# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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

No. 1 6- 37 64

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

Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

Jo na th on Lee Kin ne y

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __
App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of No rth Dako ta - Farg o

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Octo be r 16 , 20 17
Fil ed : Ap ril 23 , 20 18

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re WOL LMAN, BEAM, an d S HEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __

SHEPHERD, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Jo na th on Kin ne y pl ed gu il ty to on e co un t of p o s s e s si on of a fir earm by a

co nv ic te d fel on an d on e co un t of po ss es si on of am m un it io n by a co nv ic te d fel on , bo th

in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. §§ 92 2( g) (1 ), 92 4( a)(2 ), an d 92 4( e). Pu rs ua nt to 18 U.S.C.
§ 92 4( e)( 1 ) a n d 92 4( e)(2 )(B) (ii ) of th e Arm ed Care er Cri m in al Act (ACCA), th e
di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Kin ne y as an arm ed care er cr im in al ba se d on fo ur pr ev io usco nv ic ti on s fo r acco m pl ic e to bu rg la ry un de r N o r t h Dak ot a la w. Bec au se we fin d

th at th e Nor th Dak ot a st at ut e of co nv ic ti on is in di vi si bl e an d cri m in al iz es m or e th an

th e de fin it io n of “ bu rg la ry ” un de r fed eral la w , w e rev ers e an d rem an d fo r

res en te nc in g.

I. Dis cu ss io n

Kin ne y arg ue s th at th e Nor th Dak ot a bu rg la ry st at ut e is bo th in di vi si bl e an d

ov erb ro ad

, th ereb y pr ecl ud in g co nv ic ti on s un de r th at st at ut e fro m se rv in g as ACCA

pr ed ic at es

. The go ve rn m en t r e s p o n ds , a ss ert in g th at a co nv ic ti on un de r th e st at ut e

cat eg or ic al ly qu al ifi es as a vi ol en t fel on y or , al te rn at iv el y , th at th e st at ut e is di vi si bl e

an d ap pl i c a t i o n of th e m od ifi ed cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch sh ows th at Kin ne y was

co nv ic te d o f a cri m e m at ch in g th e ge ne ric de fin it io n of bu rg la ry un de r fed eral law.

“ W e rev ie w de no vo a di st ric t co ur t’s fin di ng th at a de fen da nt ’s pr io r co nv ic ti on

co ns ti tu te s a v io le nt fel on y fo r pu rp os es of th e ACCA.” Uni te d St at es v. Lin ds ey , 82 7 F .3d 73 3, 7 38 (8t h C ir.) , cert . den ie d, 1 37 S. Ct. 4 13 (20 16 ).

A. The ACCA Fr am ewo rk

Und er th e ACCA, a de fen da nt is su bjec t to a fif te en -y ear m an da to ry m in im um

se nt en ce if he or sh e is co nv ic te d of be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm an d ha s

th ree pr io r co nv ic ti on s fo r a vi ol en t fel o n y. 18 U.S.C. § 92 4( e)(1 ). A “ vi ol en t

fel on y ” in cl ud es an y st at e or fed eral fel on y th at “ is bu r g l a r y, ars on , or ex to rti on .”
§ 92 4( e)(2 )(B) (ii ). “ In li st in g th [e]se cri m es , . . . Co ng res s refe rred on ly to th ei r us ua l

or

. . . ge ne ric ve rs io n— no t to al l va ria nt s of th e of fen se s.” Mat hi s v. Uni te d St at es , 13 6 S. Ct

. 22 43

, 22 48 (2 01 6)

. The refo re, as it pe rta in s to bu rg la ry , “ Co ng res s m ean t

a cri m e ‘con ta in [in g] th e fo ll owi ng el em en ts : an un la wfu l or un pr iv il eg ed en try in to

. . . a bu il di ng or ot he r st ru ct ur e, wit h in te nt to c o mm i t a c r i m e.’” Id . ( al te rat io n in

or ig in al ) (q uo ti ng Tay lo r v. Un it ed Sta te s, 4 95 U.S. 57 5, 5 98 (19 90 )).

