# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls
For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 6- 35 45

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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.

Cu rti s J . Cot to n

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 Ne br as ka - Lin co ln

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Su bm it te d: May 12, 2 01 7 Fil ed : J ul y

6, 2 01 7

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Befo re RI LEY, BEAM, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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SHEPHERD, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

W hi le on su pe rv is ed rel eas e fo ll owi ng a pr is on te rm fo r hi s 20 09 ba nk ro bb ery

co nv ic ti on , Cu rti s Co tt on was fo un d to ha ve vi ol at ed th e te rm s of hi s su pe rv is io n by

co m m it ti ng as sa ul t, in vi ol at io n of Io wa Co de se ct io n 70 8.1 (2 )(c)

. The di st ric t co ur t 1

The Hon or ab le Jo hn M. Gerra rd

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct 1
of Nebr as ka

.rev ok ed Co tt on ’s su pe rv is io n an d se nt en ced hi m to twen ty-fou r m on th s in pr is on

.

Co tt on ch al le ng es th e su ffi ci en cy of th e go ve rn m en t’s ev id en ce. Hav in g juri sd ic ti on

un de r 28 U.S.C. § 1 29 1, we af fir m

.

I. Ba ck gr ou nd

Co tt on was se nt en ced to si xt y m on th s im pr is on m en t an d th re e y ea

rs su pe rv is ed

rel eas e aft er pl ead in g gu il ty to ba nk ro bb ery in 20 09

. He b e g a n hi s su pe rv is ed

rel eas e on Sep te m

be r 16

, 20 15

. Rel ev an t to th e pr es en t cas e, th e su pe rv is ed rel eas e in cl ud ed th e fo ll owi ng te rm s: (1 ) “ The de fen da nt sh al l no t co m m it an ot he r fed eral

, st at e or lo cal cri m e”; an d (2 ) “ The de fen da nt sh al l no t po ss es s a fir earm , de st ru ct iv e de vi ce, or an y ot he r da ng ero us weap on .” On Nov em be r 10

, 20 15

, Co tt on ’s pr ob at io n of fic er fil ed a pe ti ti on al le gi ng th at Co tt on vi ol at ed th es e two m an da to ry co nd it io ns

.

Aro un d 1: 55 a.m

. on Octo be r 26

, 2 0 1 5, Ry an St or ey ex it ed th e Hor se sh oe
Cas in o in Co un ci l Bl uf

fs

, Io wa, wit h ap pr ox im at el y $8 00 0 in ba ccar at win ni ng s. As

St or ey ret rie ve d hi s ov ern ig ht lu gg ag e fro m hi s tru ck in a ho te l pa rk in g lo t ad jacen t

to th e cas in o, an arm ed as sa il an t ran to ward St or ey sh ou ti ng “ ho ld up ,” co m in g wit hi n fiv e to te n feet of St or ey an d po in ti ng a la rg e si lv er ha nd gu n at hi m

. St or ey jum pe d

ba ck

, sh ou te d lo ud ly, an d ran in to th e ho te l of fic e. The as sa il an t ran in th e op po si te
di rect io n. Th e en co un te r la st ed 10 to 15 sec on ds

.

St o r e y i d e n t i f

ie d Co tt on as th e as sa il an t. Co tt on ad m it te d th at he was at th e
Hor se sh oe Cas in o th at ni gh t an d th at he m ad e co nt act wit h St or ey whi le in th e cas in o.
St or ey te st ifi ed th at whi le he pl ay ed ba ccar at wit h sev eral th ou sa nd do ll ars in ch ip s in pu bl ic vi ew, Co tt on li ng ered be hi nd hi m an d hu ng aro un d as ki ng qu es ti on s. St or ey

t e st ifi ed th at Co tt on st oo d ou t to hi m be cau se he was jus t “ m os ey in g a r o u n d t h e

cas in o,” was li ng eri ng be hi nd hi m , an d was no t ga m bl in g. St or ey rem em

be red

co nv ers in g wi th Co tt on at t he cas in o.

-2

-Cas in o su rv ei ll an ce vi de o sh ows th at Co tt on ex it ed t h e c a s i n o wit h Bro ns on

Bi rd ow th ro ug h th e sa m e do or as St or ey ab ou t 20 se co nd s ah ead of hi m an d go t in to

a bl ack Ch ev ro l e t A v a l an ch e pi ck up tru ck wait in g jus t ou ts id e th e cas in o do or s dr iv en by a th ird un id en ti fie d in di vi du al

. St or ey walk ed pa st th e tru ck carr y in g a pi zza as he ex it ed th e cas in o. Cas in o pa rk in g lo t vi de o sh ows th at th e bl ack tru ck

co nt ai ni ng Co tt on fol lo wed Sto rey at a di st an ce with it s lig ht s off as St or ey walk ed

to hi s ve hi cl e. The sa m e bl ack tru ck is se en on th e vi de o fo ll owi ng St or ey ’s ve hi cl e le av in g t he cas in o par ki ng lo t. Stor ey m ad e th e v ery sh or t d riv e to th e Co un try Inn

an d Su it es ad

jacen t to th e cas in o. Th e “ ho ld up ” in ci de nt oc cu rred aft er St or ey ch eck ed in at th e ho te l de sk an d ret ur ne d to hi s ve hi cl e in th e ho te l pa rk in g lo t to

ret rie ve hi s o ve rn ig ht lu gg ag e.

