FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT MAY 15, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 07- 12446 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 6 - 8 0 1 7 9 - C R - DT KH U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s M I C H A E L C H A N C E , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ay 15, 2008) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: M i chae l C hance appeal s hi s c on vi ct i on s f or robb ery of abank by use of a2

f ir e a rm , 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 1 1 3 ( a ) , ( d ) , a tte m p te d r o b b e ry in v io la tio n o f th e H o b b s A c t, 18 U . S . C . § 1951( a ) , tw o c ount s of br a ndi s hi ng af

i r e a rm dur i ng ac r i m e of vi ol ence , 18 U . S . C . § 9 24 (c )( 1)(A )( i i ), and p osse ss i on of a f i re arm by a c on vi ct ed fe l on , 18 U . S . C . §§ 92 2(g)(1), 92 4(e) . C hance ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourterre d w h e n i td e n i e d h i s mo t i o n s f o ra j u d g me n to f

a c q u i tt a l a n d mi s tr i a l . W e a f f i rm. I . B AC KG RO UN D C ha nc e e nt e r e d the C V S pha rm a c y s t or e i n C oc onutC r e e k, F l or i da , a nd appr oa c he d c l e rk F r a nc i s c o G onz a l e s . C ha nc e a s ke d t o pur c ha s e c i ga r e tt e s a nd, w he n G onz a l e s r e turne d t o the r e gi s t e r , C ha nc e w i thdr e w a gun f r om the w a i s tba nd of hi s pa nt s , e xpl a i ne d tha ti tw a s nota t oy , e j e c t e d a bul l e ton the c ount e r , a nd i nstruct ed G on za l es thathe had a few se cond s t o “ gi ve [C hance] the m on ey . ” G o n zal es w as u n ab l e t o recal l th e co d e t o o p en h i s reg i st er, an d C h an ce l eftem p tyh a n d e d . C hance nextdrov e t o the W as hi ng t on M utual B ank i n B oca R at on , F l ori da, a nd appr oa c he d t e l l e rP a tr i c i aD e M a r c o. C ha nc e t ol d D e M a r c o, “ [ n] o dy e pa c ks and d on ’ tse toff the al arm , ” then p l ac ed a gun on the coun t erand res t ed hi s f i ng er on the tr i gge r . D e M a r c o, w ho w a s “ pe tr i f i e d, ” s t a c ke d i nc r e m e nt s of $1, $5, a nd $ 1 0 0 b ills o n th e c o u n te r . D e M a r c o le f t w ith o u t in c id e n t. T he nextday, D eM ar co i dent i fi ed C hance i n a ph ot og raph i c l i ne-up. S peci al3

A gentJohn M ac V ei gh of the F eder al B ureau o f I nv es t i gat i on re vi ew ed ph ot og raph s pri nt ed fr om the survei l l ance ca m er a i nsi de the bank and recogni ze d the i nd i vi du al as C hance. C hance’ s brother, R ayC hance, al so i dent i fi ed C hance as the robb er . S pe c i a l A ge ntR oge rH i ggi ns of the F e de r a l B ur e a u of

I nve s t i ga t i on id e n tif ie d C h a n c e f

r o m th e s u rv e illa n c e v id e o o f th e C V S s to r e . D e te c tiv e K e v in V e rn e tti c o m p ile d a p h o to a rr a y th a t in c lu d e d ap ic tu r e o f C h a n c e f

o rG o n z a le s to e x a m in e . G o n z a le s id e n tif ie d C h a n c e in “a f

e w s e c o n d s .” A fe dera l grand j ury i nd i ct ed C hance for r ob beryof the W as hi ng t on M utual B a n k b y u s e o f

a f i r e a rm , 1 8 U. S . C . § 2 1 1 3 ( a ) , ( d ) ; a tt e m p t e d r o b b e ry o f a C VS P ha rm a c y i n vi ol a t i on of the H obbs A c t , 18 U . S . C . § 1951( a ) ; tw o c ount s of brandi shi ng a f

i re arm du ri ng a c ri m e of vi ol ence , 18 U . S . C . § 9 24 (c )( 1)(A )( i i ); pos s e s s i on of

