FILED U.S. COURT OF A P P E ALS ELE V EN T HC IR C U IT APRIL 21 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAHN CLERK

Honora ble Melvin Br

unetti, United States Circuit J udg e for the Ninth Circuit, sitting by * desig nation. [ 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. 04- 15204

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 03 -003 73 -C R -B -S 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 R I O B U S T O S , a .k .a . M a r io B u s to , D e fe 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 fo rth e N o r th e r n D i s tr i c to f A l a b a ma

_________________________ ( A p r i l 21, 2006) B efo re B IR C H , C A R N E S an d B R U N E T T I , C i rcu i tJu d g es. * B IR C H , C i rc ui tJudg e:2

M a r io B u s to s a p p e a ls h is c o n v ic tio n fo rc a r r y in g a f ir e a r m d u r in g a n d in r e la tio n to a d r u g tr a f

f ic k in g c r im e . W e f

in d th a t th e e v id e n c e w a s s u f f ic ie n t to s us t a i n hi s c onvi c t i on a nd tha tthe i ndi c t m e ntw a s notc ons tr uc t i ve l y a m e nde d by th e j u r y i n s tr u c t i o n . We , th e r e fo r e , A F F I R M. I . B AC KG RO UN D B ust os w as i nd i ct ed for posse ss i on w i th i nt entt o d i stri bu t e acont rol l ed s ubs t a nc e , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) ( 1) a nd ( b) ( 1) ( C ) ( C ountO ne ) , a nd c a r r y i ng a f

i r e a r m dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a dr ug tr a f f i c ki ng c r i m e , i n vi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 9 24 (c )( 1)(A ) ( C ou ntT w o). H e pl ed no tgu i l t y a nd w as tri ed before a j u ry. A ttri al , the t es t i m on y r evea l ed thatan un derc ov eroffi ce r a nd a c on fi dent i al i nfor m a nt( “ C I ” ) m e tw i th B us t os i n a hot e l r oom i n or de rt o pur c ha s e dr ugs . T he un derc ov eroffi ce r t es t i fi ed that , before the tra nsac t i on t oo k p l ac e, B ust os offe re d hi m a bot t l e d s of

tdr i nk “ tha tha d a pop t op. ” R 5 a t86. B us t os r e a c he d i nt o the d r a we ro f

a n i g h t s t a n d , p u l l e d o u ta h a n d g u n a n d u n l o a d e d i t . I d . a t8 6 , 9 9 . He the n us e d the tr i gge rgua r d of the gun t o r e m ove the bot t l e c a p, pl a c e d the gun on the dres se r, and h anded t he softdri nk t o t he offi ce r. B ust os then sol d t he offi ce r and t he C I m ar i

j uana.3

A pol i c e of

f i c e rt e s t i f

i e d tha t , i n dr ug de a l s , f i r e a r m s w e r e us e d for prot ec t i on or t o “ ri p o ff” others . Id. at11 6-17 . A tra nsl at or w i th t he po l i ce d e p a r tm e n t te s tif

ie d th a t, a f

te rh is a r r e s t, B u s to s g a v e a s ta te m e n t to p o lic e . I n th a t s ta te m e n t, B u s to s s ta te d th a t s o m e o n e n a m e d J u a n o rJ o s e o f fe r e d to p a y fo rh is hot e l r oom i f

he w oul d ke e p s om e m a r i j ua na . B us t os t ol d the pol i c e tha t , w he n he w a s g iv e n th e m a r iju a n a , h e w a s a ls o g iv e n a g u n fo rh is p r o te c tio n . I d . a t 1 2 9 . A tthe c l os e of

the gove r nm e nt ’ s e vi de nc e , B us t os m ove d fora j udgm e ntof a c q u itta l, w h ic h th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d e n ie d . H e th e n c h a n g e d h is p le a to g u ilty a s to C ountO ne . B us t os t ook the s t a nd i n hi s ow n de fe ns e a nd t e s t i f i e d tha tJ ua n, the m an w ho offe re d t o p uthi m up i n a ho t el room i n exchang e f or B ust os t aki ng ca re of hi s m ar i

j uana, brou gh tthe gu n t o t he ho t el room . Id. at15 1. B ust os further te s tif ie d th a t th e g u n w a s u n lo a d e d o n th e e v e n in g o f th e a r r e s t. I d . a t 1 5 1 - 5 2 . B u s to s e x p la in e d th a t h e r e m o v e d th e u n lo a d e d g u n f r o m th e n ig h ts ta n d a n d u s e d it t o o p e n th e s o f