St or ey te st ifi ed th at he reco gn iz ed Co tt on as th e as sa il an t be cau se of hi s ey es ,

vo ic e, sh or t s ta tu re, gai t, and cl ot he s— whi ch he rem em be red fro m

th ei r in te ract io n

an d hi s ob se rv at io ns of Co tt on earl ie r at th e cas in o. Co tt o n cl ai m s th at he wen t

st rai gh t h om e fro m

th e cas in o, b ut cal le d n o wi tn es se s t o s up po rt t ha t as se rti on

.

The di st ric t co ur t fo un d “ by th e gr ea t e r w e i g h t of th e ev id en ce” th at Co tt on

po in te d a ha nd gu n at St or ey in th e pa rk in g lo t th at ni gh t, co m m it ti n g a ss au lt in

vi ol at io n of Io wa st at e la w. The di st ric t co ur t, th eref or e, fo un d Co tt on gu il ty of bo th

vi ol at io ns si nc e he br ok e an Io wa la w an d po ss es se d a fi r e a r m. Th e di st ric t co ur t

se nt en ced Co tt on to twen ty-fou r m on th s im pr is on m en t fo ll owe d by an ad dit ion al y ear of su pe rv is ed rel eas e.

Co tt on ap pe al s th e di st ric t co ur t’s rev oc at io n of hi s su pe rv is ed rel eas e an d it s fin di ng th at he vi ol at ed th e te rm s an d co nd it io ns of hi s su pe rv is ed rel eas e, bu t no t th e

se nt en ce i m

po se d.

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-II . Anal ys is

“ W e rev ie w fo r cl ear erro r th e di st ric t co ur t’s fact ua l fin di ng s as to whe th er a vi ol at io n oc cu rred .” Uni te d St at es v. Ral ph

, 48 0 F.3 d 88 8, 89 0 ( 8 t h C i r

. 20 07 ).

“ Cl ear erro r ex is ts whe re, vi ewin g th e reco rd as a who le

, we are le ft wit h th e de fin it e

an d fir m co nv ic ti on th at a m is ta ke ha s be en co m m it te d.” Uni te d St at es v. Fi nl ey , 61 2

F.3 d 9 98 , 10 02 (8t h C ir. 2 01 0) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

Io wa Co de se ct io n 7 0 8

. 1 ( 2 ) (c) sa y s, “ A pe rs on co m m it s an as sa ul t whe n, wit ho ut jus ti fic at io n, th e pe rs on

. . . [i]nt en ti on al ly po in ts an y fir earm to ward an ot he r,

or di sp la y s i n a th reat en in g m an ne r an y da ng ero us weap on to ward an ot he r.”

Here, th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d th at “ Cu rti s Co tt on ap pr oa ch ed Ry an St or ey

. . . [an d] po in te d a ha nd gu n at him in th e pa rk in g lo t,” com m it ti ng “ as sa ul t un de r Io wa
Co de § 7 08 .1(2 )(c) .”

W e do no t fin d cl ear erro r in th e di st ric t co ur t’s fact ua l fin di ng s be cau se th ere is am pl e ev id en ce t o s up po rt t he se fin di ng s. Sp eci fic al ly, th is ev id en ce i nc lu de d:

(1 ) St or ey ’s te st im on y th at Co tt on was pr es en t at th e cas in o, “ m os ey in g

aro un d” wit ho ut ga m

bl in g, an d li ng eri ng aro un d an d be hi nd St or ey as St or ey ga m

bl ed at th e ba ccar a t t a bl e wit h se ve ral th ou sa nd do ll ars of

cas in o ch ip s vi si bl e, gi vi ng Co tt on a m ot iv e to la te r ap pr oa ch St or ey in th e h ot el pa rk in g l ot wit h a gu n;

(2 ) St or ey ’s te st im on y , su pp or te d by vi de o, sh owi ng th at he ha d am pl e op po rtu ni ty to ob se rv e Co tt on an d to lat er i de nt ify him ba se d u po n hi s si ze, cl ot hi ng , ey es , vo ic e, an d o th er p hysic al ch arac te ris ti cs ;

