## 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

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No. 0 9- 34 33

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

* App el le e, *

* App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e
* W es te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s. Noe l An dr ew Ja ck so n, *

* [UNPUBLISHED] App el la nt

. *

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Su bm it te d: Feb ru ary 14 , 20 11 Fi le d: Ju ly 18, 2 01 1

__ __ __ __ __ _ Befo re SM ITH, GRUENDE R, an d B ENTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.

Noe l And rew Ja ck so n pl ead ed gu il ty to two co un ts of ba nk ro bb ery, in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 21 13 (a) an d (d )
, a nd on e co un t of br an di sh in g a fir earm du rin g a cri m e of vi ol en ce, in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 92 4( c)(1 )(A)(i i). The dis tri ct

co ur t se nt en ced hi m

to 42 0 m on th s' im

pr is on m en t. On ap pe al , J ack so n arg ue s th at 1
th e di st ric t co ur t p ro ced ur al ly erred at se nt en ci ng by d en y in g hi s req ue st fo r a two

le ve l red uc ti on fo r acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y , pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 3E1 .1(a ), an d de cl in in g to de pa rt fro m th e care er-o ffen de r Gui de li ne , U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.1

. W e affi rm

.

The Hon or ab le Ji m

m Larry Hen dr en , Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es D ist ri ct Cour t 1 fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.I. Bac kg ro un d

On Feb ru ary 25
, 20 09
, a g ran d jury in di ct ed Ja ck so n on two co un ts of ba nk

ro bb ery, two co un ts of br an di sh in g a fir earm du rin g a c r i me of vi ol en ce, an d two

co un ts of be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm

. Ja ck so n pa rti ci pa te d in th e arm ed

ro bb eri es of th e Fi rs t Fede ral Ban k in Ro ge rs , Ark an sa s, in Decem be r 20 08 an d th e Arv es t Ba nk in Sp rin gd al e, Ark an sa s, i n J an ua ry 20 09

.

Ja ck so n i ni ti al ly ple ad ed no t g ui lt y to all si x c ha rg es in th e in di ct m en t, and a tri al was sc he du le d t o b eg in on May 19
, 20 09

. On May 19
, be fo re th e st art of

pr oc e e d i n g s , Ja ck so n en te red in to a pl ea ag reem en t wit h th e go ve rn m en t. Ja ck so n pl ead ed gu il ty to two co un ts of ba nk ro bb ery an d on e co un t of br an di sh in g a fir earm ,
an d t he go ve rn m en t ag reed to di sm is s t he rem ai ni ng co un ts

.

The pr es en te nc e in ve st ig at io n rep or t (PSR ) reco m m en de d t h at Ja ck so n no t

rece iv e a t wo- le ve l re du ct io n for accep ta nc e o f res po ns ib il it y , pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 3 E1.1 (a), ex pl ai ni ng :

The de fen da nt en te red gu il ty pl eas to Co un ts One
, Two, an d Fi ve of th e
se ve n co un t In di ct m en t on th e d a t e h i s tri al was to be gi n. Dur in g hi s in te rv ie w wit h th e Pro ba ti on Offi cer fo r th is r e p or t, Mr. Ja ck so n
ex pr es se d hi s gu il t of th e ro bb ery wit h a fir earm of Fi rs t Fed eral Ban k (Co un ts One an d Two), st at in g he kn ew it was wro ng an d th ere was no
ex cu se fo r hi s be ha vi or

. He fu rth er ex pr es se d hi s ap ol o g i e s t o th e vi ct im s an d an y on e el se in v o lv ed

. Mr. Ja ck so n de ni ed hi s gu il t of th e Arv es t Ban k Ro bb ery (Co un t Fi ve ), st at in g hi s be li ef th at he co u ld pr ev ai l at tri al if pr op erl y rep res en te d. He in di cat ed th at he pl ed gu il ty be cau se hi s at to rn ey ha d gi ve n up on hi m an d if he rep res en te d hi m se lf, he wou ld lo se at tri al

. Ja ck so n co nc lu de d by st at in g th at th e pl e a d eal

was so go od he th ou gh t h e sh ou ld tak e it

.

The PSR ca lc ul at ed Jac ks on 's t ot al off en se lev el as 3 4.

