Opinion ID: 1002257
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Role

Text: A defendant may have a minimal role in the offense if he made only a small contribution to it and had little understanding of it. See USSG § 3B1.2, comment. (n.1). He may have a minor role if he is less culpable than most other participants, but has more than a minimal role. USSG § 3B1.2, comment. (n.4). A defendant has the burden of showing that he had a mitigating role of any sort. See United States v. Reavis, 48 F.3d 763, 869 (4th Cir. 1995). However, the court should not only compare the defendant's conduct to that of other participants, but measure . . . [it] against the elements of the offense of conviction. Id. (quoting United States v. Daughtrey, 874 F.2d 213, 216 (4th Cir. 1989)). Sellers argues that he was less culpable than Turner in the murder (the most important offense for sentencing purposes), and qualified for a mitigating role adjustment because the evidence of his active involvement was not credible. The district court found that Sellers had not met his burden of proof. We agree. Sellers was convicted of either participating in the killing or causing it. There was evidence that he urged Turner to finish Folmar off after she survived the first shooting and that he personally stabbed Folmar. Sellers provided no further evidence of his role at sentencing. Consequently, denial of a minor role adjustment was not clear error. We therefore affirm the conviction and sentence. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process. AFFIRMED 7