a f i r e a rm by a c onvi c t e d f

e l on, 18 U . S . C . §§ 922( g) ( 1) , 924( e ) ; a nd pos s e s s i on of

a s t ol e n f

i r e a rm , 18 U . S . C . §§ 922( j ) , 924( a ) ( 2) . B e f

or e tr i a l , the p a r tie s s tip u la te d th a t C h a n c e h a d b e e n c o n v ic te d p r e v io u s ly o f a f e lo n y o f f e n s e . A ttri al , V ernett i st at ed thathe prepare d a ph ot o arr ayfor G on za l es t o revi ew a nd s t a t e d tha the us e d apr i s on phot ogr aph of C ha nc e . C ha nc e obj e c t e d a nd m ove d t o s tr i ke V e rne tt i ’ s t e s t i m ony . T he di s tr i c tc our tgr a nt e d the m ot i on, d ir e c te d th e ju ry to “d is r e g a r d th e la s t r e s p o n s e ,” a n d in s tru c te d th e ju ry to “lim it”4

the i nform at i on thati tconsi dere d “ t o w hatthe det ec t i ve hi m se l f di d. ” C hance “r e s e rv e [ d ] a m o tio n to m a k e la te r .” V ernett i al so t es t i fi ed thathe m i gh thave t ol d G on za l es thatthe suspec thad b e e n a rr e s te d . V e rn e tti te s tif ie d th a t h e d id n o t id e n tif y th e s u s p e c t, a n d V e rn e tti d i d n o tt el l G o n zal es th ere w as a p h o t o g rap h o f th e su sp ecti n th e array. C h a n c e m o v e d f

o ra m is tr ia l b e c a u s e V e rn e tti s a id th a t G o n z a le s w a s in pri son and the ph ot og raph i c l i neup w as un du l y s ug gest i ve. T he di stri ctcourt deni ed the m ot i on . T he di stri ctcourtrul ed thatm ent i on i ng the w ord “ pri son” w as notundul y pr e

j udi c i a l a nd ha d be e n c ur e d by a n i ns truc t i on t o the j ury . T he d is tr ic t c o u r t a c k n o w le d g e d th a t V e rn e tti’s s ta te m e n ts to G o n z a le s ab o u t th e p h o to arra y w er e a“ devi at i on fr om the no rm , ” butrul ed thatthe re m arks di d n otaf fe ct the pr e - tr i a l i de nt i f

i c a t i on. B r i a n R a y t e s t i f

i e d tha thi s B e r e tt a. 40 c a l i be rpi s t ol ha d be e n s t ol e n f r om hi s hom e. A ft eran i nv es t i gat or l ef thi s hou se , R aydi sc ov er ed thata c heck had been remo ved from hi s c heckbo ok . A copy of the check show ed thati thad b ee n m ade pay abl e t o C hance. O n cross -e xam i nat i on , R aydeni ed thathe had u se d drug s or a l l ow ed anyone t o u se drug s i n h i s hom e. T o i m peac h R ay , C hance ca l l ed S hann on W al l ac e, C hance’ s ni ec e. W al l ac e t es t i fi ed thatshe had used cocai ne w i th R ayand o bserved R aysm ok e c ra ck5

c o c a in e in h is h o m e . S p e c ia l A g e n t R o g e rH ig g in s te s tif ie d in r e b u tta l th a t R a y d id notha ve a ny pr i orc onvi c t i ons f ordrug- r e l a t e d c r i m e s , butR a y m i ghtha ve m e n tio n e d th a t h e h a d s m o k e d c r a c k c o c a in e in th e p a s t. C h a n c e m o v e d f

o ra m is tr ia l a n d a r g u e d th a t th e g o v e rn m e n t f a ile d to d is c lo s e in f

o rm a tio n ab o u t R a y ’s d ru g u s e . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t d e n ie d th e m o tio n . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t ru le d th a t d e f e n s e c o u n s e l h a d im p e a c h e d R a y a n d th e ju ry c o u ld r e s ol ve the c ontr a di c t i ons i n the t e s t i m ony . T he j ury a c qui tt e d C ha nc e on the c ha r ge of pos s e s s i on of

a s t ol e n f

i r e a rm , butc onvi c t e d hi m on the r e m a i ni ng c o u n ts o f th e in d ic tm e n t. I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e v ie w d e n o v o th e s u f f ic ie n c y o f

th e e v id e n c e a n d v ie w th e e v id e n c e in the l i ghtm os tf

a vor abl e t o the gove rnm e nt . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M a r t i ne z , 83 F . 3d 371, 373–74 ( 11th C i r . 1996) . W e r e vi e w the de ni a l of a m i s tr i a l f