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-In de ta il in g Ja ck so n's cri m in al hi st or y , th e PSR i n c l u d e d
, am on g ot he r

co nv ic ti on s, a 19 9 4 Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on fo r se co nd -d eg ree bu rg la ry an d a 19 98
Ken tu ck y co nv ic ti on fo r fir st -d eg ree ro bb ery, whe n Ja ck so n was 16 an d 20 y ears ol d,

res pe ct iv el y

. Bas ed on th es e co nv ic ti on s, th e PSR de te rm in ed th at Ja ck so n qu al ifi ed fo r care er-o ffen de r st at us an d a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of VI, pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 4B 1

. 1 ( a ) a n d ( b)

. As a res ul t, pu rs ua nt to § 4B 1.1 (c)( 3)
, th e PSR cal cu la te d a Gui de li ne s ra ng e o f 36 0 m on th s' t o l ife im pr is on m en t.

Ja ck so n ob

jecte d, cl ai m in g th at he sh ou ld ha ve rece iv ed t h e two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y an d s ho ul d n ot ha ve qu al ifi ed for care erof fen de r st at us

. At th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e go ve rn m en t pr es en te d te st im on y fro m Mi ch ael Hud so n, th e pr ob at io n of fic er who pr ep ared th e PSR. Hud so n te st ifi ed th at he ba se d hi s reco m

m en da ti on ag ai ns t a two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r a ccep ta nc e of

res po ns ib il it y on hi s in te rv ie w wit h Ja ck so n. In th at in te rv ie w, acco rd in g to Hud so n, Ja ck so n ha d de ni ed co m m it ti ng th e Arv es t Ban k ro bb ery. O n c ro ss -ex am in at io n, Ja ck so n's at to rn ey (wh o was pr es en t at th e in te rv ie w) qu es ti on ed Hud so n's

reco ll ect io n of th e in te rv ie w, bu t Hud so n co nf irmed th at Ja ck so n ha d de ni ed hi s gu il t fo r th e Arv es t Ba nk rob be ry

.

The di st ric t co ur t ov erru le d bo th of Ja ck so n's ob jecti on s. Fi rs t, th e co ur t fo un d th at Ja ck so n sa ti sf

ie d al l th ree req ui rem en ts fo r care er-o ffen de r st at us un de r U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.1 (a) be cau se (1 ) Ja ck so n was ov er 18 y ears ol d a t th e ti m e he co m m it te d th e in st an t of fen se ; (2 ) th e in st an t of

fen se was a fel on y th at qu al ifi ed a s a c rime of vi ol en ce; an d (3 ) hi s 19 94 Mi ss ou ri bu rg la ry co nv ic ti on an d 19 98 Ken tu ck y ro bb ery

co nv ic ti on s qu al ifi ed as cri m es of vi ol en ce. Seco nd
, th e co ur t fo un d t h a t J a ck so n sh ou ld no t b e g ran te d a two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y un de r § 3 E1.1 (a). Th e co ur t ex pl ai ne d i ts reas on s fo r do in g s o, s ta ti ng :

Bas ed up on wha t Mr. Hud so n ha s sa id
, an d it 's no t be en refu te d, I th in k th at hi s rep or t in th e in v e s t i g a t i on rep or t as to wha t ha pp en ed in hi s

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-co nv ers at io n wit h Mr. J a ck so n, I ha ve no real [] reas on to do ub t th at

.

. . . I se e no reas on t o th in k Mr. Hud so n ha s an y m ot iv e or reas on to

m is rep res en t an y th in g to th e Co ur t. So I acce pt Mr. Hud so n's ve rs io n as to what was s ai d.

Mo reo ve r, th e co ur t fo un d th at th e ti m in g of Ja ck so n's gu il ty p le a m il it at ed ag ai ns t
gr an ti ng th e red uc ti on , st at in g:

In th is cas e, Mr. Ja ck so n st au nc hl y m ai nt ai ne d hi s no t g u i l t y p l eas up
un ti l th e act ua l da te of tri al

. W e act ua ll y h a d a jury cal le d. The Gov ern m en t, as far as I k n o w , w as lo ck ed an d lo ad ed
, ha d to cal l it s wit ne ss es an d be pr ep ared fo r tri al
, an d it was on ly in th e face of th e jury be in g p res en t t ha t t he de fen da nt th en cu t a d eal an d m ad e h is pl ea.

The co ur t co ns id ered Ja ck so n's la st -m in ut e pl ea de al to be in di cat iv e of

so m et hi ng ot he r th an ge nu in e acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y

. Thu s, co ns is te nt wit h th e PSR, th e co ur t de t e r m in ed th at th e ap pl ic ab le ad vi so ry Gui de li ne s ran ge was 36 0

m on th s' to li fe im

pr is on m en t. After hear in g tes ti m on y fro m a vi ct im an d arg um en ts by bo th pa rti es , th e co ur t se nt en ced Ja ck so n to a to ta l of 42 0 m on th s' im pr is on m en t.

