Opinion ID: 149596
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Indictment Valid on Its Face

Text: The government argues on appeal that the superseding indictment is legally sufficient to charge the offense of solicitation. We review questions of law in a district court's ruling on a motion to dismiss an indictment de novo. United States v. Greve, 490 F.3d 566, 570 (7th Cir.2007); United States v. Risk, 843 F.2d 1059, 1061 (7th Cir.1988). An indictment is legally sufficient if it (1) states all the elements of the crime charged; (2) adequately informs the defendant of the nature of the charges so that he may prepare a defense; and (3) allows the defendant to plead the judgment as a bar to any future prosecutions. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 7(c)(1); United States v. Smith, 230 F.3d 300, 305 (7th Cir.2000). An indictment is reviewed on its face, regardless of the strength or weakness of the government's case. Risk, 843 F.2d at 1061. One that tracks the words of a statute to state the elements of the crime is generally acceptable, and while there must be enough factual particulars so the defendant is aware of the specific conduct at issue, the presence or absence of any particular fact is not dispositive. Smith, 230 F.3d at 305. Applying these standards, the indictment here is legally sufficient. Title 18 of the United States Code, section 373(a) provides, in pertinent part: Whoever, with intent that another person engage in conduct constituting a felony that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against property or against the person of another in violation of the laws of the United States, and under circumstances strongly corroborative of that intent, solicits, commands, induces, or otherwise endeavors to persuade such other person to engage in such conduct. In a solicitation prosecution, the government must establish (1) with strongly corroborative circumstances that a defendant intended for another person to commit a violent federal crime, and (2) that a defendant solicited or otherwise endeavored to persuade the other person to carry out the crime. 18 U.S.C. § 373(a); see United States v. Hale, 448 F.3d 971 (7th Cir.2006). A list of non-exhaustive corroborating circumstances of the defendant's intent include whether the defendant repeatedly solicited the commission of the offense, the defendant's belief as to whether the person solicited had previously committed similar offenses, and whether the defendant acquired the tools or information suited for use by the person solicited. United States v. Gabriel, 810 F.2d 627, 635 (7th Cir.1987) (citing S.REP. NO. 97-307, at 183 (1982)). The indictment here tracks the language of the statute, and lists each element of the crime. It charges White with having the intent for another person to injure Juror A, and soliciting another person to do so. It provides corroborating circumstances of White's intent. As one example of his intent, the government points to the re-posting of the information once action was taken by Juror A's employer to remove his picture from public access. As another, the government argues that White knew the persons solicited were prone to violence. The indictment properly charges a federal solicitation because injuring a juror for rendering a verdict is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1503. Finally, by adding factual allegations and dates, it makes White aware of the specific conduct against which he will have to defend himself at trial. In judging the sufficiency of this indictment, we do not consider whether any of the charges have been established by evidence or whether the government can ultimately prove its case. United States v. Sampson, 371 U.S. 75, 78-79, 83 S.Ct. 173, 9 L.Ed.2d 136 (1962); Smith, 230 F.3d at 305. We only look to see if an offense is sufficiently charged, and on its face, this indictment adequately performs that function.