Opinion ID: 770402
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence for 18 U.S.C. sec. 924(c)

Text: 8 The jury found Taylor guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. sec. 924(c) by virtue of his assistance to Wilson's use of a firearm during the carjacking, but Taylor challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to establish that he knew beforehand of Wilson's intent to use a firearm. Typically, we review the sufficiency of the evidence in the light most favorable to the government and reverse only if the record is devoid of evidence from which the jury could reach a finding of guilt. See United States v. Johnson-Nix, 54 F.3d 1295, 1302 (7th Cir. 1995); United States v. Rosalez-Cortez, 19 F.3d 1210, 1215 (7th Cir. 1994). However, our review here requires an even higher showing from Taylor because he failed to renew his motion for acquittal at the close of all evidence or within seven days of the verdict under Fed. R. Crim. P. 29. See United States v. Hickok, 77 F.3d 992, 1002 (7th Cir. 1996) (citations omitted). As a result, under well- established precedent in this circuit, [the defendant] has waived an appellate challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence and may obtain a reversal only if he demonstrates 'a manifest miscarriage of justice.' Id. 9 To convict for aiding and abetting under 18 U.S.C. sec. 924(c), the jury must find that the defendant knowingly and intentionally assisted the principal's use of a dangerous weapon in a violent felony. See United States v. Woods, 148 F.3d 843, 848 (7th Cir. 1998). This requires finding that (1) the defendant knew, either before or during the crime, of the principal's weapon possession or use; and (2) the defendant intentionally facilitated that weapon possession or use once so informed. See id. However, [m]erely aiding the underlying crime and knowing that a gun would be used or carried cannot support a conviction under 18 U.S.C. sec. 924(c). Id.; see also United States v. Bancalari, 110 F.3d 1425, 1430 (9th Cir. 1997); United States v. Medina, 32 F.3d 40, 45 (2d Cir. 1994). Instead, the defendant must aid and abet the use or carrying of the firearm. Woods, 148 F.3d at 848. 10 In this case, the government introduced no direct evidence showing that Taylor knew in advance that Wilson would use a firearm to commit the carjacking. In contrast to the evidence presented in United States v. Woods, 148 F.3d 843, there was no testimony that Taylor asked Wilson before the crime whether Wilson had his gun, then watched Wilson load the gun and bring it with him. However, a reasonable jury could infer from the inherently violent character of carjackings that Taylor either anticipated or knew that Wilson was going to use a weapon. Moreover, during the extended pursuit of Wade, Taylor rode along in the Mitsubishi with Wilson, who was carrying his handgun this entire time, and the jury could reasonably infer that Taylor noticed or learned during the ride that Wilson possessed a weapon. 11 Even if Taylor did not discover Wilson's planned use of the weapon by this point, Taylor must have so understood once Taylor and his cohorts had trapped their victim at her sister's residence. There, Wilson charged out of Taylor's car wildly brandishing his weapon, shot Wade in the arm and fired three or four shots into the house. Taylor remained just yards away from Wilson this entire time and cannot credibly claim to have missed Wilson's use of a firearm during the carjacking. See, e.g., Haugh v. Booker, 210 F.3d 1147, 1151 (10th Cir. 2000) (inferring knowledge based on the defendant's presence during his confederate's use of a firearm). If Wilson was physically distant or otherwise removed from Taylor's vantage at the time Wilson brandished and used the firearm, we could not automatically presume Taylor's observation and actual knowledge of weapon use. See United States v. Spinney, 65 F.3d 231, 239 (1st Cir. 1995); United States v. Dinkane, 17 F.3d 1192, 1197 (9th Cir. 1994). Such was not the case here; Taylor was present on the scene within yards of Wilson when Wilson shot Wade from close range and discharged several shots into the residence. 12 At this point, after learning of Wilson's firearm use and while the commission of the carjacking was still ongoing, Taylor continued to participate in the carjacking and facilitated Wilson's escape. Taylor backed the Mitsubishi out of the front yard and used it to push Wade's Pontiac down the road, thus knowingly aiding Wilson's escape from a violent felony in which Wilson used a firearm. Taylor's acts of assistance are more than sufficient to meet the facilitation element, which once knowledge on the part of the aider and abettor is established, . . . does not take much to satisfy. Woods, 148 F.3d at 848 (quoting United States v. Bennett, 75 F.3d 40, 45 (1st Cir. 1996)). Less has met the requirement of facilitation in the past. For example, in United States v. Price, 76 F.3d 526, 530 (3d Cir. 1996), the Third Circuit found that the defendant had knowingly facilitated the use of a firearm when he continued to collect money from cash drawers during a bank robbery after the principal had threatened bank employees with a gun. See also Bazemore v. United States, 138 F.3d 947, 949-50 (11th Cir. 1998) (finding facilitation when the defendant drove the principal to the scene of the crime); United States v. Morrow, 977 F.2d 222, 231 (6th Cir. 1992) (finding no miscarriage of justice when the defendant received the protection of his confederate's weapon). Taylor likewise continued to assist Wilson by facilitating Wilson's escape after it was clear that Wilson had used a firearm in the commission of the carjacking. 13 Manifest miscarriage of justice is perhaps the most demanding standard of appellate review. We will reverse 'only if the record is devoid of evidence pointing to guilt, or if the evidence on a key element of the offense was so tenuous that a conviction would be shocking.' United States v. McKinney, 143 F.3d 325, 330 (7th Cir. 1998) (quoting United States v. Wright, 63 F.3d 1067, 1072 (11th Cir. 1995)). We cannot say that the record is devoid of evidence pointing to guilt or that the evidence is so tenuous that it shocks the conscience. No manifest miscarriage of justice resulted from Taylor's conviction. 14