## 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. 1 1- 30 90

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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

* Dis tri ct of Ne br as ka

. Ro be rt E. Lil la rd

, *

* App el la nt

. *

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Su bm it te d: May 15, 2 01 2
Fi le d: Ju ly 19, 2 01 2

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Befo re MUR PHY, BENTON, an d S HEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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BENTON, Circu it Ju dg e.

Ro be rt Edwar d Lil la rd m ov ed to va cat e hi s se nt en ce, in vo ki ng Beg ay v. Uni te d

St at es , 5 53 U.S. 13 7 (2 00 8)

. Se e 28 U.S.C. § 22 55

. The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed th e 1

m ot io n. Hav in g ju ris di ct io n u nd er 2 8 U.S.C. § 12 91 , th is co ur t af fir m s.

Thi s co u r t r e v ie ws th e de ni al of a § 22 55 m ot io n de no vo

. Ho dg e v. Unit ed

St at es , 60 2 F.3 d 9 3 5

, 93 7 (8 th Ci r.), cer t. de ni ed

, 13 1 S. Ct

. 33 4 (2 01 0)

. Als o

The Hon or ab le J o s e p h F. Bat ai ll on , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 1

Dis tri ct of Ne br as ka

.rev ie wed de no vo is whe th er a pr io r co nv ic ti on qu al ifi es as a pr ed ic at e of fen se un de r

th e Arm ed Care er Cri m in al Act (ACCA). S e e Unit ed St at es v. Gor do n , 55 7 F.3 d

62 3, 6 24 (8t h C ir. 2 00 9)

.

Befo re hi s la te st co nv ic ti on fo r un la wfu l po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n, Lil la rd

ha d be en co nv ic te d of at te m pt ed ro bb ery, ro bb ery, an d po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n.
The ACCA imp o s e s a m an da to ry m in im um pe na lt y of 15 y ears if a fel on -in

po ss es si on -o f-a- fir earm ha s “ th ree pre vi ou s con vi ct io ns ” fo r a “ vi ol en t felo ny.” 18

U.S.C. § 92 4( e)(1 )

. At se nt en ci ng , th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d th at al l Lil la rd ’s pr io r

co nv ic ti on s were “ vi ol en t fel on ie s.” Thi s co ur t affi rm ed

. Se e Uni t e d St at es v.

Lil la rd , 11 6 F ed . App x. 4 9 (8 th Cir . 20 04 ).

The ACCA de fin es a “ vi ol en t fel on y ” as a cri m e p u n i s h a b le by a te rm of

im pr is on m en t ex ceed in g o ne y ear t ha t:

(i) ha s as an el em en t th e us e, at te m pt e d u s e , or th reat en ed us e of ph y si cal for ce ag ai ns t t he pe rs on of a no th er; or

(ii ) is bu rg la ry , ars on , or ex to rti on , in vo lv es us e of ex pl os iv es , o r
ot he rwis e in vo lv es c on du ct 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.

§ 92 4( e)(2 )(B)

. Lil la rd qu es ti on s whe th er hi s pr ev io us co nv ic ti on fo r po ss es si on of

a sh or t sh ot gu n is a “ vi ol en t fe lo ny.” The Neb ras ka st at ut e st at es th at “ an y pe rs on

or pe rs on s who sh al l tra ns po rt or po s s e s s a n y m ach in e gu n, sh or t rif le

, or sh or t

sh ot gu n” co m

m it s a fel on y

. § 28 -1 20 3( 1)

. Po ss es si on of a sh or t s h ot gu n do es no t

ha ve an el em en t of ph y si cal fo rce as req ui red in cl au se (i) an d is no t lis te d in cl au se (ii ). The is su e in th is cas e is whe th er p o s s e ss io n of a sh or t sh ot gu n is a “ vi ol en t

fel on y ” be cau se it “ 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.” § 9 24 (e)( 2) (B)

.

-2

-To de te rm in e w h e t h e r a co nv ic ti on fal ls wit hi n th is res id ua l cl au se , th e

Su pr em e Co ur t id en ti fie s it s “ cl os es t an a l o g ” am on g th e li st ed of fen se s an d th en

as se ss es th ei r e q u i v a l e nt ris ks

. Ja m es v. Unit ed St at es , 55 0 U.S. 19 2, 19 3 (2 00 7)
(co nc lu di ng th at at t e mp t e d b u r gl ary po se s th e sa m e ris k of vi ol en ce as bu rg la ry ).

