Opinion ID: 2669163
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Any Essential or Important Purpose

Text: Mr. Daniel Maumau also argues that the district court’s instruction could be read to mean that “this element is established if [he] had any essential or important 16 In his opening brief, Mr. Daniel Maumau seems to agree. While arguing that there was insufficient evidence to convict under VICAR, Mr. Daniel Maumau stated that the fifth element of VICAR required only that “the defendant knew it was expected of him due to his membership in the enterprise or that it was committed in furtherance of that membership.” See Daniel Maumau’s Opening Br. at 19 (emphasis added) (discussing the holding in Smith). Mr. Daniel Maumau’s counsel also stated in oral argument that these two methods of establishing the motive requirement were “alternatives.” 49 purpose in committing the act.” Daniel Maumau’s Opening Br. at 31 (emphasis added). We disagree. The instruction stated that “[t]he particular Defendant’s purpose to maintain or increase his position in the enterprise need not be the only purpose for committing the act, but the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the purpose was an integral, or essential, purpose.” Daniel Maumau R. vol. 1, pt. 2, at 274 (emphases added). “The purpose” in the second clause of this sentence refers to the purpose in the first clause, which was limited to maintaining or increasing a position in the enterprise. And, the first sentence in this part of the instruction made clear that the purpose was connected to TCG by requiring proof that the defendant’s purpose “in assaulting the individual with a dangerous weapon, or aiding and abetting in the act, was to maintain or to increase his position in the enterprise.” Id. (emphasis added). Accordingly, we reject Mr. Daniel Maumau’s argument that the instruction allowed the jury to find guilt if he had any purpose, even a lawful one.