Opinion ID: 4123136
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Count Six: Attempted Witness Tampering

Text: Last, LaVictor argues that there is insufficient evidence to convict him of attempted witness tampering. As explained by the district court, to convict LaVictor, the government must show he “knowingly [attempted] to corruptly persuade C.B. to provide a false written statement with the intent to influence, delay, or prevent the testimony of C.B. in an official proceeding . . . in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512 (b)(1).” (R. 155, Tr., PageID # 2465) (the district judge instructing the jury). LaVictor believes that simply by sending C.B. a letter he cannot be convicted under the statute. Rather, he contends that in order to “corruptly persuade,” he must engage in some additional conduct either involving intimidation or a threat. In support of this argument LaVictor points to a number of decisions that hold that merely requesting a witness withhold information from investigators is insufficient to support a conviction. See United States v. Weiss, 630 F.3d 1263, 1275 (10th Cir. 2010); see also United States v. Farrell, 126 F.3d 484, 489 (3d Cir. 1997) (“[M]ore culpability is required for a statutory violation than that involved in the act of attempting to discourage disclosure in order to hinder an investigation.”). We reject his argument because LaVictor did more than simply encourage C.B. not to testify against him. This Court has held that urging a witness “in an official proceeding . . . [a] term encompass[ing] both federal criminal trials and grand jury testimony” to lie is sufficient evidence of witness tampering. United States v. Burns, 298 F.3d 523, 540 (6th Cir. 2002); see also United States v. Montgomery, 358 F. App’x 622, 629 (6th Cir. 2009) (noting that evidence showed the defendant sent letters to a witness urging him to lie about the basis of their relationship, and that was sufficient evidence of a conviction). LaVictor’s conduct in this case was tantamount to an encouragement to lie. He wrote out an affidavit and requested that C.B. copy it in her own handwriting and present it to the court. Because he was charged with the inchoate crime of No. 15-1580 United States v. LaVictor Page 35 attempt, it is immaterial whether or not he successfully persuaded C.B. to do so. Rather, by his efforts to get C.B. to refute her grand jury testimony, he took a “substantial step” toward witness tampering. Accordingly, we find his conviction supported by sufficient evidence.