II. Dis cu ss io n On ap pe al
, Ja ck so n arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t pr oc ed ur al ly erre d by de nyin g hi s req ue st fo r a two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r acce p t a nc e of res po ns ib il it y an d de cl in in g
to de pa rt f

ro m th e car eer- of

fen de r Gui de li ne

.

A. Accep ta nc e o

f Res po ns ib il it y Ja ck so n fir st arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in refu si ng to gr an t a two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 3E1 .1(a )

. He

co nt en ds th at th e di st ric t co ur t mus t g r a n t t h e red uc ti on "i f a de fen da nt 'cl earl y de m on st rat es ' acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y for 'hi s o ffen se .'" J ack so n m ai nt ai ns th at hi s st at em en ts to Hud so n sh ow t ha t h e fu ll y acce pt ed res po ns ib il it y an d apo lo gi zed

-4

-fo r hi s cri m es , in cl ud in g th e Arv es t Ban k ro bb ery. He as se rts th at hi s st at em en t ab ou t

hi s be li ef th at he co ul d ha ve su ccee de d at tri al wit h a be tt er at to rn ey di d no t sh ow th at h e was de nyin g cri m in al co nd uc t. Mo reo ve r, he arg ue s th at "a de la y in ac c e p t i n g

res po ns ib il it y

sh ou ld no t n eces sa ril y

res ul t i n a de ni al of t he red uc ti on ."

The go ve rn m en t, in res po ns e, av ers th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in de cl in in g to gr an t th e acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y red uc ti on be cau se Ja ck so n fai le d

t o mee t hi s bu rd en to sh ow he was en ti tl ed to th e red uc ti on . Th e go ve rn m en t n o t e s th at Ja ck so n, acco rd in g to Hud so n's te st im on y , m ai nt ai ne d hi s in no cen ce ev en aft er

en te rin g hi s gu il ty pl ea. Mo reo ve r, he wait e d un ti l th e da y of hi s tri al to en te r hi s
g u i l t y pl ea. Thu s, th e co ur t ha d a su ffi ci en t ba si s fo r fin di ng th at Ja ck so n was n o t

en ti tl ed to a red uc ti on for acce pt an ce o f res po ns ib il it y

.

"We r ev ie w a di st ric t c o ur t's in te rp ret at io n an d ap pl ic at io n of th e Gui de li ne s de no vo an d it s fact ua l f i n d i n g s reg ard in g en ha nc em en ts fo r cl ear erro r." Uni te d
St at es v. Ca na ni a , 53 2 F.3 d 76 4, 77 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. Sp ec i f i c a l ly, we rev ie w fo r cl ear erro r th e di st ric t co ur t's de ni al of a red uc ti on fo r

acce pt an ce o f res po ns ib il it y pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 3 E1.1 (a). Id

. at 7 72

.

"A di st ric t co ur t's fact ua l de te rm i n a t i on of th e de fen da nt 's en ti tl em en t to an of fen se le ve l de crea se fo r acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y is en ti tl ed to gr eat de fere nc e,

an d we wil l reve rs e it on ly if it is so cl earl y erro ne ou s as to be with ou t fou nd at io n." Id

. (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. In th e di st ric t co ur t, Ja ck so n bo re th e bu rd en "t o sh ow th at [h e] cl earl y de m on st rat ed acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y ." Id

. (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. To de t e r m in e whe th er a de fen da nt ha s sa ti sf ie d hi s bu rd en , App li cat io n Not e 1 to § 3E1 .1(a ) di rect s co ur ts to co ns id er, am on g o t h e r th in gs , whe th er th e de fe n d a n t "t ru th fu ll y ad m it t[e d] t he co nd uc t co m pr is in g th e of

fen se (s ) of co nv i c t i o n " an d "t he ti m el in es s of th e de fen da nt 's co nd uc t in m an ife st in g th e

acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y ." A pp li cat io n Not e 3 cau ti on s th at a de fen da nt is no t

en ti tl ed to th e red uc ti on "as a m at te r of rig ht " si m pl y be cau se he en te rs a gu il ty pl ea.

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-"Th e ke y is su e is whe th er th e de fen da nt ha s sh o wn a reco gn it io n an d affi rm at iv e

res po n s i bi li ty fo r th e of

fen se an d si nc ere rem or se ." Uni te d St at es v. W in ema n , 62 5 F.3 d 5 36 , 53 9 (8 th Cir . 20 10 ) (q uo ta ti on s an d c it at io ns om it te d)

.