W he n co m

pa rin g an of

fen se to it s cl os es t an al og , th e Co ur t co ns id ers th e “ of fen se

ge ne ric al ly” – n ot th e ci rcu m st an ces of a sp eci fic vi ol at io n. Unit ed Sta te s v. B oa z , 5 5 8 F

. 3d 80 0, 80 7 (8 Ci r. 20 09 ), qu ot in g Beg ay
, 55 3 U.S. at 14 1 (v ie win g th e th

of fen se cat eg or ic al ly “i n t e r ms of ho w t he la w d efi ne s th e of fen se an d no t in te rm s

of ho w a n in di vi du al of

fen de r m ig ht ha ve co m

m it te d it on a p a r t i c u la r oc cas io n” ).

The res id ua l cl au s e i nc lu de s th os e cri m es “ ro ug hl y si m il ar, in ki nd as well as in

de gr ee of ris k po se d, to th e ex am pl es th em se lv es .” Beg ay , 55 3 U.S

. at 14 3. The
Beg ay Co ur t fo un d th at al l th e li st ed cri m es in vo lv e co nd uc t th at m ak es an of fen de r,

la te r po ss es si ng a gu n, m or e li ke ly to de li be rat el y ha rm a vi ct im

. Id

. at 14 5 (h ol di ng

th at DUI is un l i k e th e li st ed cri m es ), at 14 6 (n ot in g th at th e ACCA fo cu se s on th e

“ sp eci al da ng er” crea te d whe n vi ol en t of fen de rs po ss es s gu ns ). Se e al so Cha m be rs

v. Unit ed St at es , 55 5 U.S. 12 2, 12 3 (2 00 9) (f ai li ng to rep or t fo r co nf

in em en t is

in act io n, un li ke th e co nd uc t in he ren t in th e li st ed cri m es ). If th e cri m e cat eg or ic al ly

pr es en ts a ris k li ke th os e li st ed

, th en it “ 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.” Syk es v. Unit es St at es , 56 4 U.S.

__ ,

__ , 13 1 S. Ct

. 22 67

, 22 76 (2 01 1) (fl eei ng -fro m -p ol ic e-i n- a-v eh ic le catego ri ca lly pr es en ts

“ a m or e cer ta in ris k” th an bu rg la ry ).

The di st ric t c o u r t he re de te rm in ed th at po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n is

“ 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 li st ed of fen se s in

cl au se (ii ). Se e Unit

ed St at es v. V in cent

, 57 5 F.3 d 82 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 )

, ap pl yi ng Beg ay an d Cha m be rs

. Lil la rd co nt en ds th at th e of fen se at is su e

- p o s s e s s i o n of a 2

In t hi s ca se , th e g ov ern m en t as su m es Beg ay ’s r et ro act iv it y be cau se th e ru le 2

ap pe ars to be su bs ta nt iv e. Wel ch v. Unit

ed St at es , 60 4 F.3 d 40 8, 41 4- 15 (7 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (fi nd in g Beg ay ap pl ie d ret ro act iv el y be c a u s e a st at ut or y ru le in crea si ng th e al lo wab le se nt en ce o n t he ba si s of a pr io r co nv ic ti on is su bs ta nt iv e in na tu re), cer t.

-3

-sh or t sh ot gu n - is a c r im e of st ric t li ab il it y , an d th at Sy kes di rect s a co ur t al so to

ev al ua te whe th er th e of

fen de r’s co nd uc t was “ pu rp os efu l, vi ol en t, an d ag gr es si ve

. ”

Lil la rd ’s pr em is e is wro ng : Neb ras k a l a w req ui res “ wil lfu l, in te nt io na l, an d

kn owi ng ” po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n. St at e v. Ja sp er , 46 7 N.W .2d 85 5, 86 2 (Neb

. 19 91 ). A de fen da nt un la wfu ll y po ss es se s a sh or t sh ot gu n whe n th e de fen da nt kn ow s
of it s nat ur e as well as i ts pr es en ce, and ha s do m in io n or con tro l ov er the gu n. Se e 3

id

. at 86 1 (h o l di ng th at th e pr oo f-o f-p os se ss io n st an da rd fo r co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc es

ap pl ie s to il le ga l fir earm s) ; cf

. NJI 2d Crim. 4.2 (“ ‘Pos se ss io n’ of (h er e in se rt ob je ct

al le ge dl y po ss es se d) m ean s ei th er kn owi ng ly h av in g it on on e's pe rs on or kn owi ng

of th e ob ject's pr es en ce an d ha vi ng co nt ro l ov er th e ob ject” ). Onl y whe n an of

fen se
is “ ak in to st ric t lia bi li ty, ne gl ig en ce, and reck le ss ne ss cri m es ” m us t a co ur t in qu ire

in to th e pu rp os efu l, vi ol en t, an d a gg res si ve na tu re of th e of fen se ; ot he rwis e, ris k is

th e di sp os it iv e fact or

. Syk es , 13 1 S. Ct

. at 22 75 -7 6. Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n in

Neb ras ka is no t a cri m e of st ric t li ab il it y , ne gl ig en ce, or reck le ss ne ss