td r i n k s fo rth e C I a n d th e u n d e r c o v e ro f f i c e r . I d . a t1 5 6 - 5 7 . He s t a t e d tha the ne ve rus e d the gun fora ny thi ng othe rtha n ope ni ng s of tdr i nks a nd thatthe gu n n everl ef

tthe ho t el room . O n cross -e xam i nat i on , B ust os expl ai ned tha tJ ua n t ol d hi m tha tthe gun c oul d be us e f ul forde fe ndi ng hi m s e l f , butB us t os to ld J u a n th a t h e d id n o t n e e d th e g u n .4

B u s to s r e n e w e d h is m o tio n fo ra c q u itta l, w h ic h th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d e n ie d . T he di s tr i c tc our tthe n i ns tr uc t e d the j ur y tha tthe gove r nm e ntha d t o pr ove the fol l ow i ng e l e m e nt s be y ond a r e a s ona bl e doubtforC ountT w o: Fi r s t : Th a tth e d e fe n d a n tc o mmi t t e d th e d r u g tr a f f i c k i n g c r i me c h a r g e d in C o u n t O n e o f th e I n d ic tm e n t; Se c o n d : Th a tth e d e fe n d a n tc a r r i e d a f i r e a r m; T hi r d: T ha tthe c a r r y i ng of the f i r e a r m w a s dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o the c r i m e c ha r ge d i n C ountO ne of the I ndi c t m e nt ; a nd F o u rth : T h atth e d efen d an tcarri ed th e fi rearm k n o w i n g l y. R 1 - 3 0 a t 9 . T h e c o u r t th e n s ta te d th a t:

T he ph ra se “ du ri ng and i n rel at i on t o” the com m i ss i on of an o f fe n s e m e a n s th a t th e r e m u s t b e a c o n n e c tio n b e tw e e n th e d e fe n d a n t, the fi re ar m and t he drug tra ff i cki ng cr i m e s o t hatthe fi re ar m fa c i l i t a t e d the c r i m e orha d the pot e nt i a l of fa c i l i t a t i ng the c r i m e by s e r v in g s o m e im p o r ta n t f u n c tio n o rp u r p o s e o f

th e c r im in a l a c tiv ity s uc h a s e nfor c e m e ntorpr ot e c t i on. T o c a r r y a f

i r e a r m m e a ns e i the rt o ha ve a f i r e a r m on ora r ound one ’ s pe r s on ort o tr a ns por t , c onve y orpos s e s s a f i r e a r m i n s uc h a w ay th ati ti s av ai l ab l e fo r i m m ed i at e u se i f o n e so d esi res.

. . . I ti s e nough tha ta f

i r e a r m w a s pr e s e nta tthe dr ug tr a f f i c ki ng s c e ne , tha tthe f

i r e a r m c oul d ha ve be e n us e d t o pr ot e c tor fa c i l i t a t e th e o p e r a t i o n , a n d th e p r e s e n c e o f th e f i r e a r m w a s i n s o me w ay conn ec t ed w i th t he drug tra ff i cki ng offe nse. M e r e pr e s e nc e of

a f i r e a r m a tthe s c e ne i s note nough t o f i nd tha tde fe nda ntc a r r i e d the f i r e a r m dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a dr ug tra ff i cki ng cr i m e, beca use the fi re ar m ’ s pre se nce m ay be coi nci dent al or ent i re l y unrel at ed t o t he un derl yi ng cr i m e. S om e fac t ors thatm ay he l p i n de t e r m i ni ng w he the rde fe nda ntc a r r i e d the f i r e a r m dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a dr ug tr a f f i c ki ng of fe ns e i nc l ude , buta r e notl i m i t e d t o: a . the t y pe of

dr ug a c t i vi t y tha ti s be i ng c onduc t e d; b . th e a c c e s s i b i l i t y o f

th e f i r e a r m; c . the t y pe of

w e a pon; d. pr oxi m i t y t o dr ugs ordr ug pr of i t s ; a nd5 e . th e tim e a n d c ir c u m s ta n c e s u n d e rw h ic h th e g u n is fo u n d .

