Opinion ID: 577004
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: James T. Semon: Interference With Justice

Text: 49 Semon's perjury convictions rested upon his having lied to the Grand Jury about his knowledge of and participation in the payoff arrangement with the Malden area prostitutes. Semon denied that he had taken payoffs and he denied knowing that his co-defendant, Butt, had taken such payoffs. The guideline under which Semon was sentenced provides for a three-level increase in the sentence [i]f the perjury or subornation of perjury resulted in substantial interference with the administration of justice.... U.S.S.G. § 2J1.3(b)(2). Finding that Semon's perjury did produce such interference, the trial court enhanced his sentence accordingly. Semon challenges this decision on the merits and on grounds of default.
50 The government did not inform Semon or the trial court of its intent to seek the § 2J1.3(b)(2) enhancement until the morning of Semon's sentencing. Semon contends, and we agree, that the sentencing guidelines do not favor such eleventh hour applications. To the contrary, they explicitly encourage the narrowing and resolution ... of issues in dispute in advance of the sentencing hearing.... U.S.S.G. § 6A1.2, p.s. 51 Whether the tardiness of an application for enhancement constitutes default, or waiver, however, is a separate and far more controversial matter. It is, moreover, one that we need not decide. Sensitive to the potential for unfairness occasioned by the government's delay, the district court offered to postpone the proceedings so that Semon might have additional time to brief the enhancement issue. Semon declined the court's invitation in the interest of bringing to an end the uncertainty surrounding his sentence. He informed the court that he was familiar enough with the pertinent case law to argue the matter and proceeded to do so. In our view, Semon thereby waived any basis for appealing the district court's decision to consider the government's application.
52 Semon also challenges the trial court's judgment that his perjury did, in fact, interfere with the administration of justice within the meaning of § 2J1.3(b)(2). He complains that his simple and straightforward lies were not sufficiently egregious to trigger the enhancement. 53 The government represented to the district court that Semon's denials before the Grand Jury in April 1989 needlessly complicated its investigation and prosecution. Had Semon admitted his involvement at the outset, the government arguably would not have needed to locate all three of the prostitutes who testified about receiving police protection from Butt and Semon in exchange for weekly payments, or the several witnesses who corroborated this testimony. With fewer witnesses to examine, the government, presumably, would have been spared time and expense at trial. Perhaps most important, had Semon testified truthfully, the government might not have immunized persons whom it otherwise could have prosecuted. 54 Even were we to accept Semon's premise that his perjury was less obstructive than that deemed worthy of enhancement by other courts, see United States v. Lueddeke, 908 F.2d 230 (7th Cir.1990); United States v. Barnhart, 889 F.2d 1374 (5th Cir.1989)--and we make no such ruling--we would not, without more, be disposed to reverse the district court's determination. We review a sentencing court's application of the guidelines to the facts before it for clear error, only. 18 U.S.C. § 3742(e); United States v. Rodriguez-Cardona, 924 F.2d 1148, 1155 (1st Cir.1991). Commentary to § 2J1.3(b)(2) specifically includes the unnecessary expenditure of substantial governmental or court resources within the definition of substantial interference with the administration of justice, § 2J1.3(b)(2) comment. (n. 1). And the government need prove the relevant facts only by a preponderance of the evidence, for purposes of applying the sentencing guidelines. Rodriguez-Cardona, 924 F.2d at 1155. We find no error here.