-2

-“To d e te rm in e whe th er a pr io r co nv ic ti on is fo r ge ne ric bu rg la ry

. . . co ur ts

ap pl y what is kn own as t he cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch : Th ey foc us so le ly on wh et he r th e
el em en ts of th e c r i me of co nv ic ti on su ffi ci en tl y m at ch th e el em en ts of ge ne ric

b u r g l a r y, whi le ig no rin g th e pa rti cu la r fact s of th e cas e.” Id

. “ Elem en ts are t h e

co ns ti tu en t pa rts of a cri m e’s le ga l de fin it io n— th e th in gs th e pr os ecu ti on m us t pr ov e

to su st ai n a co nv ic ti on .” Id

. (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. Mea ns , “ by co nt ras t,

are m ere real -wo rld th in gs —ex tra ne ou s to th e cri m e’s le ga l requ ire m en ts

. . . . The y

are ci rcu m st an ce[s ] or ev en t[s ] ha vi ng no le ga l effe ct [o r] co ns eq ue nc e: In pa rti cu la r,

th ey ne ed ne it he r be fo un d by a jury no r ad m it te d by a de fen da nt .” Id

. (al te rat io ns in

or ig in al ) (i nt ern al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

W he re a st at ut e li st s on ly a si ng le se t of el em en ts

, th e st at ut e is in di vi si bl e an d

th e st an da rd cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch m us t be us ed

. See id

. at 22 48 -4 9. Thi s is tru e ev en

if th e st at ut e li st s se ve ral al te rn at iv e fact ua l m ean s fo r co m m it ti ng a si ng le cri m e. Id

.
at 22 49

. The Io wa st at ut e at is su e in Mat hi s, fo r ex am pl e, cri m in al iz ed bu rg li ng

“ ‘any bu il di ng , st ru ct ur e, [o r] la nd

, wa te r, or ai r ve hi cl e .’ ” Id . at 2 25 0 (a lt erat io ns

in or ig in al ) (q uo ti ng Io wa Co de § 70 2.1 2)

. Bec au se Io wa co ur ts ha d in te rp ret ed th e

st at ut e as pr es en ti ng al te rn at iv e m ean s fo r co m m it ti ng th e si ng le c r i me of bu rg la ry

an d cl ari fie d th at a jury ne ed no t ag ree on w h i c h o f t he m ean s was pr es en t in a

pa rti cu la r cas e, th e Uni te d St at es Su pr em e Co u rt co nc lu de d th e st at ut e was

in di vi si bl e. Id

. at 22 53

. “ In sh or t, th e st at ut e de fi n e s o n e c rime, wit h on e se t of

el em en ts

, br oa de r th an ge ne ric bu rg la ry —wh il e sp eci fy in g m

ul ti pl e m ean s of

fu lfi ll in g it s lo cat io na l el em en t, so m e bu t no t al l of whi ch ( i.e. , b ui ld in gs an d ot he r

st ru ct ur es , bu t no t ve hi cl es ) sa ti sf y th e ge ne ric de fin it i o n

. ” I d

. at 22 50 ; se e al so

Des cam ps v. Uni te d St at es , 13 3 S. Ct

. 22 76

, 22 85 -8 6 (2 01 3) (h ol di ng as in di vi si bl e

a Cal ifo rn ia bu rg la ry st a tu te whi ch pr oh ib it ed th e la wfu l or un la wfu l en te rin g of a pl ace wi th th e in te nt to st eal ).

Acco rd in gl y , “ [t]he fir st ta sk fo r a se nt en ci ng co ur t face d wit h an al te rn at iv el y ph ras ed st at ut e is th us to de te rm in e whe th er it s li st ed it em s are el em en ts or m ean s.”

-3

-Mat hi s, 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 56

. Thi s in qu iry sh ou ld be res ol ve d by lo ok in g to

“ au th or it at iv e so ur ces of st at e la w.” Id

. W he re “ a st at e co ur t de ci si on de fin it iv el y

an swe rs th e q u e s t i o n

. . . a se nt en ci ng jud ge ne ed on ly fo ll ow wha t it sa y s.” Id

. Add it io na ll y , th e ex pr es s la ng ua ge of th e st at ut e m ay in di cat e th at al te rn at iv el y ph ras ed it em s are el em en ts “ [i]f st at ut or y al te rn at iv es carr y di ffer en t pu ni sh m en ts ”

or if th e st at ut e it se lf id en ti fie s “ whi ch th in gs m us t be ch arg ed .” Id

. Fi na ll y , if th es e

au th or it at iv e so ur ces fai l to pr ov id e a cl ear an swe r, jud ge s are al l o wed a “ pe ek ” at

“ th e reco rd of th e pr io r co nv ic ti on it se lf.” Id. at 22 56 -5 7 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s

om it te d)

. The Mat hi s Co ur t hypo th es iz ed th at whe re a s p e c i f i c co un t in “ an

in di ct m en t an d co rrel at iv e jury in st ru ct io n[ ] ch a r g e a de fen da nt wit h bu rg li ng a
‘bui ld in g, st ru ct ur e, or ve hi cl e,’” th is wou l d b e “as cl ear an in di cat io n as an y th at

e a c h al te rn at iv e is on ly a po ss ib le m ean s of co m m is si on , no t an el em en t t h a t t h e

pr os ecu to r m

us t p ro ve to a jury bey on d a reas on ab le do ub t.” Id . at 2 25 7.