. . . . A pe r s on w ho ha s di r e c tphy s i c a l c ontr ol of s om e thi ng on or a r o u n d h is p e r s o n is th e n in a c tu a l p o s s e s s io n o f it. I d . a t 1 0 - 1 2 ( e m p h a s is in o r g in a l) . D uri ng del i bera t i on s, the j ury s ub m i t t ed se vera l qu es t i on s t o t he di stri ct c o u r t ju d g e . I n o n e o f

th e q u e s tio n s , th e ju r o r s r e q u e s te d “c la r if ic a tio n o f

th e . . . (t er m ) m er e pre se nce of a f i re ar m . ” R 1-24 ; R 6 at22 9-30 . T he di stri ctcourt a ns w e r e d the que s t i on by r e - r e a di ng a por t i on of the j ur y i ns tr uc t i ons a nd pr ovi de d e x a m p le s o f

s itu a tio n s w e r e “a f

ir e a r m ’s p r e s e n c e m ig h t b e c o in c id e n ta l o re n tir e ly un re l at ed t o t he un derl yi ng offe nse” such as “ w here a drug t ra ff i cki ng cr i m e t akes pl ac e i n a ho m e w i th a di spl ay ca se of hu nt i ng ri fl es . . . or i n a gu n sho p. ” I d. at 2 3 0 - 3 1 . T h e j u r y th e n a s k e d “ Do e s h o w h e u s e d th e f i r e a r m d e t e r m i n e h o w w e s houl d m a ke ourj udg[ ] m e ntordo w e ba s e i ton pos s e s s i on a l on[ e ] ? ” R 1- 25. T he c o u r t in itia lly r e s p o n d e d th a t “it’s th e p u r p o s e o rth e r e a s o n w h y th e f ir e a r m w a s in there . It ’ s notac tual l y how he used i t . ” R 6 at23 4-35 . T he di stri ctcourtexpl ai ned tha ta de fe nda ntc oul d be found gui l t y of c a r r y i ng a f

i r e a r m dur i ng a dr ug tra ff i cki ng offe nse “ even i f the gu n [w as ] never s ee n” or w as never t aken ou tof a ca r, i f the defendanthad carr i ed the gu n i n t he ca r w i th h i m and i f the j ury bel i eved6

thatthe gu n w as there t o p rot ec tthe drug s or m on ey . Id. at23 5. T he di stri ctcourt th e n e x p a n d e d th e a n s w e ra s fo llo w s :

T h e f ir e a r m m u s t h a v e s o m e p u r p o s e o re f fe c t w ith r e s p e c t to the dr ug tr a f

f i c ki ng c r i m e . I t ’ s pr e s e nc e ori nvol ve m e ntc a nnotbe the r e s ul tof a c c i de ntorc oi nc i de nc e . T he gun a tl e a s tm us tfa c i l i t a t e or h a v e th e p o te n tia l o f

fa c ilita tin g th e d r u g tr a f f ic k in g o f fe n s e . Y o u s h o u ld fo c u s o n th e p u r p o s e o f th e g u n b e in g in th e r o o m . F ore xa m pl e , a n a r m e d ba nk r obbe rw ho c a r r i e s hi s gun dur i ng the c om m i s s i on of

the ba nk r obbe r y a nd us e s hi s gun t o ope n a s oda dr i nk w hi l e the ba nk t e l l e ri s ga the r i ng the l ootha s us e d the gun i n a nonr obbe r y fa s hi on a ts om e poi nti n t i m e dur i ng the r obbe r y . T he t em po ra ry , no n-robb er y use of the gu n u nd erthe l aw do es no tm ea n thatthe robb erdi d n otca rr y the gu n i n a cr i m e of vi ol ence . T here ar e fou r e l em ent s t o C ou ntT w o, and I am go i ng t o rea d th e m to y o u n o w . . . .

