## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T

__ __ __ __ __ _

No. 1 0- 18 86

__ __ __ __ __ _

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

*
Pl ai nt iff - App el la nt

, * App eal fro m th e Uni te d S ta te s

* Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn

v. * Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

*

Ja m es E. Boyce, *

*
Defen da nt - App el le e. *

__ __ __ __ __ _

Su bm it te d: Jan ua ry

13 , 20 11
Fi le d: Feb ru ary 28 , 20 11

__ __ __ __ __ _

Befo re MUR PHY, HANSEN, an d M ELLOY, Cir cu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ _

MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Ja m es Bo y ce pl ed gu il ty to be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm in vi ol at io n

of 18 U.S.C. § 92 2( g)

. The di st ric t co ur t de cl in ed to en ha nc e Bo y ce's se nt en ce un de r

th e Arm ed Care er Cri m in al Act (ACCA), 1 8 U.S.C. § 92 4( e), aft er co nc lu di ng th at

hi s p r i o r co nv ic ti on fo r po ss es si on of a weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty di d no t

qu al ify as a vi ol en t fe lo ny. Bo y ce was sen te nc ed to 37 m on th s im pr is on m en t. The

go ve rn m en t ap pe al s th e co ur t's de ci si on no t to se nt en ce Bo y ce un de r th e ACCA. W e

rev ers e an d re m an d fo r res en te nc in g.In Ja nu ary 20 09

, Bo y ce pl ed gu il ty to po ss es si ng a fir earm as a co nv ic te d fel on ,

in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 92 2( g)

. The pr es en te nc e in ve st i ga ti on rep or t (PSR )

pr ep ared pr io r to Bo y ce's se nt en ci n g i n d i c at ed th at he ha d th ree pr io r fel on y

co nv ic ti on s. The ACCA im po se s a m an da to ry m in im um f i f te en y ear se nt en ce if a
de fen da nt ha s "t hr ee pr ev io us co nv ic ti on s by an y co ur t

. . . fo r a vi ol en t fel on y ." 18

U.S.C. § 92 4( e)(1 ). The re is no di sp ut e th at two of Bo y ce's pr io r co nv ic ti on s, a 19 81

co nv ic ti on fo r m an sl au gh te r an d a 19 90 co nv ic ti on fo r bu rg la ry , ki dn ap in g, an d rap e,

qu al ify as v io le nt fel on ie s u nd er t he ACCA.

The is su e he re is whe th er Bo y ce's 19 86 Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on fo r po ss es si on of

a weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci l i ty is a vi ol en t fel on y

. W hi le in carc erat ed in th e

Mi ss ou ri St at e Pen it en ti ary, Bo y ce was co nv ic te d of po ss es si ng a ho m em ad e weap on
whi ch res em

bl ed an ic e pi ck an d was ov er ei gh t in ch es lo ng

. Th e w e a p o n w a s
di sc ov ered by pr is on of

fic ers wrap pe d in a ba nd ag e on Bo y ce's arm

. The PSR di d no t

ch arac te riz e th is co nv ic ti on a s a vi ol en t fel on y or reco m m en d th at Bo y ce be

se nt en ced as an arm ed care er cri m in al

. The go ve rn m en t ob jecte d to th e PSR, arg ui ng

th at a co nv ic t io n fo r po ss es si on of a weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty is a vi ol en t

fel on y an d th at Bo y ce th eref or e h a d t h ree vi ol en t fel on y co nv ic ti on s an d sh ou ld

rece iv e th e ACCA m an da to ry m in im um sen te nc e.

The di st ric t co ur t he ld an in it ia l se nt en ci ng he ari ng in Nov em be r 20 09

, du rin g
whi ch it he ard te st im on y fro m th e go ve rn m en t's ex pe rt wit ne ss , Don al d P. Ro pe r,

Su p e r i n t e nd en t of th e Po to si Co rrec ti on al Cen te r of th e Mi ss ou ri Dep art m en t of

Co rrec ti on s. Ro pe r te st ifi ed ab ou t h i s ex pe rie nc e in in ve st ig at in g an d di sc ip li ni ng

in m at e weap on s v io la ti on s an d t he da ng er th ey po se d wit hi n th e pr is on syste m

. At

the co nc lu si on of th e he ari ng , th e co ur t res erv ed ru li ng on whe th er Bo y ce's co nv ic tio n

qu al ifi ed as a vi ol en t fe lo ny un de r th e ACCA.