(3 ) Cas in o vi de o co nf

irming th at Co tt on ex i t e d th e cas in o al m os t si m ul ta ne ou sl y wit h St or ey an d t h a t h e go t in to a bl ack tru ck th at
st eal th il y fo ll owe d St or ey as he walk ed to h i s v e h ic le in th e cas in o

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-pa rk in g lo t, an d th e sa me b l a c k tru ck fo ll owe d St or ey ’s ve hi cl e whi le

ex it in g t he pa rk in g l ot ;

(4 ) St or ey ’s id en ti fic at io n of Co tt on as th e as sa il an t wit h “ ni ne t y- f i v e pe rcen t cert ai n[ ty] ,” ba se d u p o n th e ch arac te ris ti cs he ob se rv ed in th e

cas in o in cl ud in g Co tt on ’s ey es , cl ot hi ng , si ze, vo ic e, an d ot he r feat ur es ;

(5 ) Park in g lo t vi de o cor ro bo rat in g Sto rey’ s tes ti m on y ab ou t th e “ ho ld

up ” reg ard in g th e na tu re of th e at ta ck in cl ud in g ap pr oa ch an d ret reat of th e at ta ck er an d t he du rat io n o f th e at ta ck ; an d

(6 ) St or ey ’s te st im on y th at Co tt on po in te d a gu n at hi m du rin g th e “ ho ld

up ” en co un te r sa y in g th e gu n was “ st ari ng hi m in th e ch es t” an d th at he fear ed for hi s l ife

.

Bo ls te rin g t he ab ov e ev id en ce i s t he fact th at th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d St or ey to be a

“ ve ry cr ed ibl e w itn es s thr ough out th e en ti re pr oc eed in gs ,” an d St or ey was ex te ns iv el y

cro ss -ex am in ed by Co tt on ’s co un se l. Cred ib il it y de te rm in at io ns by th e di st ric t co ur t
ba se d on te s t i m on y at su pe rv is ed rel eas e rev oc at io n he ari ng s “ are vi rtu al ly

un rev ie wab le on ap pe al .” Ral ph

, 48 0 F.3 d at 89 0 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

.

In ad di ti on , Co tt on di d no t di sp ut e an y of St or ey ’s te st im on y ot he r th an th at

na m in g hi m as th e as sa il an t, an d Co tt on pr ov id ed no ev id en ce t o s u p p o r t hi s cl ai m th at he wen t st rai gh t ho m e fro m th e cas in o, in sp it e of th e fact th at he go t in to a tru ck

wit h two ot he r po te nt ia l wit ne ss es who co ul d ha ve be en cal l e d to co rro bo rat e hi s

st or y

. The refo re, ba se d up on th e ev id en ce ab ov e, we fin d no cl ear erro r in th e di st ric t

co ur t’s fin di ng th at Co tt on in te nt io na ll y po in te d a gu n at St or ey in th e ho te l pa rk in g lo t.

Nex t, th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d th at Co tt on vi ol at ed two te rm s of hi s su pe rv is ed

rel eas e in po in ti ng a gu n at St or ey

. Fi rs t, th e di s t r i c t co ur t fo un d th at Co tt on

co m m it te d a cri m e in vi ol at io n o f Io wa Co de sec ti on 70 8.1 (2 )(c) vi ol at in g t he ter m of hi s rele as e st at in g, “ The de fen da nt sh al l no t com m it an ot he r

. . . sta te

. . . cri m e.”

-5

-Io wa Co de se ct io n 70 8.1 (2 )(c) cl earl y de fin es “ as sa ul t” as in cl ud in g “ [i]nt en ti on al ly

po in t[i ng ] an y fir earm to ward an ot he r.” Bas ed up on th e di st ric t co ur t’s fact ua l

fin di ng ab ov e, th e di st ric t co ur t ne ces sa ril y fo un d th at Co tt on co m m it te d t h e s t a t e cri m e of as sa ul t an d th eref or e vi ol at ed a te rm of hi s su pe rv is io n. Seco nd

, in fin di ng th at Co tt on po in te d a gu n at St or ey , th e di st ric t co ur t ha d to fin d th at Co tt on vi ol at ed

th e te rm of h is su pe rv is io n t ha t s ta te d, “ The de fen da nt sh al l no t po ss es s a f ire arm ,”

si nc e Co tt on ob vi ou sl y

po ss es se d t he fir earm

he was b ran di sh in g.

II I. Co ncl us io n

Fo r th e reas on s st at ed ab ov e, we fin d th at th e di st ric t cou rt di d no t cl earl y err in it s fact ua l de te rm in at io n th at Co tt o n c o m m it te d an Io wa cri m e in th e pa rk in g lo t
of a ho te l by po in ti ng a gu n at ano th er the reb y vi ol at in g th e te rm s of his su pe rv is ed

rel eas e.

Affi rm ed

.

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