ora n abus e of d is c r e tio n . U n ite d S ta te s v . D ia z , 2 4 8 F .3 d 1 0 6 5 , 1 1 0 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON C ha nc e m a ke s tw o a r gum e nt s on appe a l . F i r s t , C ha nc e c ha l l e nge s the s uf f i c i e nc y of

the e vi de nc e t o s uppor thi s c onvi c t i ons f ora rm e d r obbe ry of

a ba nk, a tt e m pt e d r obbe ry , a nd br a ndi s hi ng af i r e a rm dur i ng c r i m e s of vi ol e nc e . S e c ond, C h a n c e c h a lle n g e s th e d e n ia l o f h is m o tio n s f

o ra m is tr ia l.6 A . T h e G o vern m en t

In tro du ced

Su f f i ci en t E vi den ce to Su

p p o rt Ch a n ce’s C o n vi ct i o n s. C hance chal l enges hi s c on vi ct i on s on three grou nd s. F i rs t , C hance ar gu es tha tthe gove rnm e ntf

a i l e d t o pr e s e nts uf

f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o s uppor thi s c onvi c t i ons f orba nk r obbe ry a nd the a tt e m pt e d r obbe ry of the C V S P ha rm a c y . S e c ond, C ha nc e c ont e nds tha tthe gove rnm e ntdi d note s t abl i s h tha the i nt i m i da t e d the ba nk t e l l e r . T hi r d, C ha nc e c ont e nds tha tthe gove rnm e ntdi d note s t abl i s h tha the “b r a n d is h e d ” a f

ir e a rm d u r in g th e r o b b e r ie s . T h e s e a r g u m e n ts f a il. A r e a s onabl e j ury c oul d f i nd tha tthe gove rnm e ntpr e s e nt e d s uf f i c i e nt e v id e n c e th a t C h a n c e r o b b e d a b a n k u s in g a f ir e a rm . 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 1 1 3 ( a ) , ( d ) . D e M a r c o t e s t i f

i e d tha tC ha nc e w a l ke d t o he rt e l l e rc ount e ri ns i de the W a s hi ngt on M utual B ank, t ol d D eM ar co, “ [n] o d ye packs a nd do n’ tse toff the al arm , ” then pl ac ed a gun on the coun t erand res t ed hi s f i ng eron the tri gg er . D eM ar co id e n tif ie d C h a n c e in a p h o to g r ap h ic lin e - u p a n d v e r if ie d h e rid e n tif

ic a tio n a t tr ia l. A l though D e M a r c o w a ve r e d br i e f l y dur i ng he ri n- c our ti de nt i f i c a t i on, the cr edi bi l i ty of heri dent i fi ca t i on re st ed w i th the j ury. S ee C hast ai n, 19 8 F . 3d at 1 3 5 1 . I n a d d itio n , A g e n t M a c V e ig h a n d C h a n c e ’s b r o th e rid e n tif ie d C h a n c e in phot ogr aphs pr i nt e d f

r om the ba nk s urve i l l a nc e vi de o. T h e g o v e rn m e n t a ls o in tr o d u c e d a m p le e v id e n c e th a t C h a n c e a tte m p te d to rob the C V S ph arm ac y. 18 U . S . C . § 1 95 1(a) . G on za l es t es t i fi ed thatC hance drew7

a gun , expl ai ned thati tw as no ta t oy, ej ec t ed a bul l eton the coun t er , and i nstruct ed G on za l es thathe had a few se cond s t o “ gi ve [C hance] the m on ey . ” A ft erG on za l es w a s u n ab le to r e c a ll th e c o d e to o p e n h is r e g is te r , C h a n c e le f t e m p ty - h a n d e d . G o n z a le s id e n tif

ie d C h a n c e in a p r e - tr ia l p h o to g r ap h ic lin e - u p a n d a t tr ia l. T he gove rnm e nta l s o pr ove d tha tC ha nc e i nt i m i da t e d D e M a r c o dur i ng the bank robb ery. Id. § 2 11 3(a) . Int i m i dat i on occurs “ ‘ w hen an o rdi narypers on i n [a bank ] t el l er ’ s posi t i on re as on abl y c ou l d i nfera threa tof bo di l y harm . ’ ” U ni t ed S t a t e s v. C orni l l i e , 92 F . 3d 1108, 1110 ( 11th C i r . 1996) ( quot i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H i gdon, 832 F . 2d 312, 315 ( 5th C i r . 1987) ) . D e M a r c o t e s t i f i e d tha tC ha nc e l a i d a g u n o n th e c o u n te ra n d r e s te d h is f in g e ro n th e tr ig g e r . A r e a s o n ab le p e r s o n c o u ld i nf e rtha tC ha nc e thr e a t e ne d t o s hootD e M a r c o i f s he r e f us e d t o r e l i nqui s h the m on eyi n h erbank draw er . T he gove rnm e ntpr e s e nt e d s uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e tha tC ha nc e br a ndi s he d a f i r e a rm d u r i n g b o th th e b a n k r o b b e ry a n d th e a tt e m p t e d r o b b e ry o f th e C VS P ha rm a c y . T he t e rm “ br a ndi s h” i s de f i ne d a s the “ di s pl a y [ of