Here, th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in de nyin g a two -le ve l red uc ti on fo r

acce pt an ce of res po ns ib il it y

. The ev id en ce sh owe d th at Ja ck so n ne ve r fu ll y acce pt ed

res po ns ib il it y fo r th e Arv es t Ban k ro bb ery. In hi s in te rv ie w wit h Hu d s o n, Ja ck so n

rev eal ed th at he en te red th e pl ea no t be cau se he ack no wled ge d hi s gu il t bu t be cau se he la ck ed co nf

id en ce in hi s at to rn ey 's t r i a l sk il ls

. Alt ho ug h Ja ck so n ch al le ng ed Hud so n's te st im on y at th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e co ur t sp eci fic al ly fo un d Hud so n's

te st im on y cred ib le ; th is fin di ng " i s q ui nt es se nt ia ll y a jud gm en t cal l an d vi rtu al ly

un as sa il ab le on ap pe al ." Uni te d S t a te s v. Har t , 54 4 F.3 d 91 1, 91 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (q uo ta ti on s an d ci ta ti on s om it te d)

. Ja ck so n no w at te m pt s to m in im iz e hi s st at em en ts
to Hud so n b y

arg ui ng th at he ha d a "ri gh t to m ai nt ai n hi s tech ni cal in no cen ce." Bu t
reg ard le ss of whe th er Ja ck so n be li ev ed h e d i d no t co m m it th e Arv es t ro bb ery or

m ere l y b e l i e v e d he co ul d win at tri al ba se d on a "t ech ni cal it y ," hi s st at em en ts refl ect ed so m et hi ng le ss th an fu ll acce pt an ce o f r e sp on si bi li ty fo r th e of fen se

. Mo reo ve r, th e di st ric t co ur t pr op erl y co ns id ered th at he de la y ed pl ead in g gu il ty un ti l th e da y of hi s tri al
, aft er th e go ve rn m en t ha d pr ep ared fo r tri al

. The refo re, th e di st ric t

co ur t d id no t cl earl y

err i n d en y in g J ack so n a two -le ve l redu ct io n for a ccep ta nc e o f

res po ns ib il it y

.

B. Dow nw ar d Dep ar tu re Ja ck so n al so arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d by no t de pa rti ng fro m th e

care er-o ffen de r Gui de li ne

. He co nt en ds th at a se nt en ci ng co ur t ha s th e di sc ret io n to di sa gr ee wit h th e Gui de li ne s, es pe ci al ly i n an at y pi cal cas e, su ch as hi s, whe re th e

care er of fen de r Gui de li ne ha s ov ers ta te d hi s cri m in al hi st o r y. Alt ho ug h he

ac k n o w l e d ge s th at hi s 19 94 Mi ss ou ri bu rg la ry co nv ic ti on qu al ifi ed as a cri m e of vi ol en ce, Ja ck so n m ai nt ai ns th a t t h e ci rcu m st an ces of th at cri m e—s pe ci fic al ly, th e fact th at "n o on e was pr es en t du rin g th e of fen se , th reat en ed by Ja ck so n, or pl aced in

-6

-an y da ng er" —i nd ic at e a m uc h le ss se rio us cri m e. Ja ck so n arg ue s t h a t t hi s fact
,
co m bi ne d wit h Ja ck so n's y ou ng ag e at th e ti m e of hi s 19 94 a n d 19 98 co nv ic ti on s,

warra nt ed a de pa rtu re.

Thi s co ur t ha s no au th or it y to rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t's de ni al of a req ue st fo r a do wnwar d de pa rtu re un le ss th e di s t r i ct co ur t "h ad an un co ns ti tu ti on al m ot iv e in de nyin g hi s req ue st " or fai le d to "re co g n i z e[] th at it ha d th e au th or it y to de pa rt do wnwar d." Uni te d St at es v. And er so n , 57 0 F.3 d 10 25
, 10 34 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ). Ja ck so n ha s m ad e n ei th er ar gu m en t o n t hi s ap pe al , and ou r car efu l re vi ew of th e se nt en ci ng

reco r d rev eal s no un co ns ti tu ti on al m ot iv e or fai lu re to reco gn iz e di sc ret io na ry

a u t ho rit y on th e pa rt of th e di st ric t co ur t. Thu s, we de cl in e to rev ie w th e di st r i c t

co ur t's de cl in at io n t o d ep art do wnwar d.

III. Co nc lu si on Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t.

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