. . . . O f c our s e , e l e m e ntone i s e s t a bl i s he d. I f y ou f i nd be y ond a r e a s ona bl e doubttha te l e m e nt s t w o a nd fourha ve be e n e s t a bl i s he d, t w o be i ng tha tthe de fe nda ntc a r r i e d the f i r e a r m a nd fourtha the c a r r ie d th e f

ir e a r m k n o w in g ly , a n d if y o u f in d b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b le do ub tthatthe gu n w as there t o p rovi de prot ec t i on for the [drugs] , that i s t o a voi d the dr ugs be i ng r i ppe d of f ort o pr ovi de pr ot e c t i on forthe m on ey fr om drug deal s, then you m ay fi nd thatthe fi re ar m w as ca rr i ed du ri ng and i n rel at i on t o t he cr i m e c harged i n C ou ntO ne, even though the onl y us e of

the gun, a c c or di ng t o the t e s t i m ony , w a s forthe de fe nda ntt o ope n a s oda c a n. Id. at24 4-46 . N ei ther the go vernm entno r B ust os obj ec t ed t o t hi s r es po nse. T he j ury fou nd B ust os gu i l t y of C ou ntT w o. B ust os fi l ed a m ot i on for new trial o r, in th e a lt er n ativ e, fo r a ju d g m en t o f a cq u ittal b as ed o n th e d istrict co u rt’s i nstruct i on t o t he j ury a s t o “ po ss es si on ” of afi re ar m and i nsuffi ci entevi dence that he kn ow i ng l y c arri ed the gu n. T he di stri ctcourtdeni ed the m ot i on , fi nd i ng that7

the i nstruct i on s t aken as a w ho l e a cc urat el y r ef l ec t ed the l aw and con form ed t o o ur prop osed j ury i nstruct i on s. T he courtfurther fou nd thatB ust os’ s handl i ng of the gu n sup po rt ed the j ury’ s ver di ctthathe ca rr i ed the fi re ar m . T he di stri ctcourtthen s e nt e nc e d B us t os t o s e r ve c ons e c ut i ve pr i s on t e r m s of 15 m onths on C ountO ne a nd 60 m onths on C ountT w o. B ust os ra i se s t w o argum ent s on app ea l . F i rs t , he cont ends thatthe evi dence w a s in s u f

f ic ie n t to s u p p o r t a g u ilty v e r d ic t fo rc a r r y in g a f ir e a r m d u r in g a n d in re l at i on t o a drug tra ff

i cki ng offe nse. S ec on d, he ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourter re d by c ons tr uc t i ve l y a m e ndi ng the i ndi c t m e ntw he n i ti ns tr uc t e d the j ur y tha tf i ndi ng tha tB us t os i n pos s e s s i on of the f i r e a r m w a s s uf

f i c i e ntt o f

i nd hi m gui l t y of c a r r y i n g th e f

i r e a r m. I I . DI S CUS S I ON A . S uffi ci ency of the E vi dence B u s to s a r g u e s th a t th e e v id e n c e th a t h e m e r e ly o p e n e d th e s o f t d r in k b o ttle w as i nsuffi ci entt o sho w thathe “ ca rr i ed” afi re ar m du ri ng the com m i ss i on of a dr ug tr a f f i c ki ng of fe ns e be c a us e the r e w a s no e vi de nc e tha the tr a ns por t e d or m ove d the w e a pon ont o the pr e m i s e s , c a r r i e d i ton hi s pe r s on, orus e d i ti n r e l a t i on to th e d r u g o f

fe n s e .8

W e r e vi e w s uf

f i c i e nc y of

the e vi de nc e de novo but“ vi e w the e vi de nc e i n the l i ghtm os tfa vor a bl e t o the gove r nm e nt , w i th a l l r e a s ona bl e i nfe r e nc e s a nd c r e di bi l i t y c hoi c e s m a de i n the gove r nm e nt ’ s fa vor . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M a r t i ne z , 83 F . 3d 37 1, 37 3-74 (11t h C i r. 19 96 ) ( i nt er nal ci t at i on om i t t ed). W e r evi ew the deni al of a m ot i on forne w tr i a l fora bus e of di s c r e t i on. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. A nde r s on, 326 F .3 d 1 3 1 9 , 1 3 2 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) .

