Opinion ID: 287544
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Kidnaping

Text: 22 Baker challenges the validity of his kidnaping conviction on two grounds. The first is a somewhat bizarre claim of double jeopardy arising from the following circumstances. At the close of the government's case, the trial court granted a motion for a judgment of acquittal as to the kidnaping count of the indictment. Upon reconsideration, the court shortly thereafter reinstated the Baker kidnaping count. Both the initial decision and its recall occurred out of the hearing of the jury. We must confess that we have difficulty in perceiving any connection between a defendant's constitutional right not to be placed twice in jeopardy and the events we have recited. Even those cases which define the scope of double jeopardy most broadly offer no support for Baker's argument. See, e.g., Downum v. United States, 372 U.S. 734, 83 S.Ct. 1033, 10 L.Ed.2d 100 (1963); Fong Foo v. United States, 369 U.S. 141, 82 S.Ct. 671, 7 L.Ed.2d 629 (1962). In the case before us, no final judgment of acquittal was ever entered, and certainly Baker was not subjected to the harassment of successive prosecutions. Nor did the prosecution seek a delay in order to obtain a more favorable opportunity to convict. The only prejudice Baker suffered is psychological; his hopes were first raised, then quickly lowered. But so ephemeral and insubstantial an injury is not proscribed by the Constitution. 23 Baker also contends that, since his crime was essentially robbery, the kidnaping count merged with the other offenses and therefore cannot support a separate conviction. This argument has no support in any federal court decision or in the language of the Federal Kidnaping Act, 18 U.S.C. 1201, which required only that the victim be transported in interstate commerce and 'held for ransom or reward or otherwise.' That the ultimate purpose sought to be furthered by a kidnaping is theft in no way precludes conviction under the Act. United States v. Healy, 376 U.S. 75, 84 S.Ct. 553, 11 L.Ed.2d 527 (1964).