Source: http://openjurist.org/116/f3d/442/united-states-v-hogan
Timestamp: 2015-09-05 10:50:18
Document Index: 359480481

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2113', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2']

116 F3d 442 United States v. Hogan | OpenJurist
116 F. 3d 442 - United States v. Hogan Home
116 F3d 442 United States v. Hogan 116 F.3d 442
97 CJ C.A.R. 962
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.James Gustav HOGAN, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 96-3360.
On July 8, 1996, Mr. James Gustav Hogan pled guilty to one count of bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) (1994). In support of his guilty plea, Mr. Hogan represented to the court that
[o]n January 10, 1996, ... [he] did, by intimidation, unlawfully take from the person and presence of Shannon A. Mark money in the amount of $6,425.00, belonging to and in the care, custody and control on [sic] the Lyon County State Bank, Emporia, Kansas, an institution the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation....
The presentence report calculated Mr. Hogan's total offense level at 21, premised on a base offense level for robbery of 20, pursuant to USSG § 2B3.1(a) (1995); plus a two-level increase for robbery of a financial institution, pursuant to USSG § 2B3.1(b)(1)(A); a two-level increase for use of an express threat of death, pursuant to USSG § 2B3.1(b)(2)(F); and a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, pursuant to USSG § 3E1.1(a), and (b)(1) and (2). The two-level increase in his base offense level for an express threat of death was based on the robbery note Mr. Hogan handed the bank teller, which read, "I have a gun. Pass the money over fast. No dye packs or you die."
At sentencing, the district court overruled Mr. Hogan's objections to the two-level increase in his base offense level for making an express threat of death. The district court found the language of the robbery note indistinguishable from an example of an express threat of death in the commentary to § 2B3.1. The district court also found the robbery note, coupled with Mr. Hogan's action of keeping one hand in his pocket to give the impression he had a gun, "would distinctly and directly indicate to a victim that the defendant intended to kill or otherwise cause the death of the victim unless she cooperated." The court then adopted the presentence report and sentenced Mr. Hogan to thirty-seven months imprisonment.
On appeal, Mr. Hogan challenges the two-level increase in his base offense level for an express threat of death. Initially, Mr. Hogan contends the threat in the robbery note was not an express threat of death as required by USSG § 2B3.1(b)(2)(F). Mr. Hogan primarily bases this contention on the fact that dye packs are designed to "explode" at a later time and not while the robber is receiving the money. Therefore, he argues, the victim would have to believe the robber would return to kill her after the dye packs were discovered, which he states is an unrealistic expectation. Mr. Hogan also argues the announcement of a weapon does not constitute an express threat of death. Next, he contends the government failed to present any evidence the victim was in "significantly greater fear" for her life as a result of the statement in the robbery note than was inherent in the robbery itself.1 We review the district court's legal interpretation and application of the sentencing guidelines de novo. United States v. Lambert, 995 F.2d 1006, 1008 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 926, 114 S.Ct. 333, 126 L.Ed.2d 278 (1993).
First, the district court looked to the examples of an "express threat of death" in the guideline commentary and found Mr. Hogan's r