Opinion ID: 487412
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Statutory Scheme and the Standard of Review.

Text: 48 The Act provides that a court should order a defendant detained pending trial if no conditions or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the person as required. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(e). We have interpreted Sec. 3142(e) to require a district court to engage in a two step inquiry before ordering a defendant released or detained pending trial. United States v. Berrios-Berrios, 791 F.2d 246, 250 (2 Cir.), cert. dismissed, 107 S.Ct. 562 (1986). 49 First, the court must make a finding as to whether the defendant presents a risk of flight if not detained. Id.; see United States v. Martir, 782 F.2d 1141, 1146 (2 Cir.1986) (factors to be considered in making a finding whether a defendant presents a risk of flight). 50 Second, if the court finds that a defendant is likely to flee, then the court must proceed to the second step of the inquiry, namely, whether there are conditions or a combination of conditions which reasonably will assure the presence of the defendant at trial if he is released. Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 250. The burden of proof is on the government to prove the absence of such conditions by a preponderance of the evidence. United States v. Chimurenga, 760 F.2d 400, 405 (2 Cir.1985); see United States v. Gotti, 794 F.2d 773, 777 (2 Cir.1986). Congress has set forth in the Act certain categories of factors that a district court must take into account in conducting this inquiry. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(g). Among those factors are the nature and circumstances of the offense charged, id. Sec. 3142(g)(1); the weight of the evidence against the person, id. Sec. 3142(g)(2); and the history and characteristics of the person, id. Sec. 3142(g)(3). In applying the factors to any particular case, the court should bear in mind that it is only a limited group of offenders who should be denied bail pending trial. S.Rep. No. 225, 98th Cong., 2d Sess. 7, reprinted in 1984 U.S.Code Cong. & Ad.News 3182, 3189. 51 Our review of a district court's finding as to a defendant's propensity to flee is limited to the clearly erroneous standard of review. E.g., United States v. Melendez-Carrion, 790 F.2d 984, 994 (2 Cir.1986). In other words, we will disturb the district court's finding only if  'on the entire evidence'  we are  'left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.'  Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, 470 U.S. 564, 573 (1985) (quoting United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395 (1948)). Cf. Fed.R.Civ.P. 52(a). The clearly erroneous standard of review applies as well to the district court's predicate findings of fact underlying its ultimate finding as to a defendant's propensity to flee. Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 250. 52 With regard to the standard of review to be applied to a determination by the district court as to the existence of conditions to assure a defendant's presence at trial, panels of this Court recently have made what at first glance might appear to be conflicting statements, but which upon careful analysis are not in conflict at all. In Martir, supra, 782 F.2d 1141, we rejected an invitation independently [to] determine whether a conditional release would reasonably assure his presence at trial. Id. at 1146. We held that it was established in this circuit that we should reverse only if the district court's finding on this issue was clearly erroneous. Id. (citing United States v. Colombo, 777 F.2d 96, 100 (2 Cir.1985); Chimurenga, supra, 760 F.2d at 405). 53 In Melendez-Carrion, supra, 790 F.2d 984, we reaffirmed the general rule that the clearly erroneous standard applies with respect to the ascertainment of historical facts underlying the conclusion that the defendant is a risk to flee. 790 F.2d at 994. We recognized, however, that [a]ny error in the application of the pertinent legal standard is of course subject to broader review. Id. In commenting on this principle in Berrios-Berrios, supra, we stated: 54 Berrios argues that, even if the district court did not clearly err in finding that she posed a risk of flight, the court nevertheless erred by failing to consider fully and explicitly whether the government had shown that no condition or combination of conditions would 'reasonably assure' her presence at trial if she were released.... Berrios points out that the district court's obligation to consider all possible alternatives to preventive detention derives from the historical view that bail may be denied only in a 'rare case of extreme and unusual circumstances,' [United States v. Abrahams, 575 F.2d 3, 8 (1 Cir.), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 821 (1978) ], and that the presumption in favor of bail still applies where the defendant is found to be a risk of flight.... Because these legal and policy standards were explicitly incorporated into the [Act] ... the court's determination of the viability of alternatives to detention must be, in every case, a mixed question of fact and law. Such questions are subject to flexible appellate review. See [Melendez-Carrion, supra, 790 F.2d at 994-95]. 55 Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 251 (emphasis added). 