. Fu rth er in qu iry

in to th e na tu re of Lil la rd ’s c on du ct is “ red un da nt wit h th e in qu iry i nt o ris k.” Id

. at

22 75 ; se e Unit

ed St at es v. Wa ts on , 65 0 F.3 d 10 8 4

, 10 93 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (ap pl y in g Sy kes to co nc lu de th at po ss es si on of a fir earm du rin g dr ug tra ffi ck in g is no t a cri m e

of st ric t li ab il it y , ne gl ig en ce, or reck le ss ne ss , an d do es no t req ui re a “ pu rp os efu l,

vi ol en t, an d a gg res si ve ” in qu iry).

de ni ed

, 13 1 S. Ct

. 30 19 (2 01 1)

, in te rp re ti ng Schr ir o v. Sum m e r l i n , 54 2 U.S. 34 8,
35 1- 52 (2 00 4) (“ [n ]ew su bs ta nt iv e ru le s ge ne ral ly ap pl y ret ro act iv el y ”). Se e

ge ne ra ll y Sun B e a r v

. U

n i t ed St at es , 64 4 F.3 d 70 0, 70 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (en ba nc ) (rec og ni zi ng th e Uni te d St at es ha s co nc ed ed ret r o act iv it y in pr ev io us § 22 55

pr oc eed in gs ).

Lil la rd co ns tru ct iv el y po ss es se d a sh or t sh ot gu n, bu t Neb ras ka la w tre at s 3

co ns tru ct iv e po ss es si on an d po ss es si on eq ua ll y

. Se e St at e v. Frie ze , 525 N.W .2d 64 6,
65 3 (Ne b. 1 99 4) (“ co ns tru ct iv e p os se ss io n a pp li es to po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n

un de r § 2 8– 12 03 ”).

-4

-Po ss es si on of a sh o r t s h o t gu n in Neb ras ka cat eg or ic al ly p res en ts a de gr ee of

ris k ro ug hl y

si m il ar t o t he li st ed of

fen se s. Sh or t sh ot gu ns are i nh eren tl y da ng ero us

be cau se th ey are no t us efu l “ ex cep t fo r vi ol en t an d cri m in al pu rp os es .” Unit ed St at es

v. Chi ld s , 40 3 F.3 d 97 0, 97 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ), qu ot in g Unit ed St at es v. Al le gr ee , 17 5

F.3 d 64 8, 65 1 (8 th Ci r. 19 99 ) (p os se ss io n of a sh or t sh ot gu n is a “ cri m e of vi ol en ce

un de r U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.2 "). Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n in di cat es th at th e of fen de r

“ is ‘prep ared to us e vi ol en ce if ne ces sa ry ’ an d is read y ‘to en te r in to co nf li ct

, whi ch

in tu rn crea te s a da ng er fo r th os e su rro un di ng ’” th e of fen de r. Unit

ed St at es v. Bo yce , 63 3 F.3 d 70 8, 71 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (h ol di ng th at po ss es si o n of a weap on in a

co rrec ti on al faci li ty crea te s da ng er li ke th e li st ed of fen se s)

, qu ot in g Unit

ed St at es v.

Zuni ga , 55 3 F.3 d 13 30

, 13 35 –3 6 (1 0t h Ci r. 20 09 ), cer t. de ni ed

, 1 3 2 S

. C t

. 10 02
(2 01 2)

. Se e al

so Unit ed St at es v. Ma rq uez , 6 2 6 F

. 3 d 21 4, 22 1 (5 th Ci r. 20 10 )
(p os se ss io n of a da ng ero us weap on is pu rp os efu l co nd uc t th at crea te s a ris k fo r fu tu re

vi ol en ce); bu t se e Unit

ed St at es v. Pol k , 5 77 F.3 d 51 5 (3 d C i r

. 20 09 ) (h ol di ng th at

po ss es si on of a da ng ero us weap on is pa ss iv e an d do es no t in vo lv e p u r p o s e fu l,

vi ol en t, an d ag gr es si v e c o n d u c t ). Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n pr es en ts a “ ris k as

a cat eg or ic al m at te r” at le as t eq ua l t o a tt em pt ed bu rg la ry

an d fl eei ng fro m

po li ce in

a ve hi cl e – bo th “v i o l e n t f el on ie s” fo r th e pu rp os es of ACCA. Ja m es , 55 0 U.S. at

