Opinion ID: 775727
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Eighth Circuit Model Jury Instruction 6.18.1956J

Text: 42 The District Court gave instruction number 43, a supplemental instruction on money laundering based on Eighth Circuit Model Jury Instruction 6.18.1956J. That instruction omitted the necessity of finding an effect on interstate commerce. After failing to object below, Derry Evans now argues that the District Court committed plain error by giving the model instruction. 43 On plain-error review, we have discretion to reverse only if there is an error that is obvious and that affects a defendant's substantial rights. United States v. Campa-Fabela, 210 F.3d 837, 840 (8th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, ___U.S.___, 121 S. Ct. 1739 (2001). Even in such circumstances, we should not exercise our discretion to correct forfeited error unless the error seriously affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732 (1993) (citations omitted). 44 The jury instruction reads as follows:It is not necessary for the government to show that a defendant actually intended or anticipated an effect on interstate commerce, or that commerce was actually affected. All that is necessary is that the natural and probable consequences of a defendant's actions would be to affect interstate commerce no matter how minimal. 45 Brief of Derry Evans at 11a (jury instruction number 43) (emphasis added); Judicial Committee on Model Jury Instructions for the Eighth Circuit, Manual of Model Criminal Jury Instructions for the District Courts of the Eighth Circuit 6.18.1956J (2000) (modified). 3 46 Derry Evans argues that the instruction erroneously permitted the jury to find him guilty of money laundering even if the transaction at issue--the purchase of an automobile from a used-car dealer in Missouri--arguably did not affect interstate commerce. He cites to United States v. Aramony, 88 F.3d 1369, 1387 (4th Cir. 1996), cert. denied, 520 U.S. 1239 (1997), for the proposition that the giving of an instruction that negates the need for the jury to find an essential element of the offense causes structural constitutional error that automatically requires reversal. The government contends that this instruction was not reversible error because, taken as a whole, the instructions made clear that to convict, the jury must find at least a minimal effect on interstate commerce. 47 The government's position is untenable. The express language of the instruction informed the jury that it was not necessary to find that Derry Evans's transactions affected interstate commerce to convict him of money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a). Thus, the instructions were reasonably likely to have understated the government's burden of proof. 48 There is no doubt that the model instruction is incorrect. An effect on interstate commerce is an essential element of the offense of money laundering. See 18 U.S.C. § 1956(c)(4). The question remains, however, whether an instruction that eliminated the necessity of a jury finding of that element constituted plain error in this case. A jury instruction that omits a single element of the offense can be subject to harmless error review. Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1, 8-9 (1999) (distinguishing cases involving omission of single instruction from cases in which a criminal trial cannot reliably serve its function as a vehicle for determination of guilt or innocence... and no criminal punishment may be regarded as fundamentally fair.) (quoting Rose v. Clark, 478 U.S. 570, 577-78 (1986)); see also United States v. Ben M. Hogan Co., 809 F.2d 480, 481 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 822 (1987) (deciding that jury instruction giving conclusive evidentiary presumption of effect on interstate commerce can be harmless error and finding that because the evidence was so dispositive of the issue of effect on interstate commerce, we can say beyond a reasonable doubt that the jury would have found it unnecessary to rely on the conclusive presumption that interstate commerce was affected). 49 Other circuits have held that a court's giving erroneous instructions virtually identical to the one given here does not create reversible error. See United States v. Owens, 167 F.3d 739, 755 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 894 (1999) (holding that giving of instruction virtually identical to Model Jury Instruction 6.18.1956J was not plain error because substantial evidence supported effect on interstate commerce); United States v. Allen, 129 F.3d 1159, 1164 (10th Cir. 1997) (holding that when evidence establishing effect on interstate commerce is overwhelming and essentially uncontroverted omission of element from jury instruction is not reversible error). Cf. United States v. Ables, 167 F.3d 1021, 1030 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 527 U.S. 1027 (1999) (holding that parties' stipulation that designated financial institution was engaged in activities which affected in some way or degree interstate commerce sufficed to establish interstate-commerce nexus, despite erroneous jury instruction). 50 We hold that the error was harmless. Underlying the charge for money laundering was the allegation that Derry Evans used proceeds generated from prostitution to purchase a used car. Derry disputes only that the purchase had any effect on interstate commerce. But--as was discussed previously--the purchase of a car necessarily has an effect on interstate commerce. Therefore, the erroneous jury instruction was not plain error. 51