Opinion ID: 774509
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Ajaj's Culpability

Text: 25 Ajaj argues (a) that his involvement in the actual bombing was sufficiently attenuated as to make inappropriate the § 2A1.1 guideline for first-degree murder, (b) that he should have been granted a mitigating role reduction in his offense level, and (c) that Judge Duffy should have departed downward. These arguments are meritless. 26 As discussed above, the first-degree murder guideline is properly applied to arsons resulting in death, even if a defendant did not know or intend that death would result. See Tocco, 135 F.3d at 130-31. Lack of such mens rea may provide the basis for a downward departure, but such a departure is not mandatory and its denial is unreviewable absent circumstances not present here. See id. at 131. This framework, moreover, is equally applicable to convictions for conspiracy and, on a Pinkerton theory, for substantive crimes. See United States v. Diaz, 176 F.3d 52, 123-24 (2d Cir. 1999); United States v. Nichols, 169 F.3d 1255, 1272-75 (10th Cir. 1999); U.S. Sentencing Guidelines § 2X1.1. It follows that the district court correctly applied § 2A1.1. 27 With regard to the fact-sensitive question of whether a defendant merits a mitigating role reduction, we review for abuse of discretion the district court's application of the Guidelines to the circumstances of the particular case before it. See United States v. Kang, 225 F.3d 260, 261-62 (2d Cir. 2000); United States v. Aponte, 31 F.3d 86, 88 (2d Cir. 1994). Here, Ajaj's argument rests entirely on the claim that his culpability was less than that of other co-conspirators in this case. But even if this were so, to qualify for a role reduction he must show that his role was minor or minimal relative to both his co-conspirators in this crime and to participants in other arson conspiracies leading to death. See United States v. Ajmal, 67 F.3d 12, 18 (2d Cir. 1995). In the instant case, we earlier concluded that the government's argument at trial that Ajaj not only agreed to the essential nature of the plan but was one of the conspiracy's architects enjoyed solid evidentiary support. Salameh, 152 F.3d at 153. Under the circumstances, Judge Duffy was well within his discretion in finding that Ajaj was not less culpable than most other participants, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines § 3B1.2, cmt. n. 3 (standard for minor role), let alone among the least culpable participants, id. cmt. n.1 (standard for minimal role), relative to the the average participant in such a crime. United States v. Rahman, 189 F.3d 88, 159 (2d Cir. 1999).