21 2; Syk es , 13 1 S. Ct

. at 2 2 74

. Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n crea te s an ex tre m e

“ li ke li ho od th at th e of

fen de r is th e ki nd of pe rs on who m ig ht de li be rat el y po in t th e

gu n an d pu ll th e tri gg er.” Id

. , qu ot in g Beg ay , 55 3 U.S. at 14 6 (q uo ta ti on s om it te d)

. It is il le ga l t o p o s se ss a sh or t sh ot gu n “ 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.” V

in cent

, 57 5 F.3 d at 82 5- 26

. A fel on po ss es si ng a weap on wit h

no lawf ul pu rp os e cre at es a se rio us po te nt ia l fo r da ng er t o o th ers

. Se e id

. at 8 25

.

The di st ric t co ur t reas on ed th at po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n is ro ug hl y si m il ar

in ki nd to th e us e of ex pl o s i v e s

. Lil la rd ob jects th at th e us e of ex pl os iv es ha s

co ll at eral co ns eq ue nc es “ no t p r e s e n t to th e sa m e de gr ee or cert ai nt y in th e m ere

po ss es si on of a fir earm .” Sh or t sh ot gu ns , ho wev er, a r e a n a lo go us to ex pl os iv es in

-5

-th at bo th can in fli ct “ in di sc riminat e carn ag e.” Id

. at 82 6; s ee Unit

ed St at es v. Upt on , 51 2 F3 d 39 4, 40 4 (7 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (“ [T]he sh or te ne d ba rrel

. . . in crea se s th e sp read of

th e sh ot whe n fir in g at cl os e ran g e—[ a fact ] th at sp ur red Co ng res s to req ui re th e

reg is tr a t i on of al l sa wed -o ff sh ot gu ns , al on g wit h ot he r da ng ero us weap on s li ke

ba zo ok as , m or ta rs , pi pe bo m bs

, an d m ach in e gu ns .”); Unit ed St at es v. Ha ll

, 97 2 F.2 d

67

, 70 (4 th Ci r. 19 92 ) (a sh or t sh o t g u n i s “ea s ie r to co nc eal an d wiel d” ). The

Sen te nc in g Co m

m is si on ha s de cl ared th at po ss es si on of a sa wed -o ff sh ot gu n – an d

th e us e of ex pl os iv es – are “ cri m es of vi ol en ce,” a te rm in te rch an ge ab le wit h “ vi ol en t

fel on ie s.” V

in cent

, 57 5 F.3 d a t 8 2 6

, c i ti ng U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.2
, cmt. n. 1 (“ cri m e of

vi ol en ce” in cl ud es “ [u ]nla wfu ll y po ss es si ng a fi r e a r m de sc rib ed in 26 U.S.C. §

58 45 (a) ( e.g
., a sa wed -o ff sh o t g u n o r sa wed -o ff rif le

, si le nc er, bo m

b, or m ach in e

g u n ) ” ) ; s e e U

ni te d St at es v. Ho od

, 62 8 F.3 d 66 9, 67 2 (4 th Ci r. 20 10 ) cer t. de ni ed

, 13 1 S. C t

. 2 1 3 8 (2 01 1) (ci ti ng U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.2

, cm t. n. 1 to su pp or t th at fel on y

sh or t-s ho tg un -p os se ss io n is a “ c r i me o f vi ol en ce”)

, fo ll ow in g Unit ed St at es v.

Ha wk in s , 55 4 F.3d 61 5, 61 8 (6 th Ci r. 20 09 ). But se e Unit ed St at es v. McGi ll

, 61 8

F.3 d 12 73

, 12 79 (1 1t h Ci r. 20 10 ) (h ol di ng th at po ss es si on of a sh or t-b arre le d sh ot gu n
is no t “ si m il ar in ki nd ” to th e us e of e x p l o s i v e s be cau se of th e di ffer en t m ean in g
be twee n “ po ss es s ” an d “ us e”). Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n pr es en ts th e type of

da ng er s im il ar i n k in d t o t he us e o f ex pl os iv es

.

Po ss es si on of a sh or t sh ot gu n pr es en ts a se rio us po te nt ia l ris k of ph y sic al in jury

to an ot he r be cau se it is ro ug hl y si m il ar to th e li st ed of fen se s wit hi n th e ACCA, bo th

in ki nd as we ll as t he de gr ee o f ri sk for ha rm po se d. Lil la rd ’s po ss es si on of a sh or t

sh ot gu n i s a v io le nt fel on y

.

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The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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