Opinion ID: 794279
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 11 In considering whether a motion for judgment of acquittal was properly denied, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the guilty verdict, granting all reasonable inferences that are supported by that evidence. United States v. Cline, 570 F.2d 731, 733 (8th Cir.1978). Although a federal defendant bears the burden of production on the issue of self-defense, once that burden is met, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense. United States v. Scout, 112 F.3d 955, 960 (8th Cir.1997) (quoting United States v. Alvarez, 755 F.2d 830, 842 n. 12 (11th Cir.1985)); see also United States v. Deon, 656 F.2d 354, 355 (8th Cir.1981) (noting that once the issue of self-defense is raised, the burden shifts to the government to disprove the theory). 12 Wicahpe agrees that the district court correctly instructed the jury on the issue of self-defense. That instruction noted that it was the government's burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Wicahpe was not acting in self-defense. The court further instructed the jury that self-defense was defined as follows: 13 If a person reasonably believes that force is necessary to protect himself or another person from what he reasonably believes to be unlawful physical harm about to be inflicted by another and uses such force, then he acted in self defense or defense of another person. 14 However, self defense which involves using force likely to cause death or great bodily harm is justified only if the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to protect himself or another person from what he reasonably believes to be a substantial risk of death or great bodily harm. 15 (Final Instruction No. 2.) 16 Wicahpe's theory at trial was that Bissonette was volatile and violent when drinking, and that he was forced to arm himself with a knife and stab Bissonette to save himself. Having reviewed the record, we find substantial evidence presented to the jury that tended to negate the idea that Wicahpe acted in self-defense. For instance, before leaving his wounded father, Wicahpe told his brother Petan that they should get Bissonette. (Trial Tr. Vol. I at 51.) The two then commandeered another person's car to return to Wicahpe's house, driving so erratically that they hit the porch of the house before stopping. Wicahpe then entered the house, armed himself with a knife, and verbally confronted Bissonette until Petan entered with his weapon. Thereafter, Wicahpe attacked Bissonette with the knife, stabbing him twice. From this evidence, the jury could reasonably infer that Wicahpe's intent was to hurt or kill Bissonette to avenge the maltreatment his father suffered. 17 Wicahpe further contends that even if he is not entitled to an outright judgment of acquittal, he is only guilty of some form of manslaughter, not second-degree murder. He rests this argument on two bases: (1) that he has an imperfect self-defense, and (2) the evidence of provocation overwhelmingly rebuts any suggestion that he killed Bissonette with malice aforethought. 18 An imperfect self-defense involves the defendant's unreasonable use of deadly force to thwart an assault. Rinehart v. Brewer, 561 F.2d 126, 132 (8th Cir.1977). This may be proven by evidence that: (1) the defendant unreasonably but truly believed that deadly force was necessary to defend himself, or (2) the defendant inadvertently caused the victim's death while defending himself in a criminally negligent manner. See, e.g., United States v. Anderson, 201 F.3d 1145, 1151 (9th Cir.2001) (explaining differing theories of imperfect self-defense claims); United States v. Manuel, 706 F.2d 908, 915 (9th Cir.1983) (same); see also United States v. Brown, 287 F.3d 965, 975 (10th Cir.2002) (recognizing that a defendant may commit involuntary manslaughter if he acts in self-defense but is criminally negligent in doing so). A defendant who proves an imperfect self-defense does not have the requisite mens rea to be guilty of second-degree murder. Rinehart, 561 F.2d at 132. The defense does not exonerate the defendant of culpability for a homicide, but justifies only a manslaughter conviction. Id. 19 Principally for the reasons stated above, Wicahpe has failed to show that he is entitled to an acquittal of second-degree murder on his imperfect self-defense claim. An imperfect self-defense claim is premised on the view that some action was necessary for the defendant to protect himself. But in this case, the evidence, when viewed in the prosecution's favor, showed that it was actually Wicahpe who initiated the assault with the intention of fighting, hurting, or killing Bissonette. This is inconsistent with a self-defense claim, be it a perfect or imperfect one. 20 Wicahpe also maintains his innocence on the charge of second-degree murder based on provocation. It is well established that if the defendant had enough time between the provocation and the killing to reflect on his or her intended course of action, `then the mere fact of passion would not reduce the crime below murder.' United States v. Bordeaux, 980 F.2d 534, 537-38 (8th Cir.1992) (quoting Collins v. United States, 150 U.S. 62, 65, 14 S.Ct. 9, 37 L.Ed. 998 (1893)). In this case, the time between Wicahpe's emotional response to his father's injuries and the stabbing mitigates against a viable provocation defense. After seeing his wounded father, Wicahpe set out to find Bissonette. Once Wicahpe arrived, he and Bissonette spoke before engaging in a fight. 2 Driving to a different location and then verbally confronting an intended victim for some time before assaulting him is inconsistent with the claim that Wicahpe acted impulsively without any self-control. Moreover, Wicahpe's assault did not begin until Petan entered the house, holding a weapon. Taken together with the evidence that Wicahpe was seeking revenge, this supports the inference that Wicahpe maintained enough self-control to plan an attack with Petan, in which Petan would make a delayed entrance while Wicahpe stalled.