Court Opinion

ID: 9469233
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:35:44.162035+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:17.813291
License: Public Domain

ROBERT J. McNICHOLS, District Judge,
dissenting:
Because I disagree with the majority’s standard of review and its treatment of the issue of sufficiency of the evidence, I respectfully dissent.
In considering Chesher’s claim that the evidence against him was insufficient to support the conviction, the majority limits review to a determination of whether the stipulated facts present substantial evidence of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In doing so, the majority relies upon Lundgren v. Freeman, 307 F.2d 104, 113-115 (9th Cir. 1962) which in turn is based upon rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
I do not believe that either rule 52(a) Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or Lund-gren apply to this case. Rule 23(c) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provides:
(c) Trial Without a Jury. In a case tried without a jury the court shall make a general finding and shall in addition, on request made before the general finding, find the facts specially. Such finding may be oral. If an opinion or memorandum of decision is filed, it will be sufficient if the findings of fact appear therein.
Professor Wright in Federal Practice and Procedure, § 374 states:
In cases in which a jury has been waived, the trial judge must weigh the evidence, determine the credibility of the witnesses, and find the facts. Unlike the corresponding civil rule, Criminal Rule 23(c) does not state the effect which must be given findings in a jury-waived case. On the ultimate finding of guilt, there is a division of authority. Some courts say that it must stand if it is supported by substantial evidence, others that it can be reversed only if “clearly erroneous,” and others that it must be reversed if a reasonable mind could not find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. On findings by the court on matters other than guilt, there is general agreement that the “clearly erroneous” test should be applied. This test is given the same meaning in this context as it has in civil cases. [Emphasis added]
I have not found a case in this Circuit establishing a standard of review in a criminal case such as this in which (1) there are no findings of fact or conclusions of law, (2) there is no written opinion by the trial court, and (3) the only evidence is a written stipulation of fact. In such a case the rational approach is for this court to determine de novo whether the evidence establishes guilt beyond any reasonable doubt. There is no reason to defer to the trial judge’s determination of guilt.
The Seventh Circuit in United States v. Tallman, 437 F.2d 1103, 1104-05 (7th Cir. 1971), applied the “clearly erroneous” test to the findings of the trial court but impliedly adopted the rationale of Professor Wright that the “clearly erroneous” test *1365does not apply to the determination of ultimate guilt. In this case, the question whether the stipulated facts prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt should be determined by this court.
In reaching this conclusion, I am not engaging in an academic exercise. I am not convinced that the stipulated facts prove Chesher’s guilt of manufacturing the controlled substance beyond a reasonable doubt. The majority concedes that without the bedroom evidence there is insufficient proof. I do not think there is sufficient evidence even if the substance found in the bedroom is considered.
The most significant weakness in the government’s case, in my judgment, is the lack of evidence to demonstrate with the requisite degree of certainty that the equipment was ever used for the manufacture of a controlled substance during the time that the defendant was occupying the premises. This factor, together with the dates on certain of the newspapers in which the equipment was wrapped, could very well indicate that it had last been used prior to the defendant Chesher’s occupancy of the premises.
There is adequate evidence to support a healthy suspicion, but not enough to eliminate in my mind, a reasonable doubt. The small quantity of the controlled substance in Mr. Chesher’s room (the bedroom evidence) does not bridge the gap between strong suspicion and reasonable doubt.
I would reverse Chesher’s conviction.