) (n o t i n g t h e Co urt ’ s “ wi l l i n g n es s t o c o ns t ru e fed eral s t at u t es d eal i n g wi th

o b s c e n i t y t o b e l im i t ed t o m at eri al s u ch as t h at d es cri b ed i n M i l l er”). Th erefo re,

co n trary to Bu i e’ s as s ert i o n , t h e s t at u t e p ro h i b i t s o n ly t h e po s s es s i o n o f m at eri al t h at

i s o b s cen e u n d er M i l l er an d , t h u s , n ot co n s t i t u t i o n al ly p ro t ect ed

. W h ere, as h ere, a

s t at u te do e s n o t reach an y co n s t i t u t i o nal l y p ro t ect ed s p eech

, “ t h e o v erb read th

ch al l en g e m

us t fai l.” Vi ll

. o f Ho ffm an Es t at es v

. Fl i p s id e, Ho ffm an E s tat es , In c., 4 5 5

U.S. 4 8 9, 4 9 4 (1 9 82 ). W e fi n d t h at § 1 4 6 6A(b )(1 ) i s n o t o v erb ro ad i n v io l at i o n o f t h e

Fi rs t A m en d m en t

.

B.

Seco n d

, Bu i e arg u es th at § 1 4 6 6 A (b )(1 )— i n p art i cu l ar, i t s u s e of t h e t erm

“ o b s cen e”— i s v ag u e i n v i o l at i o n o f t h e Fi ft h Am en d m en t b ecau s e i t fai l s t o p ro v i d e

ad eq uat e n o ti ce of t h e p ro scri b ed co nd u ct an d it p erm i t s arb i t rary en fo rcem en t o f t h e

l aw. Th es e arg um en t s are b o t h fo recl o s ed b y Su p rem e Co u rt p reced en t

.

W i t h r e s p e c t to ad eq u at e n o t i ce, Bu i e arg u es th at § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) i s

u n co ns t it u t i o n al l y v ag u e b ecau s e n o o n e k n o ws wh et h er a p art i cu lar v i s u al d ep i ct i o n

i s o b s cen e u n ti l i t i s decl ared o b s cen e b y a ju ry an d

, t h u s , t h e M i l l er t es t i s

i n s u ffi ci en t t o pro v i de fai r n o t i ce of t he p ro h i b i t e d co n d uct

. H o wev er, b o t h t h e

Su p rem e Co u rt an d t h e Ei gh t h Ci rcu i t h av e reject ed t h e arg u m en t t h at t h e Mi l l er tes t

i s i n h eren t l y v ag ue. See Ren o v. Am

. Ci v

. Li b ert i es Un i o n , 5 2 1 U.S. 8 4 4

, 8 7 3 (1 9 9 7 )
(reaffi rm i n g t h e Co u rt ’ s s at i s fact i on wi t h t h e M i l l er t es t fo r o bs cen i t y , an d n o t i n g t h at

t h e t es t i s n o t v ag ue becau s e i t “ l i m i t s t h e u n cert ai n s we e p o f t h e o b s cen i t y

d efi n i t i o n ”); Fo rt W ay n e Bo o k s , In c. v

. In d i an a, 4 8 9 U.S. 4 6

, 5 7-5 8 (1 9 8 9 ) (reject i n g

t h e arg u m en t t h at M i l l e r’ s t es t fo r ob s cen i t y i s i n h eren tl y v ag u e); Al ex an d er v.

Th o rn b u rg h, 9 43 F.2 d 8 25

, 8 3 2 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 1 ), v acat ed on o th er g ro un d s , Al ex an d er

-4

-v

. U n it ed St at es , 50 9 U.S. 5 4 4 (1 9 9 3 ); s ee al s o M i l l e r , 4 1 3 U

. S. at 2 7 (s t at i n g t h at

M i l ler’ s t es t fo r o b s cen i t y “ p ro v i d e[s ] fai r n o t i ce t o a d eal er i n s u ch m at eri al s t h at h i s

p u b l i c an d co m

m erci al act iv i t i es m ay b ri n g p ro s ecu t i o n”). As t h e Mi l l er Co u rt

ex p lai n ed

, “ [t ] h at th ere m ay b e m arg i n al cas es i n wh i ch it i s di ffi cu lt t o d et erm i n e t h e

s i de o f th e l i n e o n wh i ch a p art i cu l ar fact si t uat i on fal ls i s n o s uffi ci en t reas o n t o h o ld

t h e l an g u a g e t o o a m

b ig u o u s t o d efi n e a cri m in al o ffen s e.” Id

. at 2 7 n .1 0 (i n t ern al

q u o t at i o n m ark s o m i tt ed ). Acco rd i n g l y , p u rs u a n t t o Su p rem e Co u rt p reced en t

, we reject Bu i e’ s arg u m en t t h at § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) fai l s t o p ro v i d e ad eq u at e n o t ice o f t h e

p ro s cri b ed co n d u ct

.