B. Nor th Dako ta Law

We th eref

or e tu rn to Nor th Dak ot a la w to di sc ern whe th er th e st at ut e o f

co nv i c t i o n i s (1 ) ov eri nc lu si ve an d (2 ) di vi si bl e or in di vi si bl e. At th e ti m e of

Kin ne y ’s con vi ct io n i n 1 99 9, t he bu rg la ry st at ut e at is su e rea d a s fo ll ows :

A pe rs on is gu il ty of bu rg la ry if he wil lfu ll y en te rs or su rre pt it io us ly

rem ai ns in a bu il di ng or oc cu pi ed st ru ct ur e, or a se pa r a t e l y se cu red or

oc cu pi ed po rti on th ereo f, whe n at th e ti m e th e pr em is es are no t op en to th e pu bl ic an d th e act or is no t li cen se d, in vi te d, or ot he rwis e pr iv il eg ed

to e n t e r o r rem ai n as th e cas e m ay be

, wit h in te nt to co m m it a cri m e th erei n.

N .D. Cen t. Co de § 12 .1-2 2- 02 (1 99 9)

. An “ oc cu pi ed st ru ct ur e” is de fin ed a s “a

st ru ct ur e o r ve hi cl e”:

a. W he re an y

pe rs on li ve s o r car rie s o n b us in es s o r ot he r cal li ng ; o r

-4

-b. Whi ch is us ed for ov ern ig ht acco m m od at io n o f pe rs on s.

c. Any su ch st ru ct ur e or ve hi cl e is de em ed to be “ oc cu pi ed ” reg ard le ss of whet he r a p ers on is act ua ll y pre se nt

.

N.D. Cent . Cod e § 12 .1-2 2- 06 (4 ) (1 99 9)

.

Loo ki ng on ly at th is te xt

, th e st at ut e’s ov erb read th is ap pa ren t. By in cl ud in g
bo th st ru ct ur es an d ve hi cl es wit hi n it s reac h, th e st a tu te cri m in al iz es m or e co nd uc t

th an th e g en eri c v ers io n o f th e o ffen se . See Sh ep ard v. Uni te d St at es , 5 44 U.S. 1 3,

15 -1 6 (2 00 5) (“ The A[CCA] m ak es bu rg la ry a vi ol en t fel on y on ly if co m m it te d in a
bu il di ng or en cl os ed sp ace (‘gen eri c bu rg la ry ’), no t in a bo at or m ot or ve hi cl e.”). The

go ve rn m en t arg ue s ag ai ns t th is co nc lu si on by as se rti ng th at Nor th Dak ot a’s de ci si on

to li m it th e st at ut e on ly to v e hi cl es us ed fo r li vi ng or bu si ne ss pu rp os es br in gs th e

st at ut e in li ne wit h th e ge ne ric of fen se

. W e di sa gr ee. In Uni te d St at es v. Sim s, 85 4

F.3 d 10 37 (8 th Ci r. 20 17 ), we de al t wit h bu rg la ry un de r Ark a n s a s la w, an d th e

Ark an sa s st at ut e—l ik e th e Nor th Dak ot a st at ut e at is su e he re— ap pl ie d to ve hi cl es

“ ‘[i]n whi ch an y pe rs on li ve s’ or ‘[t]hat [a r e ] c u s to m ari ly us ed fo r ov ern ig ht

acco m m o d a t i o n.’” Id

. at 10 40 (al te rat io ns in or ig in al ) (q uo ti ng Ark

. Co de Ann

. § 5

- 3 9

- 1 01 (4 )(A)). As in th is cas e, th e go ve rn m en t as se rte d in Si m s th at t h i s

li mi t a t i o n s av ed th e st at ut e. Id

. Bu t we reject ed th is co nt en ti on , ad op ti ng th e

co nc lu si on reac he d in Uni te d St at es v. Lam b, 8 4 7 F

. 3 d 92 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 17 ), th at

“ ‘[w] it ho ut qu es ti on , [th e st at ut e], vi ewed as a who le

, en co m pa ss es a br oa de r ran ge

of co nd uc t th an ge ne ric bu rg la ry as de fin ed in Tay lo r, su ch as bu rg la ry of

. . . m ot or
ho m es .’ ” Si m s, 8 54 F.3 d at 10 40 (fi rs t, se co nd

, an d fo ur th al te rat io ns in or ig in al )
(q uo ti ng Lam

b, 84 7 F.3d at 93 1)

. Acco rd in gl y , co nv ic ti on s un de r N.D. Cen t. Co de
§ 12 .1-2 2- 02 (1 99 9) can no t cat eg or ic al ly qu al ify as vi ol en t fel on ie s un de r th e ACCA.

