Opinion ID: 396356
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: One Possession Count, One Transportation Count

Text: 37 The government argues that, on the basis of the evidence and the jury's verdicts in this case, the district court could have at least sentenced Wiga for transportation of one weapon and possession of the other; thus allowing a possible maximum sentence of seven years-five years for the § 922(g) count (pursuant to the § 924 sentencing provision) and two years under the § 1202(a) count. In support of this contention, the government asserts that United States v. Batchelder, 442 U.S. 114, 99 S.Ct. 2198, 60 L.Ed.2d 755 (1979), dictates that the district court was not required to sentence Wiga only under the more lenient § 1202(a) count, dismissing the potentially longer sentences under § 922(g). In Batchelder, the government had indicted the defendant under § 922(h) (receipt by an ex-felon of a firearm that has traveled in interstate commerce), and the defendant argued that the conduct proscribed under § 922(h) was the same conduct proscribed under § 1202(a), thus asserting his right to a lesser sentence under the rule of lenity. The Court held that it was proper for the government, in using its prosecutorial discretion, to charge under either statute and the district court was not required to sentence the defendant under the more lenient § 1202(a) because there was no ambiguity created by the two sections. 38 Wiga argues that at the most, Batchelder allows an indictment under either statute, but not both; and that it does not settle the question as to which charges should be dropped in a multiplicitous indictment. For that proposition, Wiga cites United States v. Larson, 625 F.2d 67 (5th Cir. 1980). In Larson, the defendant, a previously-convicted felon, was charged under 18 U.S.C. § 922(h)(1) and 18 U.S.C. App. § 1202(a)(1) for unlawfully carrying a single pistol. Larson argued that it was improper to be sentenced under both statutes. The court held that the United States Attorney may not proceed under both statutes and remanded the case to the district court to decide which conviction to vacate, noting that the district court was not compelled to vacate the convictions under § 922(h), carrying the longer sentence maximum. 39 A case perhaps more on point is United States v. Girst, 636 F.2d 316 (D.C.Cir.1979), modified on rehearing, 645 F.2d 1014 (D.C.Cir.1979). Girst, like Wiga, was sentenced under both 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 18 U.S.C. App. § 1202(a)(1). On the first appeal, the District of Columbia Circuit held that the two statutes proscribed the same conduct and vacated Girst's conviction under § 922, applying the rule of lenity in favor of a shorter sentence under § 1202. Upon rehearing, the court discussed the effect of United States v. Batchelder, supra, on the disposition of Girst. The court reasoned that Batchelder precluded it from applying the rule of lenity since the Supreme Court had decided that the two statutes were not ambiguous. However, the D.C. Circuit read Batchelder to also state that the government may prosecute under either § 922 or § 1202, but not both; therefore, the circuit court remanded the case to the district court to determine, within its discretion, which conviction to vacate. 40 We agree with the government that the district court was not precluded by law from sentencing Wiga under § 922(g) (pursuant to the sentencing provisions of § 924) for one firearm and § 1202(a) for the other. 14 However, we also agree with the Fifth Circuit in Larson and with the D.C. Circuit in Girst that if the prosecution fails to elect under which statute to proceed, and if convictions are rendered under both statutes, that the district court may exercise its discretion in deciding which conviction to vacate. As Wiga correctly asserts, Batchelder decided only that the prosecution may proceed under either statute. In the instant case, as in Larson and Girst, the government decided to proceed under both statutes which proscribe essentially the same conduct. In such a case as this, the district court, in its discretion, must solve the multiplicity problem; and toward that end, the district court below concluded that section 1202(a) is the more appropriate statute. We feel the government's suggestion that it, not the court, now be allowed to choose under which counts the defendant should be sentenced is fundamentally inappropriate. The United States Attorney, as a matter of prosecutorial discretion, may choose under which statute it prefers to proceed, provided it does not discriminate against any class, United States v. Batchelder, supra, but if it chooses to proceed under both § 922(g) and § 1202(a), it indicts the defendant twice for essentially the same conduct. In such a case, the government's review in this court of the district court's discretionary dismissal of some charges is limited to a determination of whether the district court abused its discretion. United States v. Larson, supra, and United States v. Girst, supra. We find no such abuse.