56 Later in Gotti, supra, 794 F.2d 773, we stated that [i]n a number of recent cases construing the [Act] we have made clear that in reviewing detention and release orders, the clearly erroneous standard applies. Gotti, supra, 794 F.2d at 778 (citing Melendez-Carrion, supra, 790 F.2d at 994; Martir, supra, 782 F.2d at 1146-47; Colombo, supra, 777 F.2d at 100; Chimurenga, supra, 760 F.2d at 405). The Gotti panel stated in a footnote: 57 We realize that a divided panel of this court has very recently used language supporting broader appellate review, in the context of whether conditions of release would prevent a defendant's flight before trial. [Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 250-51]. It is difficult to square that language with our previous decisions, supra. In addition, the language concerning scope of review was not strictly necessary to the decision in that case. The Berrios-Berrios panel remanded so that the district court could articulate its reasons for concluding that no conditions of release would assure the defendant's presence. Whatever the standard of appellate review, it is clear that the panel there believed that elaboration by the lower court was necessary for any meaningful review at all. 58 Gotti, supra, 794 F.2d at 778 n. 4. See also United States v. Claudio, 806 F.2d 334, 338 (2 Cir.1986) (In this Circuit it is settled that a District Court's determination that grounds exist to detain a defendant prior to trial will be reviewed under the 'clearly erroneous' standard.). 59 We believe that our statements in the above cases are not inherently inconsistent. Rather, taken together, the cases should be read to establish guidelines for consistent review of district court determinations on whether conditions or [a] combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the person as required. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(e). These guidelines not only are based on the cases referred to above, but also find support in well recognized general principles of review applicable to a wide range of cases. 60 Whether there are conditions or a combination of conditions which reasonably will assure the appearance of the defendant at trial is a mixed question of law and fact. Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 251; see Melendez-Carrion, supra, 790 F.2d at 994. 61 It is in part a question of fact since the ultimate finding of the existence of such conditions properly can be reached only after consideration of the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(g). In most instances, those factors involve purely factual determinations. 62 It is in part a question of law since Congress' use in the statute of the word reasonably makes the existence of conditions under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(e) in part a question of law. A determination by a district court as to whether an act is reasonable usually is considered to be a legal conclusion. See United States v. Ceballos 812 F.2d 42, 46-47 (2 Cir. 1987); see also Mamiye Bros. v. Barber Steamship Lines, Inc., 360 F.2d 774, 776-78 (2 Cir.) (Friendly, J.), cert. denied, 385 U.S. 835 (1966). Nevertheless, in the ordinary case, we will review under the clearly erroneous rule the district court's ultimate determination as to the existence of conditions. See Gotti, supra, 794 F.2d at 778; Martir, supra, 782 F.2d at 1146-47. Although the issue whether conditions will reasonably assure the defendant's presence involves application of a legal standard, proper resolution of that issue depends in large part on the district court's predicate findings as to the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(g). Determining the weight to be accorded to each factor in reaching the ultimate finding as to the existence of conditions is the special province of the trier of fact. Inwood Laboratories v. Ives Laboratories, 456 U.S. 844, 856 (1982). 63 The clearly erroneous standard does not apply to the district court's ultimate finding, however, if the court has made an error of law. Melendez-Carrion, supra, 790 F.2d at 994. This rule rests on the well established principle that  'if an error of law has impaired the judgment of the trial court on a mixed question of law or fact', the finding should be set aside. Karavos Compania Naviera S.A. v. Atlantica Export Corporation, 588 F.2d 1, 8 (2 Cir.1978) (Friendly, J.) (quoting 9 Wright & Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure Sec. 2589, at 755-56). See also United States v. United States Gypsum Co., supra, 333 U.S. at 394. If, for example, the court does not consider the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3142(g) in reaching its ultimate finding on the existence or nonexistence of conditions, the finding will be subject to more flexible review. E.g., Berrios-Berrios, supra, 791 F.2d at 252 (court's failure to explain on the record the extent to which it considered any alternative to incarceration required remand). 64 Similarly, we may weigh the evidence ourselves if the district court considers those factors but nevertheless in reaching its ultimate finding relies primarily on some factor or factors not set forth by Congress in Sec. 3142(g). In weighing the evidence, of course, we will accord appropriate deference to those of the court's historical findings which are not affected by its errors of law. 65 Finally, the court's ultimate finding may be subject to plenary review if it rests on a predicate finding which reflects a misperception of a legal rule applicable to the particular factor involved. That is, even if the court's finding of an historical fact relevant to that factor is not clearly erroneous, we may reverse if the court evinces a misunderstanding of the legal significance of that historical fact and if that misunderstanding infects the court's ultimate finding. See Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., 466 U.S. 485, 501 (1984) (Rule 52(a) does not inhibit an appellate court's power to correct errors of law, including those that may infect a so-called mixed finding of law and fact, or a finding of fact that is predicated on a misunderstanding of the governing rule of law.). 66 Applying the foregoing principles with respect to the scope of our review, we turn to the findings of the district court in the instant case. 67