Opinion ID: 2994486
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: The defendant first argues that the government failed to meet its burden of proof as to the interstate commerce element of the arson crime of which he was charged and convicted. See United States v. Zabic, 745 F.2d 464, 474 (7th Cir. 1984) (stating that the interstate commerce element of arson must be established beyond a reasonable doubt). The federal arson statute makes it illegal for an individual to maliciously damage[ ] or destroy[ ], or attempt[ ] to damage or destroy, by means of fire . . . any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property used in interstate . . . commerce or in any activity affecting interstate . . . commerce . . . . 18 U.S.C. sec. 844(i). According to the defendant, the evidence the government presented at trial was insufficient to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the barns he was accused of maliciously damaging by fire were used in interstate commerce or in an activity affecting interstate commerce. In support of his insufficiency of the evidence argument, the defendant contends that the horse business at Green Top Farm ended, and the barns were removed from interstate commerce, upon the death of Mrs. Herriott. The defendant first notes that given his lifetime leasehold interest in the farm, the defendant had the exclusive right to use the barns in question and had no intention of continuing the pony business or of using those barns in interstate commerce. The defendant also argues that the disposition of the pony herd was left to him and Mrs. Plotner and, because the two were never going to agree on the proper way of managing the ponies, the pony herd was going to be sold with the profits split between the two parties. The defendant contends that because he did not intend to use the barn in interstate commerce during the course of his leasehold, and because the pony business was going to be dissolved absent an unlikely agreement to the contrary between himself and Mrs. Plotner, Mrs Herriott’s death effectively removed the barns from interstate commerce. The defendant faces a heavy burden in attempting to demonstrate that the government did not meet its burden of proof as to the interstate commerce element of his arson conviction. We review questions of sufficiency of the evidence ’in the light most favorable to the government and ask whether any rational trier of fact could find the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.’ United States v. Richardson, 208 F.3d 626, 631 (7th Cir. 2000) (quoting United States v. Rogers, 89 F.3d 1326, 1334 (7th Cir. 1996)). Only when the record contains no evidence, regardless of how it is weighed, from which the jury could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, may an appellate court overturn the verdict. United States v. Lundy, 809 F.2d 392, 396 (7th Cir. 1987) (quoting Brandom v. United States, 431 F.2d 1391, 1400 (7th Cir. 1970)). Moreover, in order to satisfy the interstate commerce element of 18 U.S.C. sec. 844(i), the government need only establish that the arson in question had a minimal effect on interstate commerce. See United States v. Hicks, 106 F.3d 187, 189 (7th Cir. 1997); United States v. Martin, 63 F.3d 1422, 1426 (7th Cir. 1995); United States v. Menzer, 29 F.3d 1223, 1230 (7th Cir. 1994). Because of the deferential review of sufficiency of the evidence claims and the low threshold for establishing the interstate commerce element, the defendant must demonstrate that no rational trier of fact could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that the barns the defendant was accused of maliciously damaging by fire had even a minimal effect on interstate commerce. After a review of the record, we conclude that the government proved a sufficient nexus between the defendant’s arson and interstate commerce. Although the defendant may be correct that the pony business was unlikely to continue as a viable commercial entity under the stewardship of the defendant or Mrs. Plotner, that assertion does not establish that the barns were removed from interstate commerce upon the death of Mrs. Herriott. This is not a case, as the defendant suggests, where the barns had only a past connection to interstate commerce. See, e.g., United States v. Gaydos, 108 F.3d 505 (3d Cir. 1997) (finding no connection to interstate commerce where a rental property had been removed from the rental market and where there was no intent to resume renting the property). Rather, even if we assume that the business was likely to be dissolved following Mrs. Herriott’s death, the key point is that it had not been dissolved at the time the arson was committed and consequently there was no cessation of business activity. See United States v. Wing, 104 F.3d 986 (7th Cir. 1997) (finding a sufficient connection to interstate commerce where the property destroyed received out-of-state shipments of supplies); Martin, 63 F.3d at 1427-28 (holding that the destruction of a rental property that was presently unoccupied but still available for rent satisfied the interstate commerce element of the arson statute). After the fire, much of the pony herd was sold at a public auction. In addition, at the time the defendant set fire to the barns in question, those barns sheltered breeding stallions that were also to be sold. In short, at the time the defendant set fire to the barns, those barns were still actively employed in the conduct of a pony business that was national in scope. See Jones v. United States, 120 S.Ct. 1904, 1909-10 (2000) (stating that the central inquiry under the federal arson statute is whether the damaged property is being actively employed in a commercial enterprise). In these circumstances, we cannot conclude that no rational trier of fact could have determined that the government established beyond a reasonable doubt the interstate commerce element of the defendant’s arson.