“ [ A ] ny pe r s on w ho, dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a ny c r i m e of vi ol e nc e ordr ug tr a f f i c ki ng c r i m e . . . us e s orc a r r i e s a f i r e a r m ” s ha l l be s e nt e nc e d t o a m i ni m um of t e r m of i m pr i s onm e ntforf

i ve y e a r s . 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) ( 1) ( A ) ( i ) . B e c a us e the w or d “ c a r r y ” i nhe r e nt l y i nvol ve s “ s om e de gr e e of phy s i c a l tr a ns por t a t i on or mo v e me n t , ” “ w e c o n s i s t e n t l y h a v e h e l d th a tth e g o v e r n me n tmu s ts h o w s o me ac tual tra nspo rt i ng of the fi re ar m du ri ng and i n rel at i on t o t he offens e” for a

“ c a r r y i ng” c onvi c t i on unde r§ 924( c ) . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M ount , 161 F . 3d 675, 679 ( 1 1 th Ci r . 1 9 9 8 ) . “ [ T] h e d i s c o v e r y o f a n u n l o a d e d f

i r e a r m n e a rd r u g s i n a h o me w here drug s w er e s ol d i s, st andi ng al on e, ” i nsuffi ci entt o sup po rta § 92 4(c) c o n v ic tio n fo rc a r r y in g a f ir e a r m . I d . a t 6 8 0 . W e o b s e r v e d th a t o u rs is te rc ir c u its have “ sust ai ned ‘ ca rr y’ conv i ct i on s onl y w here there w as som e e vi dence su g g est i n g th atth e d efen d an th ad act u al l y m ovedthe f i r e a r m i n r e l a t i on t o hi s dr ug of fe ns e s . ” I d. T he c a r r y i ng e l e m e ntof § 924( c ) i s “ c l e a r l y i ndi c a t e d” w he r e the9

d efen d an t“ carri ed a sh o e-b o x th atco n t ai n ed b o th th e g u n an d th e d ru g s in h is hands . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. T i m m on s, 28 3 F . 3d 12 46 , 12 50 (11t h C i r. 20 02 ). I n th is c a s e , B u s to s a c tu a lly m o v e d th e w e a p o n d u r in g a d r u g tr a n s a c tio n . S e e M ount , 161 F . 3d a t679. B e c a us e B us t os pul l e d a gun outof a dr a w e ra nd ha ndl e d i tdur i ng the dr ug tr a ns a c t i on a nd be c a us e the r e w a s t e s t i m ony tha tthe gun w a s the r e t o pr ovi de pr ot e c t i on dur i ng the tr a ns a c t i on, the e vi de nc e w a s s uf f i c i e nt t o s uppor tthe j ur y ’ s ve r di c tf i ndi ng tha tB us t os ha d “ c a r r i e d” the f i r e a r m dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o the dr ug tr a ns a c t i on. B . C ons tr uc t i ve A m e ndm e nt W e r e vi e w “ w he the rthe di s tr i c tc our tm i s s t a t e d the l a w w he n i ns tr uc t i ng the j ur y orm i s l e d the j ur y t o the pr e j udi c e of the de fe nda nt ” de novo. A nde r s on, 326 F .3 d a t 1 3 2 6 . D is tr ic t c o u r ts a r e g e n e r a lly “g r a n te d b r o a d d is c r e tio n to fo r m u la te j ur y i ns tr uc t i ons a s l ong a s the j ur y c ha r ge a s a w hol e c or r e c t l y a ppl i e s the l a w a nd s t a t e s the fa c t s . ” A nde r s on, 326 F . 3d a t1330 ( c i t a t i on om i t t e d) . W e “ w i l l not re vers e aconv i ct i on on the basi s of aj ury c harge unl es s the i ss ues of l aw w er e pres ent ed i nacc urat el y, or the charge i m prop er l y gui ded t he j ury i n a subst ant i al w a y a s t o vi ol a t e due pr oc e s s . ” I d. a t1331 ( c i t a t i on a nd i nt e r na l punc tua t i on om i t t ed).10

A n i nd i ct m enti s c on struct i vel y a m ended w hen t he tri al evi dence and j ury i nstruct i on s “ so m od i fy the el em ent s of the offens e c harged t hatthe defendantm ay have been conv i ct ed on a groun d n otal l eged by t he . . . i nd i ct m ent . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. D a vi s , 679 F . 2d 845, 851 ( 11th C i r . 1982) ( c i t a t i on a nd i nt e r na l punc tua t i on o m itte d ) . A c o n s tr u c tiv e a m e n d m e n t r e q u ir e s r e v e r s a l. I d . “A v a r ia n c e r e s u lts w hen t he t er m s of the i nd i ct m entar e unal t er ed bu tthe evi dence offe re d attri al prov es fa ct s m at er i al l y di ff er entfr om tho se al l eged i n t he i nd i ct m ent . A vari ance m a nda t e s r e ve r s a l onl y w he n i ts ubs t a nt i a l l y pr e j udi c e d a de fe nda nt ’ s r i ght s . ” I d. ( i nt e r na l c i t a t i ons om i t t e d) . A f i ndi ng tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te r r e d i n i ns tr uc t i ng the j ury, ho w ever , i s notenou gh t o w arra nta r ever sa l ; a def endanti s e nt i t l ed t o a new tr i a l onl y i f

