Opinion ID: 654260
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Jury Instruction on Entrapment

Text: 104 Freeman argues that the district court should have instructed the jury on the defense of entrapment because there was sufficient evidence to support an entrapment instruction and to refute any claim that he was predisposed to commit a Hobbs Act violation. Although an entrapment instruction was requested as an initial matter, the request was voluntarily withdrawn. Consequently, we review for plain error. SeeUnited States v. Guthrie, 931 F.2d 564, 567 (9th Cir.1991); Ward, 914 F.2d at 1344. The reversal of a criminal conviction on the basis of plain error is an exceptional remedy, which the court should invoke 'only when it appears necessary to prevent a miscarriage of justice or to preserve the integrity and reputation of the judicial process.'  Ward, 914 F.2d at 1344 (quoting United States v. Bustillo, 789 F.2d 1364, 1367 (9th Cir.1986)). 105 In order to establish entrapment a defendant must show: (1) that he was induced to commit the crime by a government agent; and (2) that he was not otherwise predisposed to commit the crime. United States v. Busby, 780 F.2d 804, 806 (9th Cir.1986). The district court must instruct on entrapment only if the defendant presents some evidence of both elements of the defense. Id. 106 We will assume, for purposes of argument, that Freeman produced sufficient evidence to satisfy the first element of the entrapment defense as Brennan, who posed as the owner of Gulf Shrimp, was an FBI agent at the time of the alleged inducement. To determine, however, whether Freeman satisfied the second element, we must consider: 107 the character or reputation of the defendant, including any prior criminal record; whether the suggestion of the criminal activity was initially made by the Government; whether the defendant was engaged in the criminal activity for profit; whether the defendant evidenced reluctance to commit the offense, overcome only by repeated Government inducement or persuasion; and the nature of the inducement or persuasion supplied by the Government. 108 Id. at 807. None of the factors is controlling; however, the defendant's reluctance to engage in criminal activity is the most important. Id. 109 Freeman argues that there is ample evidence that he was not predisposed to violate the Hobbs Act. He asserts that the FBI agent initiated contact with him, offered him a job as a lobbyist despite the fact that he had no prior lobbying experience, and raised the subject of making contributions to Assemblyperson Moore. Freeman also points out that the Government drafted the special interest legislation. 110 We agree with the Government that Freeman's predisposition was evidenced as early as February, 1982, before the Government even conceived of a sting bill, when he told Marvin Levin that he could, as a Assembly staff member, obtain certain special interest legislation in return for payments to legislators. Freeman made similar statements in March of 1982. These statements show that Freeman was predisposed to violate the Hobbs Act prior to late 1985, when the Government initiated its undercover investigation. Moreover, there was a significant amount of evidence that Freeman demonstrated no reluctance to engage in criminal activity. Freeman has not demonstrated that the district court's failure sua sponte to give the jury an entrapment instruction was plain error.