At a se co nd se nt en ci ng he ari ng in Mar ch 20 10

, th e di st ric t co ur t co nc lu de d th at

un de r Jo hn so n v. Uni te d St at es , 1 3 0 S. Ct . 1 26 5 (2 01 0) , p os se ss io n of a weap on in

-2

-a co rrec ti on al faci li ty is no t a vi ol en t fel on y fo r p u rp os es of th e ACCA. The co ur t

ov erru le d th e go ve rn m en t's ob jec t i o n an d se nt en ced Bo y ce to 37 m on th s

im pr is on m en t. The on ly is su e on ap pe al is whe th er Bo y ce's co nv ic ti on fo r po ss es si on

of a weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty is a vi ol en t fel on y un de r th e ACCA. W e rev ie w
de no vo whe th er a de fen da nt 's pr io r co nv ic ti on qu al ifi es as a vi ol en t fel on y

. Uni te d

St at es v. Bo az, 5 58 F.3d 80 0, 8 06 (8t h C ir. 2 00 9)

.

The ACCA m an da te s a fif te en y ear st at ut or y m in im um se nt en ce fo r an y
de fen da nt who is co nv ic te d o f be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm an d a ls o h as

th ree pr ev io us vi ol en t fel on y co nv ic ti on s. 18 U.S.C. § 92 4( e)(1 ). The st at ut e de fin es

a vi ol en t fel on y as a cri m e pu ni sh ab le by a te rm of im pr is on m en t ex ceed in g on e y ear

th at ei th er "(i ) ha s as an el em en t th e us e, at te m pt ed us e, or th reat en ed us e of ph y si cal

fo rce ag ai ns t th e pe rs on of an ot he r; or (ii ) is bu rg la ry , ars on , ex to rti on , in vo lv es us e

of ex pl os iv es or o th erwi se in vo lv es co nd uc t th at pr es en ts a se rio us po te nt ia l ris k of
ph y si cal in

jury to an ot he r." 1 8 U.S.C. § 92 4( e)(2 )(B)

.

Bo y ce was co nv ic te d in Mi ss ou ri st at e co ur t of po ss es si ng a weap on in a

co rrec ti on al faci li ty, in vi ol at io n of Mi ss ou ri Rev is ed St at ut e 21 7

. 3 60 .1(4 ), whi ch

m a k e s it a cri m e fo r an in m at e "k no win gl y

. . .[to ] ha ve in hi s po ss es si on

. . . in or

a b ou t th e pr em is es of an y di vi si on co rrec ti on al in st it ut io n

. . . [a]ny gu n, k n i f e ,
weap on , or o t h e r a r t ic le or it em of pe rs on al pr op ert y th at m ay be us ed in su ch a

m an ne r as to en da ng er th e li fe or li m b of an y in m at e or em

pl oyee th ereo f." Mo

. Rev

. St at . 21 7.3 60 .1(4 ).

Rel y in g on th e Su pr em e C o ur t's de ci si on in Jo hn so n, th e di st ric t co ur t

co nc lu de d th at Bo y ce's Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on di d no t qu al ify as a vi ol en t fel on y un de r

th e ACCA be cau se it la ck ed a req ui rem en t of act iv e, ph y si cal fo rce. In Jo hn so n, th e

Su pr em e Co ur t deci de d th at in or de r to qu al ify as a vi ol en t fe lo ny un de r su bs ect io n (i) of § 92 4( e)(2 )(B)

, a cri m e m us t ha v e as an el em en t th e us e of vi ol en t, ph y si cal

fo rce "ca pa bl e of cau si ng ph y si cal pa in or in jury to a n o t h e r p e rs on ." 13 0 S. Ct

. at

-3

-12 71

. The go ve rn m en t ha s no t arg ue d th at su bs ect io n (i ) of § 92 4( e)(2 )(B) ap pl ie s

to Bo y ce's Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on , h owe ve r. The arg um en t it ha s re li ed on be fo re th e
di st ric t co ur t an d on ap pe al is th at th e co nv ic ti on qu al ifi es as a vi ol en t felo ny un de r

th e res id ua l cl au se of § 92 4( e)(2 )(B) (ii ), whi ch ap pl ie s to cri m es in vo lv in g "co nd uc t

th at pre se nt s a s eri ou s p ot en ti al ris k of ph y si cal in jury to an ot he r." In Jo hn so n, t he