w e f i nd tha t“ a r e a s ona bl e l i ke l i hood e xi s t s tha tthe j ur y a ppl i e d the [ e r r one ous ] i ns tr uc t i on i n a n i m pr ope rm a nne r . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. L e ona r d, 138 F . 3d 90 6, 91 0 (11 th C i r. 19 98 ). T he i nd i ct m entchar ged B ust os w i th “ ca rr yi ng ” afi re ar m ra ther than po ss es si on of a f

i re ar m un der § 92 4(c) (1)( A ). T he di stri ctcourt ’ s ori gi nal in stru ctio n s s tated th at “[t] o ca rr y a fire ar m m ea n s e ith er to h av e a fire ar m o n o n e’s p e r s o n o rto tr a n s p o r t, c o n v e y o rp o s s e s s a f ir e a r m in s u c h a w a y th a t it is a v a ila b le fori m m e di a t e us e , ” a nd the n pr ovi de d a de f i ni t i on of pos s e s s i on. S e e R 1- 30 a t10 ( e m pha s i s i n or i gi na l ) . T he e vi de nc e w a s s uf f i c i e ntt o s how tha tB us t os “ c a r r i e d”11

the fi re ar m by hand l i ng i tdu ri ng the drug tra nsac t i on . C on se qu ent l y, nei ther a c ons tr uc t i ve a m e ndm e ntnorva r i a nc e oc c ur r e d be c a us e the tr i a l e vi de nc e di d not

“ m od i fy the el em ent s of the offens e c harged t hatthe defendantm ay have been c o n v ic te d o n a g r o u n d n o t a lle g e d b y th e in d ic tm e n t” o rp r o v e “fa c ts m a te r ia lly d if fe r e n t f r o m th o s e a lle g e d in th e in d ic tm e n t.” S e e D a v is , 6 7 9 F .2 d a t 8 5 1 . F ur the r , the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s j ur y i ns tr uc t i ons a s a w hol e c or r e c t l y a ppl i e d the l a w a nd s t a t e d the fa c t s –e ve n though the t e r m “ pos s e s s ” w a s i nc l ude d i n the defi ni t i on of “ ca rr y” –and the di stri ctcourtused the t er m “ ca rr y” ra ther than

“ pos s e s s ” a nd r e i t e r a t e d the e l e m e nt s of the c r i m e , i nc l udi ng tha tthe de fe nda nt ca rr i ed the fi re ar m , i n i t s a nsw ert o t he j ury’ s quest i on . F urther, the di stri ctcourt s t a t e d tha tm e r e pr e s e nc e of the f i r e a r m a tthe s c e ne w a s note nough, a nd the

“ a r m e d ba nk r obbe r ” i l l us tr a t i on c or r e c t l y s t a t e d the l a w by e xpl a i ni ng tha tthe gun m u s t h a v e b e e n k n o w in g ly c a r r ie d d u r in g a n d in r e la tio n to th e c r im e c h a r g e d . T h e d istrict co u rt, th er efo re , d id n o t ab u se it s d iscr etio n in d en yin g B u sto s’s m o tio n fo rn e w tr ia l b a s e d o n c o n s tr u c tiv e a m e n d m e n t o f th e in d ic tm e n t. I I I . CONCL US I ON T h e e v i d e n c e wa s s u f

f i c i e n tt o s u p p o r tth e j u r y ’ s v e r d i c to n C o u n tT wo be c a us e B us t os pul l e d a pi s t ol outof a dr a w e ra nd ha ndl e d i tdur i ng the dr ug tr a ns a c t i on. T he di s tr i c tc our tdi d notc ons tr uc t i ve l y a m e nd the i ndi c t m e ntby12

i nc l udi ng the t e r m “ pos s e s s i on” i n i t s i ns tr uc t i ons t o the j ur y be c a us e the i nstruct i on s a s aw ho l e c orre ct l y a pp l i ed the l aw and st at ed the fa ct s. W e, th e r e fo r e , a f

f i r m. AF F I RME D.