FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Se pt e m be r 6, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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- 10071 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 0 0 0 7 8 - CR- 5 - RS 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 A N T R A F I L M S , I N C ., D e f e n d a n t, J O S E P H F R A N C I S , 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 N or the rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 6, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B L A C K an d M A R C U S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:Th eDVDsat is su eare : ( 1) Ultim ateSpringB re ak, Vo ls. 3 a nd 4; ( 2) Girl s G on eWild 1 On Campu s Unc ens ore d; ( 3) To tally Expo se d a

nd Cens ore d, Vo ls. 1 through 5 ; and (4 ) G irls Go neWild

Col le g eGirl s E xpos e d/S e xy Sorority Swe e the art s. 2 M a n tr a F ilm s , I n c ., p r o d u c e s a n d d is tr ib u te s a p o p u la rs e r ie s o f s e x u a lly gr aphi c D V D s c a l l e d “ G i r l s G one W i l d. ” T he D V D s — w hi c h f e a tur e y oung w o m e n d r in k in g a n d p a r ty in g w h ile f r e q u e n tly e x p o s in g th e m s e lv e s in w h o le o rin p art— co n t ai n fo o t ag e sh o ti n a v ari ety o f l o cat i o n s, i n cl u d i n g b each es, l ak es, c o lle g e c a m p u s e s , h o te l r o o m s , th e s tr e e ts o f N e w O r le a n s d u r in g M a r d i G r a s , e tc . M a ntr a pl e a de d gui l ty i n the di s tr i c tc our tt o a t e n- c ountI nf orm a t i on i n w hi c h the G o v e rn m e n t c h a r g e d th e c o m p a n y w ith v io la tin g tw o p r o v is io n s o f th e C h ild Pr o t e c t i o n Re s t o r a t i o n a n d Pe n a l t i e s En h a n c e me n tA c to f 1 9 9 0 . Se e 1 8 U . S. C. § 2257( f ) ( 1) , ( f ) ( 4) . S pe c i f

i c a l l y , the G ove rnm e ntc ha r ge d tha tM a ntr a ( 1) di d not m a in ta in “id e n tif

iab le r e c o r d s ” o n e a c h o f th e in d iv id u a ls f

e a tu r e d in c e r ta in o f

its D V D s, and (2) di d n otatt ac h t o i t s D V D s ast at em entdi sc l osi ng the l ocat i on w here

“ the r e qui r e d a ge doc um e nt a t i on r e c or ds ” c oul d be l oc a t e d. 1 T he di stri ctcourtse nt ence d M antrat o a fi ve-y ea r t erm of prob at i on on ea ch coun tand o rder ed the prob at i on t erm s t o run concurrent l y. T he courtal so ordere d M antrat o p aya f

i ne of $1 . 6 m i l l i on , an am ou ntnego t i at ed as partof M antra ’ s pl ea ag re em en t w ith th e G o v er n m en t. A s o n e o f th e s p ec ial co n d it io n s o f M an tra’s p r o b a tio n , th e c o u r t o r d e r e d its C E O , J o s e p h R . F r a n c is , to p e r f o rm c o m m u n ity3

s e rvi c e “ f

ora t ot a l t e rm of

30 c ons e c ut i ve m onths . . . i n the P a na m a C i ty D i vi s i on of the N orthern D i stri ctof F l ori da, ” the l ocat i on i n w hi ch the t ar get ed foot age w as re corded. F ra nci s f

i l ed thi s app ea l t o chal l enge the po rt i on of M antra ’ s s ent ence tha tr e qui r e s hi m t o pe r f orm c om m uni ty s e rvi c e . T he pr opr i e ty of tha tpor t i on of M a n tr a ’s s e n te n c e is th e o n ly is s u e b e f o r e u s . F r a n c is a r g u e s th a t b e c a u s e h e w a s n e v e rp e r s o n a lly n a m e d a s a d e f e n d a n t in th is c a s e th e d is tr ic t c o u r t v io la te d h is d u e p r o c e s s r ig h ts w h e n it o r d e r e d h im to tr a v e l to F lo r id a to p e r f o rm c o m m u n ity s e rv ic e o n b e h a lf o f th e n a m e d d e f

e n d a n t: M a ntr a , the c orpor a t i on ove rw hi c h he e xe r c i s e s ne a r l y c om pl e t e c ontr ol . T he G ov ernm entpo i nt s outthatF ra nci s, w ho appeare d i n p er son b ef ore the di stri ct j udge a tM a ntr a ’ s s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng a nd w a s gi ve n a n oppor tuni ty t o obj e c tt o the se nt ence i m po se d b y the court , m ade no o bj ec t i on t o the com m un i ty- se rvi ce pr ovi s i on ( ora ny othe ra s pe c tof M a ntr a ’ s s e nt e nc e ) . B e c a us e F r a nc i s di d not o b ject b elo w , th e G o v er n m en t arg u es th at w e s h o u ldre v iew th e d istrict co u rt’s se nt enci ng det erm i nat i on for pl ai n err or on l y. W e a gree . F i nd i ng no pl ai n err or, w e a f f irm th e ju d g m e n t o f

th e d is tr ic t c o u r t.

