Opinion ID: 180412
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of judicially found facts

Text: Stewart also challenges the sufficiency of the district court's factual finding that he intended to kill Washington. But Stewart offers no explanation as to why the evidence presented at trial does not support the court's conclusion. Issues adverted to in a perfunctory manner, unaccompanied by some effort at developed argumentation, are deemed waived. It is not sufficient for a party to mention a possible argument in the most skeletal way, leaving the court to ... put flesh on its bones. McPherson v. Kelsey, 125 F.3d 989, 995-96 (6th Cir.1997) (citation and brackets omitted) (holding that the plaintiffs waived an argument about their alleged false arrest due to a lack of development). Moreover, even if Stewart had not waived his argument concerning the sufficiency of the district court's judicially found facts, there is no basis in the record to overcome the heavy burden required to overturn the court's factual findings made during its sentencing decision. See United States v. Alford, 436 F.3d 677, 682 (6th Cir.2006) (reviewing judicial factfinding under the clearly erroneous standard of review). The court explained in detail that its finding concerning Stewart's intent to kill Washington was based on Stewart having aimed his shotgun at Washington's head at close range and the court's conclusion that Stewart was motivated by Washington's attempt to push the emergency alarm button. Alternatively, the court based its finding on the fact that Stewart shot Washington during the course of the bank robbery. Based on this analysis, the court concluded that the evidence establishes by at least a preponderance of the evidence that if Mr. Stewart were successful in his intent to kill Gwen Washington, it would have constituted first degree murder under 18 U.S.C. § 1111, because it would have been either willful, deliberate, malicious, and premeditated or would have been a felony murder, that is, would have constituted a murder committed in the perpetration of a robbery. The fact that Stewart, after shooting Washington in the head, [c]almly ejected the shell, racked another one, and was prepared to fire [again] if someone else didn't follow [his] instructions also contributed to the district court's finding that the shooting was not an accident. This evidence and analysis convinces us that the district court did not err in finding Stewart assaulted Washington with the intent to kill her.