I n a s s ert i n g t h at § 1 46 6 A(b )(1 ) p erm i t s arb i trary en fo rcem ent, B uie a r gue s tha t,

b ecau s e t h e d e f

i n it i o n o f “ o b s cen e” i s b as ed o n l o cal co m m u ni t y s t an d ard s ,

en fo rcem en t o f fed eral o bs cen i t y s t at u t es n eces s ari l y an d i m p erm i s si bl y v ari es acro ss

t h e co u n t ry

. Ho wev er, t h e Su p rem e Co u rt h as reject ed t he arg u m en t t h at d u e p ro ces s

req u i res t h at “ th e p ro s cri pt i o n o f o b s cen i t y b e b as ed o n u ni fo rm n at i o n wi d e st an d ard s

o f w h at i s o b s cen e.” Ham l i n g , 41 8 U.S. at 1 0 4 (ci t i ng M i ll er, 4 1 3 U.S. at 3 1 ). As t h e

Co u rt ex p l ai n ed

,

[i ] t i s s ai d t h at su ch a “ co m m un i t y ” ap p ro ach m ay wel l res u l t in m at eri al

b ei n g p ro scri b ed as o b s cen e i n o n e co m m u n i t y b u t n o t i n an o t h er, an d

, i n al l p ro bab i l i t y , t hat i s t ru e. Bu t co m m u n i t i es t hro u g h ou t t h e Nat i o n

are i n fact d i v ers e, an d i t m u s t b e rem em

b ered t h at

, i n cas es su ch as t h i s

o n e, t h e Co u rt is co n fro n t ed wi t h th e t as k o f reco n ci li n g co n f l i c t i n g ri gh ts o f th e di v ers e co m

m u n i t ies wi th i n o ur s o ci et y an d o f i n di vi d ual s

.

Id

. at 1 0 7 (q uo t i n g Jaco b el l i s v

. Oh i o , 37 8 U.S. 1 84 , 2 00 -2 0 1 (1 9 6 4 ) (W arren , C.J

., d i s s en t i n g)). T h u s , “ [t ] h e m ere fact ju ri es m ay reach d i fferen t co n cl us i o ns as t o t h e

s am e m at eri al d o es n o t m ean t h at co n s t i t u t i o n al ri g ht s are ab ri d g ed .” M i l l er, 4 1 3 U.S.

at 2 6 n .9 ; s ee Sm it h v

. Un i t ed St at es , 4 31 U.S. 2 91

, 3 09 (1 97 7 ). W e rej e c t Bu i e’ s

arg u m en t t h at § 14 6 6 A(b )(1 ) p erm i t s arb it rary en fo rcem en t o f th e l aw. Acco rd i n g l y , we h o l d t h at § 1 4 6 6 A(b )(1 ) i s n o t v ag u e i n v i o lat i o n o f t h e Fi ft h Am en d m en t

.

-5

-III.

Fi n al l y , Bu i e arg u es t h at t h e co ncl u s i o n t h at i m ag es s u ch as t h o s e he p o s s es s ed

are ob s cen e h as a p ot en t i al ch i l l i n g effect on h i s to ri c art an d v i s ual d ep i ct i on s t ak en

fro m l i t erat u re, s o m e o f wh i ch d ep i ct i nces t u ou s act s , wh i ch are wi d el y av ai lab l e an d

wh i ch h av e h eret o fo re n o t b een d eem ed o b s cen e. W e reject t h is arg um en t b y n o t i n g

t h at t h e ex am

p les o f s u ch v i s u al d ep ict i o ns co nt ai ned i n Bu ie’ s bri ef were n o t b efo re

t h e ju ry an d are n ot a p art o f t h e reco rd i n t h i s cas e. See Un i t ed St at es v . Rag s d al e,

4 2 6 F.3 d 7 6 5

, 76 6 (5 t h Ci r. 2 00 6 ) (u p ho l d i n g ex cl u s io n o f al l eg ed l y co m p arab l e

m at eri al s av ai l ab l e l o cal l y)

. F u r t h er, t hat v i su al d ep i ct io n s m ay h av e s eri o u s an d

wo rt h wh i l e v al u e i s ad eq u at el y acco u n t ed fo r i n th e M il l er t es t

. M il l er, 4 1 3 U.S. at

1 5 (p ro v i d i n g t h at m at eri al is n ot o b s cen e i f i t h as “ seri o us l i t erary , art i st i c, p o l i t i cal

,

o r s ci en ti fi c v al ue”). Fi n al ly

, as i d e fro m h i s co n s t it u t i o nal ch al l en g e, Bu i e d o es n ot

ch al l en g e t h e fi n d i n g i m pl i ci t i n t h e ju ry ’ s verd i ct t h at t h e v i s u al d ep i ct i o n s h e

p o s s es s ed are o b s cen e u nd er t h e M i ll er tes t

. See R. D o c

. 4 0

, a t 2 5 -2 8 (J u ry

In s t ru ct i o n No

. 1 8 ).

IV.

Fo r t h e fo reg o i n g reas o n s , we affi rm t h e ju d g m en t o f t he d i s t ri ct co u rt

.

__ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

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