I. A tthe se nt enci ng hear i ng , the di stri ctcourtexpl ai ned t o M antra ’ s l aw ye r, to F ra n cis ( w h o p er so n ally ap p ea re d o n b eh alf o f M an tra u p o n th e d istrict co u rt’sMantra’ s lawyer. 2 4 o r d e r ) , a n d to th e A U S A th a t th e f o llo w in g “s p e c ia l c o n d itio n [ ]” w o u ld a tta c h to M a ntr a ’ s s e nt e nc e of

pr oba t i on: T H E C O U R T : M antraF i l m s, Incorporat ed, shal l cause i t s c hi ef

e xe c ut i ve of

f i c e r[ F r a nc i s ] . . . t o pe r f or m , on M antra ’ s behal f . . . com m un i ty s ervi ce . . . ea ch m on th, atthe di re ct i on of the U ni t ed S t at es pr oba t i on of

f i c e r , f ora t ot a l t e rm of

30 c ons e c ut i ve m o n th s.

. . . . . N ow l e tm e e xpl a i n the purpos e of thi s . A tthe tim e o f th e s e o f f e n s e s , it is c le a rth a t M r . F r a n c is exer ci se d t ot al control [over M antra ] , and h e s et the t one . A nd I thi nk i t ’ s appr opr i a t e tha the pe r f orm thi s s e rvi c e on be ha l f of the c orpor a t i on

. . . . N ow thi s c om m uni ty s e rvi c e s ha l l be pe r f orm e d i n the P a na m a C i ty D i vi s i on of the N or the rn D i s tr i c tof

F l or i da . I tm a ke s no s e ns e f or thi s s e rvi c e t o be pe r f

orm e d i n C a l i f

orni a . T he o ffen ses o ccu rred i n th i s co m m u n i ty an d th ese o f f e n s e s h a v e h a d a p r o f

o u n d e f f e c t o n th is co m m u n i ty. A f t e rr e i t e r a t i ng the t e rm s of M a ntr a ’ s s e nt e nc e , the f ol l ow i ng e xc ha nge oc c urr e d: T H E C O U R T : A gai n, M r. D ye r, ar e there any obj ec t i on s t o ei ther 2 m y ul t i m at e f

i nd i ng s of f

ac tor concl usi on s of l aw abou tthi s s ent ence ? M R . D Y E R : N o, Y ou r H on or. T H E C O U R T : C o u n s e l, a r e th e r e a n y o b je c tio n s to th e m a n n e rin w hi ch I prono un ce d sent ence ?The AU SA. 3 5 M S . M O R R O W : N o, Y ou r H on or. 3 M R . D Y E R : Y ou r H on or, ca n I have j usta m i nu t e t o con fe r

w i th m y cl i en t s? ( D e f e n d a n ts a n d c o u n s e l c o n f e rr in g .) M R . D Y E R : Y ourH onor , w e ’ r e r e a dy t o pr oc e e d. T H E C O U R T : A g a in , a r e th e r e a n y o b je c tio n s to th e m a n n e rin w hi ch I have prono un ce d sent ence ? M R . D Y E R : N o, Y ou r H on or.

. . . . . T H E C O U R T : O kay. D oes a nybo dy have any quest i on s? D oes

a ny body ha ve a ny thi ng f ur the rt o br i ng up? M R . D Y E R : N o, Y ou r H on or. II. Iti s c l ea r f

rom a r evi ew of the se nt enci ng tra nscr i ptthatno obj ec t i on w as m a d e to d is tr ic t c o u r t’s im p o s itio n o f c o m m u n ity s e rv ic e . P la in - e rr o rr e v ie w is approp ri at e w here an i ss ue coul d h ave been, bu tw as no t , ra i se d i n the di stri ctcourt an d i s i n st ead rai sed fo r th e fi rstt i m e o n ap p eal . S ee U n i t ed S t at es v . H u m p h rey, 16 4 F . 3d 58 5, 58 7 (11 th C i r. 19 99 ); F ed. R . C ri m . P . 52 (b). “ N o p roce du ra l pri nci pl e i s m ore f

am i l i ar. . . than thata c on st i tut i on al ri gh t , or a r i gh tof any other6

s or t , m a y be f

or f e i t e d i n c r i m i na l a s w e l l a s c i vi l c a s e s by the f a i l ur e t o m a ke t i m el y a ss ert i on of the ri gh tbefore a tri bu nal havi ng j uri sdi ct i on t o d et erm i ne i t . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. O l ano, 50 7 U . S . 72 5, 73 1, 11 3 S . C t . 17 70 , 17 76 (199 3).

