Source: http://openjurist.org/155/f3d/844
Timestamp: 2013-06-20 01:59:45
Document Index: 580368897

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 1']

155 F3d 844 United States v. Gibson | OpenJurist
155 F. 3d 844 - United States v. Gibson	Home155 f3d 844 united states v. gibson
155 F3d 844 United States v. Gibson 155 F.3d 844
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Rebecca GIBSON, Defendant-Appellant.
Argued Dec. 17, 1997.Decided Aug. 14, 1998.
In this case the parties ask us to decide whether the statement, "I have a gun," constitutes a "threat of death" for purposes of U.S.S.G. § 2B3.1(b)(2)(F) when made in the context of a bank robbery. The parties briefed and argued this case before we decided United States v. Carbaugh, 141 F.3d 791 (7th Cir.), reh'g denied, June 30, 1998, which squarely addresses the issue. In Carbaugh, we held that the statement, "I have a gun," constitutes a threat of death within the meaning of section 2B3.1(b)(2)(F) unless mitigating circumstances deprive the words of their plain meaning. Since there is no meaningful distinction between this case and Carbaugh, we affirm.
Whether a robber's statement can constitute an express threat of death involves the legal interpretation of a sentencing guideline which we review de novo. See United States v. Jones, 83 F.3d 927, 929 (7th Cir.1996). Whether the statement amounts to a threat of death under the circumstances is a factual question which we review for clear error. Carbaugh, 141 F.3d at 792-93 (citing United States v. Hunn, 24 F.3d 994, 998 (7th Cir.1994)).
In Carbaugh, however, we found it unnecessary to decide whether the new amendment applies because the majority of circuits (including ours) had written the word "express" out of the guideline even before the Sentencing Commission did. United States v. Figueroa, 105 F.3d 874, 877 (3d Cir.1997) ("The majority of the courts of appeals ... have held that the defendant can make an express threat of death without explicitly threatening to kill the victim.") cert. den. --- U.S. ----, 117 S.Ct. 1860, 137 L.Ed.2d 1061 (1997); see also United States v. Robinson, 86 F.3d 1197, 1203 (D.C.Cir.1996) ("[W]e have concluded that express threats of death can be based on inferences."); United States v. Murray, 65 F.3d 1161, 1167 (4th Cir.1995); United States v. Hunn, 24 F.3d 994 (implied threats of death fall within the meaning of the guideline).
As we said in Carbaugh, however, our holding is not absolute. Since our question involves sensitivity to fact and context, we are unwilling to hold that "I have a gun" always amounts to a threat of death. It is conceivable that unusual mitigating circumstances accompanying this statement could deprive the words of their "ordinary and expected meaning." Carbaugh, 141 F.3d at 795. Here, however, the district court pointed to no such mitigating factors. In view of the circumstances present in this case, Gibson's statement can only be construed as a threat of death under U.S.S.G. § 2B3.1(b)(2)(F).
Two other sentencing issues merit brief comment. First, Gibson argues that the enhancement she received for obstruction of justice was unwarranted, despite her concession that she changed her story every time she told it. We review the district court's obstruction of justice finding for clear error. United States v. Francis, 39 F.3d 803, 811 (7th Cir.1994). If two permissible views of the evidence exist, the fact-finder's choice between them cannot be clearly erroneous. United States v. McDonald, 22 F.3d 139, 144 (7th Cir.1994).
Section 3C1.1 provides that "[i]f the defendant willfully obstructed or impeded, or attempted to obstruct or impede, the administration of justice during the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of the instant offense, increase the offense level by 2 levels." U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1. The application notes list several examples of such conduct including (i) "providing materially false information to a judge or magistrate" and (ii) "providing a materially false statement to a law enforcement officer that significantly obstructed or impeded the official investigation or prosecution of the instant offense." Id. comment. (n.3(f) & (g)). The district court found that the two level enhancement was appropriate because "defendant has wavered with respect to articulating a definitive story as to Gonzales' involvement in the robberies." Dist. Ct. Order of May 19, 1997 at 3.
Gibson argues that she did not lie to the court during her guilty plea, but rather lied to FBI agents during the initial two interviews. However, even if Gibson lied to the FBI and not to the court, her false statement (that there was no gun) conceals the very reason for the robbery--coercion with a gun. Such coercion is material because it could have a significant impact during sentencing. See United States v. Thomas, 11 F.3d 1392, 1400 (7th Cir.1993) ("[T]he definition of a 'material' statement embraces false statements that would tend to affect a defendant's sentence ...." (quoting United States v. Rodriguez, 943 F.2d 215, 218 (2d Cir.1991))). Coercion of a defendant could warrant a lower sentence within the guideline range or it could form the basis of a downward departure under U.S.S.G. § 5K2.12. See United States v. Steels, 38 F.3d 350, 352 (7th Cir.1994). In fact, Gibson moved for a downward departure under § 5K2.12 (coercion) in the district court. Accordingly, her false statement to the FBI was material.
Finally, Gibson argues that the district court should have granted a reduction based on her acceptance of responsibility. The district court's acceptance of responsibility determination is a factual finding, which we review for clear error. United States v. Wetwattana, 94 F.3d 280, 285 (7th Cir.1996).
We note that Gibson's four accounts of the robbery describe increasing levels of coercion. In the first account, Gonzales was not aware of the robbery. In the second, he ordered the robberies and Gibson feared that he would beat her if she refused. In the third account, he held a gun on his lap during one of the robberies. And in Gibson's final story, Gonzales possessed a gun during both robberies. Gibson's increasing efforts to invoke a claim of coercion suggest that she attempted to shift blame to Gonzalez rather than accept responsibility for her conduct. Cf. United States v. Simpson, 995 F.2d 109, 112 (7th Cir.1993) (Where defendant attempts to shift responsibility to government agent and "persists in asserting entrapment, she cannot also claim acceptance of responsibility."). Since the district court had a permissible view of the evidence, we defer to its factual finding that Gibson failed to accept responsibility for her conduct.
The Guidelines instruct that "if a court applies an earlier edition of the Guidelines Manual, the court shall consider subsequent amendments, to the extent that such amendments are clarifying rather than substantive changes." U.S.S.G. § 1B1.11(b)(2)
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