Su pr em e Co ur t ex pl ic it ly st at ed th at it was no t in te rp ret in g th e res id ua l cl au se of §

92 4( e)(2 )(B) (ii ), si nc e th at pr ov is io n wa s n o t r a i s e d i n th e cas e. Id

. at 12 72

. W e

th eref or e c o n c l u d e th at th e co ur t erre d by ov erl oo ki ng th e di st in ct io n be twee n

su bs ect io ns (i) an d (i i) o f § 9 24 (e)( 2) (B).

The ap pr op ria te two pa rt te s t f or de te rm in in g whe th er a de fen da nt 's pr io r

c o n v i c t io n qu al ifi es as a vi ol en t fel on y un de r th e ACCA's res id ua l cl au se i n

su bs ect io n (ii ) was se t ou t in Beg ay v. Uni t e d S t a t e s , 55 3 U.S. 13 7 (2 00 8)

, an d

Ch am be rs v. Uni te d St at es , 55 5 U.S. 12 2 (2 00 9)

. To qu al ify as a vi ol en t fel on y un de r

th e res id ua l cl au se , th e de fen da nt 's pr io r co nv ic ti o n m us t (1 ) "p res en t[] a se rio us

po te nt ia l ris k of ph y si cal in jury to an ot he r, an d ( 2 ) b e "ro ug hl y si m il ar, in ki nd as
well as de gr ee of ris k po se d," to th e of fen se s li st ed in § 92 4( e)(2 )(B) (ii ). Beg ay , 55 3

U.S. at 1 43

.

As to th e fir st pa rt of th e te st

, w e c o n c l u d e th at po ss es si on of a weap on in a

co rrec ti on al faci li ty do es pr es en t a se rio us po te nt ia l ris k of ph y si cal in jury to an ot he r.

As in te rp ret ed by th e Mi ss ou ri Co ur t of A p pe al s, Mo

. Rev

. St at

. 21 7.3 60 .1(4 ), th e

st at ut e un de r whi ch Bo y ce was co nv ic te d, ap pl ie s on ly to th e po ss es si on of in he ren tl y
d a n g e r ou s weap on s su ch as gu ns or kn iv es

. St at e v. W il li am , 10 0 S.W .3d 82 8

, 83 3– 34 (Mo

. Ct

. App

. 20 03 ). The re is no la wfu l pu rp os e fo r an in m at e to po ss es s an

in he ren tl y da ng ero us weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty, se e Uni te d Stat es v. Zuni ga , 55 3 F.3 d 13 30

, 13 34 (1 0t h Ci r. 20 09 ), an d we ha ve pr ev io us l y reco gn iz ed th at "[p ]oss e ss io n of a da ng ero us weap on th at ha s no la wfu l pu rp os e crea te s a se rio us

po te nt ia l ri sk of p hysic al in jury to o th ers ." Uni te d Stat es v. Vinc en t, 57 5 F.3d 82 0,

82 5 (8 th Cir . 20 09 ) (i nv ol vi ng po ss es si on of a sawe d o ff s ho tg un ).

-4

-The ne xt is su e is whe th er p os se ss io n o f a weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty i s

ro ug hl y si m il ar, in ki nd as well as d e g r e e o f ris k po se d, to th e of fen se s li st ed in §

92 4( e). The se of

fen se s in cl ud e bu rg la ry , ars on , ex to rti on , an d th e us e of ex pl os iv es

. A de fen da nt 's pr i o r c o n v i c t i on is si m il ar in ki nd to th e li st ed cri m es if it typic al ly

in vo lv es "p ur

po se fu l, vi ol en t, an d ag gr es si ve co nd uc t." Beg ay , 55 3 U.S. at 14 4– 46

. Our in qu iry is th us whe th er Bo y ce's co nv ic ti on fo r po ss es si o n o f an in he ren tl y
da ng ero us weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty is a cri m e th at typic al ly in vo l v e s

pu rp os efu l, v io le nt , and ag gr es si ve co nd uc t.