“ F ourr e qui r e m e nt s m us tbe m e tbe f or e w e c a n r e ve r s e a di s tr i c tc our tf or p la in e rr o r . . . . F ir s t, th e r e m u s t b e a n e rr o r . S e c o n d , th e e rr o rm u s t b e p la in . T hi r d, the e rr orm us ta f f e c ts ubs t a nt i a l r i ght s of

the de f e nda nt . F our th the e rr or m ustse ri ou sl y a ff

ec tthe fa i rnes s, i nt egri ty, or pu bl i c r eput at i on of a j ud i ci al pr oc e e di ng. ” H um phr e y , 164 F . 3d a t588 a nd n. 3. W e w i l l a s s um e f orthe s a ke of a r g u m e n t th a t F r a n c is h a s id e n tif ie d a n e rr o rc o m m itte d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t. H is f a ilu r e to e s tab lis h th e s e c o n d r e q u ir e m e n t is f a ta l to h is ap p e a l. “A p lain er ro r is a n er ro r th at is ‘o b v io u s’ an d is ‘clearu n d ercu rr en t l aw .’ ” Id. at58 8. T he “ cl ea r und ercurr entl aw ” r equi re m entm ea ns that“ atl ea stw here the expl i ci tl angu age of a s t atut e or rul e does notspec i fi ca l l y r es ol ve an i ss ue, there c a n b e n o p la in e rr o rw h e r e th e r e is n o p r e c e d e n t f r o m th e S u p r e m e C o u r t o rth is C ou rtdi re ct l y r es ol vi ng i t . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. C hau, 42 6 F . 3d 13 18 , 13 22 (11th C i r. 20 05 ) ( ci t at i on om i tt ed). F ra nci s’ s a rgum enti s thi s: a c orpo ra t e off i ce r’ s due proces s r i gh t s a re vi ol at ed w hen a di stri ctcourtre qu i re s the corporat e off i ce r ( as an un nam ed de f e nda nti n a c r i m i na l c a s e ) t o pe r f orm c om m uni ty s e rvi c e on be ha l f of theThe district cour t expressly

deter mined that Francis is the “f ounder, chief e x ecutive 4 officer, sole shareholder , sole direc tor, and . . . off icial representative of the org anization, Mantra Films, Incorporated.”Francis did not challeng e this fac tual findingbelow and doe s not c halleng eit o n a

pp e al. 7 o ff icer ’s co rp o ra ti o n (th e n am ed d ef en d an t) as a c o n d it io n o f th e c o rp o ra ti o n ’s 4 s e n te n c e o f

p r o b a tio n . T h is a r g u m e n t is n o t c le a r ly r e s o lv e d b y “th e e x p lic it l a ngua ge of

a s t a tut e orrul e . ” I d. A nd i ti s notc l e a r l y r e s ol ve d by the l a ngua ge of the D ue P r oc e s s C l a us e of the F i f th A m e ndm e nt— the c ons t i tut i ona l pr ovi s i on up on w hi ch F ra nci s r el i es . T hu s, the al l eged err or com m i tt ed by the di stri ctcourt c a n b e “p la in ” o n ly if

“a p r e c e d e n t f

r o m th e S u p r e m e C o u r t o rth is C o u r t d ir e c tly r e s ol v[ e s ] i t . ” I d. F r a nc i s ha s notc i t e d a ny c a s e f r om the S upr e m e C our torf r om thi s C ou rtspec i fi ca l l y a dd re ss i ng the ar gu m enthe pres ent s i n thi s app ea l . S o even as sum i ng the di stri ctcourtcom m i tt ed an err or i n requi ri ng F ra nci s t o p er form c om m uni ty s e rvi c e a s a c ondi t i on of M a ntr a ’ s s e nt e nc e of

pr oba t i on — a pr opos i t i on w e do nota ddr e s s — a ny s uc h e rr orw a s not“ pl a i n” be c a us e i tw a s not

“ c l e a runde re xi s t i ng l a w . ” H um phr e y , 164 F . 3d a t588. III. F o rth e s e r e a s o n s , w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t c o m m it p la in e rr o r . T h e ju d g m e n t o f th e d is tr ic t c o u r t is AF F I RME D.