] a l l orpa r tof

the f i r e a rm [ . ] ” 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) ( 4) . D e M a r c o t e s t i f i e d tha tC ha nc e l a i d agun on the coun t erdu ri ng the bank robb ery. G on za l es t es t i fi ed thatC hance poi nt ed a gun at h im w h e n h e in s tru c te d G o n z a le s to “g iv e [ C h a n c e ] th e m o n e y .”8

B . T he D istri ct

C ou rt D i d N otA bu se It

s D isc re t i on by D enyi ngCha nce’s Mo tio n s fo ra Mis tr ia l. C h a n c e c h a lle n g e s th e d e n ia l o f h is m o tio n s f

o ra m is tr ia l o n th r e e g r o u n d s . F ir s t, C h a n c e a r g u e s th a t ad e te c tiv e ’s u s e o f th e w o r d “p r is o n ” d u r in g h is t e s t i m ony w a s pr e

j udi c i a l . S e c ond, C ha nc e m a i nt a i ns tha ta pr e - tr i a l i de nt i f i c a t i on w a s t a i nt e d by c om m e nt s tha tthe de t e c t i ve m a de be f or e G onz a l e s r e vi e w e d the ph ot o arr ay . T hi rd, C hance cont ends thatthe go vernm entcom m i tt ed prosecut ori al m is c o n d u c t w h e n it f

a ile d to d is c lo s e e v id e n c e ab o u t th e d ru g u s e o f a w itn e s s . T h e s e a r g u m e n ts f

a il. T he di stri ctcourtdi d n otabuse i t s di sc re t i on by re fusi ng t o g ra nta m i stri al base d o n a det ec t i ve’ s r em ark. T he i sol at ed com m entby D et ec t i ve V ernett i that C hance had been i n p ri son d i d n otsubst ant i al l y pre j ud i ce C hance, w ho had st i pu l at ed thathe w as a c on vi ct ed fe l on . S ee U ni t ed S t at es v. V i l l abon a- G arni ca , 63 F . 3d 1051, 1058 ( 11th C i r . 1995) . T he di s tr i c tc our ta l s o e r a di c a t e d a ny pot e nt i a l pr e

j udi c e w he n i ti m m e di a t e l y i ns truc t e d the j ury t o “ di s r e ga r d the r e s pons e . ” S e e D i a z , 248 F . 3d a t1101. C ha nc e a l s o w a s note nt i t l e d t o a m i s tr i a l ba s e d on the i n- c our ti de nt i f i c a t i on by G on za l es . D et ec t i ve V ernett i ’ s r em ark thatthe suspec thad b ee n captured w as n o t s u g g e s tiv e b e c a u s e V e rn e tti d id n o t id e n tif y th e s u s p e c t o rw h ic h in d iv id u a l in the phot o a rr a y ha d be e n a rr e s t e d. S e e C i kor av. D ugge r , 840 F . 2d 893, 896–979

(11th C i r. 19 88 ). T he pre-tri al l i ne-up d i d n ott ai ntG on za l es ’ s i n-court i dent i fi ca t i on . S ee U ni t ed S t at es v. S m i th, 45 9 F . 3d 12 76 , 12 93 –9 4 (11 th C i r. 20 06 ). T he di s tr i c tc our tdi d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by de ny i ng am i s tr i a l ba s e d on th e a ll eg ed fa il u re o f th e g o v er n m en t t o d isclo se th at B rian R ay u se d d ru g s. R ay ’s fa l se st at em ent s di d n oti nfl uence the ou t com e of the tri al . T he j ury di sc re di t ed R a y ’ s t e s t i m ony tha tC ha nc e s t ol e a B e r e tt a. 40 c a l i be rpi s t ol f r om R a y ’ s hom e a nd a c qui tt e d C ha nc e on the c ha r ge of pos s e s s i on of

a s t ol e n w e apon. C hance’ s c on vi ct i on s a re A FFI R M ED .