The cir cu it co ur ts whi ch ha ve co ns id ered whet he r po ss es si on of a weap on in

pr is on qu al ifi es as a vi ol en t felo ny aft er Bega y ha ve reac he d di ffer en t co nc lu si on s.
The Thi rd Ci rcu it

, in Uni te d St at es v. Po lk

, 57 7 F.3 d 51 5 (3 d Ci r. 20 09 ), de ci de d th at

al th ou gh po ss es si on of a weap on in pr is on do es po se a se rio us po te nt ia l ris k of
ph y si cal in

jury, it is a pa ss iv e cri m e cen te rin g aro un d m ere po ss es si on an d do es no t

in vo lv e p u r p o s e f

u l, vi ol en t, an d ag gr es si ve co nd uc t. Id

. at 51 9. The Fi fth an d th e

Ten th Ci rcu it s ha ve reac he d th e op p o si te co nc lu si on , reas on in g th at a pr is on er's

po ss es si on of a d a n g e r ou s weap on is an act iv e, pu rp os efu l act as so ci at ed wit h a

li ke li ho od of fu tu re vi ol en t co nf ro nt at io n. Uni te d St at es v. Mar qu ez, 62 6 F.3 d 21 4,

22 1 (5 th Cir . 20 10 ); Zu ni ga , 55 3 F .3d at 1 33 5– 36

.

Alt ho ug h Bo y ce ur ge s us to fo ll ow th e reas on in g of th e Thi rd Ci rcu it

, we ha ve

ex pl ic it ly ap pr ov ed th e ap pr oa ch ta ke n by th e Ten th Ci rcu it in de ci di ng whe th er

po ss es si on of a weap on in pr is on is a vi ol en t fel on y un de r th e ACCA's res id ua l

cl au se

. See Vin cen t, 57 5 F.3 d at 82 7. W e co nt in ue to be li ev e th at th e be tt er reas on ed

ap pr oa ch to th e is su e is th e on e ta ke n by th e Fi fth an d Ten th Ci rcu it s. Po ss es si on of

a da ng ero u s w eap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty i nv ol ve s pu rp os efu l co nd uc t. Unl ik e

th e st ric t li ab il it y cri m e of dr iv in g un de r th e in flu en ce at is su e in Beg ay , a co nv ic ti on

un de r t h e M i s s o u ri st at ut e req ui res pr oo f of m en s rea, Vin cen t, 57 5 F.3 d at 82 5,

sp eci fic al ly kno win g po ss es si on

. St at e v. Will ia m s, 7 40 S.W .2d 34 5, 3 48 (Mo . Ct.
App . 19 87 ).

-5

-Bo y ce's of fen se was al so bo th vi ol en t an d ag gr es si ve be cau se it "cr eat e[d ] th e

po ss ib il it y

–e ve n th e li ke li ho od –o f a fu tu re vi ol en t co nf ro nt at io n." Vin cen t, 57 5 F.3 d

at 82 7 (qu ot in g Zun ig a, 55 3 F.3d at 13 35 ). As we re co gn iz ed in Vin cen t i n re sp ect

to th e cri m e of po ss es si on of a sa wed of f sh ot gu n, po ss es si on of a da ng ero us weap on

in pr is on is si m il ar to th e li st ed cri m es in th at it "i s il le ga l pr eci se ly be cau se it en ab le s
vi ol en ce or th e th reat of vi ol en ce." Id

. at 82 5. W he n a pr is on er carr ie s a da ng ero us

weap on , th at be ha vi or in di cat es th at he is "p rep ared to us e vi ol en ce if ne ces sa ry " an d

is read y "t o ent er int o con fli ct

, whi ch in tu rn crea te s a da ng er for tho se su rro un di ng

th e arm ed pri so ne r." Zun ig a, 55 3 F .3d 13 35 –3 6.

Po ss es si on of a da ng ero us weap on in a co rrec ti on al faci li ty is pu rp os efu l,

vi ol en t, an d ag gr es si ve , an d is th eref or e si m il ar, in ki nd as well as de gr ee of ris k

po s e d

, t o th e of

fen se s li st ed in § 92 4( e). Bo y ce's Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on is a vi ol en t

fel on y un de r th e res id ua l cl au se of th e ACCA. As h i s th ird vi ol en t fel on y , he is

su bjec t to se nt en ci ng as an arm ed care er cri m in al

. Acco rd in gl y , we re v ers e an d

rem an d fo r res en te nc in g u nd er t he ACCA.

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

-6

-