Thi s ap pe al th eref

or e tu rn s on whe th er th e st at ut e is di vi si bl e. Sp eci fic al ly, we

m us t ad dr es s whe th er th e ph ras e “ bu il di ng or oc cu pi ed st ru ct ur e” de no te s two fact ua l

m ean s o f c o mm i t ti ng th e si ng le of fen se of bu rg la ry or whe th er th e al te rn at iv e

-5

-lo cat io ns are el em en ts un de r Nor th Dak ot a la w. Kin ne y arg ue s th at th e st ru ct ur e of

th e st at ut e, Nor th Dak o t a ju ry in st ru ct io ns , an d av ai la bl e ch arg in g do cu m en ts al l

sh ow th at th e al te rn at iv e te rm s are m ean s. In res po ns e, th e go ve rn m en t po in ts to th e
di sju nc ti ve ph ras in g o f th e st at ut e, co nt en di ng th is is de ci si ve

. 1

Nor th Dak ot a la w—o ur fir st st op in an swe rin g th is m ean s/ el em en ts

in qu iry—pr ov id es no cl ear gu id an ce. See Mat hi s, 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 56

. Neit he r pa rty

di rect s th e co ur t to co nt ro ll in g or pe rs ua si ve st at e co ur t pr eced en t, an d we ha ve fo un d

no ne on ou r own

. The la ng ua ge of th e st at ut e li ke wis e do es li tt le to gu id e us

. The

al te rn at iv es do no t “ carr y di ffer en t pu ni sh m en ts ,” whi ch m ay in di cat e th at th e te rm s

are m ean s, b ut th e st at ut e d oe s n ot id en ti fy “ whi ch th in gs m

us t b e ch arg ed .” Id

.

Bec au se th es e au th or it at iv e so ur ces fai l to pr ov id e an an swe r, we are al lo wed

a “ pe ek ” at “ th e reco rd of th e pr io r co nv ic ti on it se lf

. . . fo r th e so le an d li m it ed

pu rp os e of de te rm in in g whe th er [th e li st ed it em s are] el em en t[s ] of th e of fen se .” Id

.
at 2 2 5 6 -5 7 (s eco nd an d th ird al te rat io ns in or ig in al ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s

om it te d)

. W e ha ve in ou r reco rd in di ct m en ts fro m two of Kin ne y ’s pr io r co nv ic ti on s,

an d e a c h ch arg es Kin ne y wit h bu rg li ng “ a bu il di ng or oc cu pi ed st ru ct ur e.” The

in di ct m en ts “ th us rei te rat [e] al l th e te rm s of [No rth Dak ot a’s] la w,” an d “ [t]ha t is as

c l e a r an in di cat io n as an y th at each al te rn at iv e is on ly a po ss ib le m ean s o f

co m m is si on , no t an e l e men t th at th e pr os ecu to r m us t pr ov e to a jury be y on d a

reas on ab le do ub t.” Id

. at 22 57

. Giv en th at th e al te rn at iv es are m ean s, the st at ut e is

in di vi si b le

. Bec au se th e st at ut e is bo th ov erb ro ad an d in di vi si bl e, Kin ne y ’s pr io r

co nv ic ti on s ca nn ot ser ve as p red ic at e fel on ie s u nd er t he ACCA.

C o n t rary to th e go ve rn m en t’s po si ti on , th e en ba nc co ur t rece nt ly rei te r a t e d 1

th at di sju nc ti v e ph ras in g m erel y tri gg ers th e in qu iry in to whe th er th e al te rn at iv el y ph ras ed it em s are m ean s or el em en ts

. See Uni te d St at es v. Nay lo r, No. 16 -2 04 7, sl ip

op . at 3 (8t h C ir. Ap ril 5, 2 01 8)

.

-6

-II. Co nc lu si on

Fo r th e rea so ns ab ov e, we rev ers e an d re m an d fo r res en te nc in g.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

-7

-