Court Opinion

ID: 9498125
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:08:50.022162+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:58:38.253309
License: Public Domain

WIDENER, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s conclusion that a substantial federal interest is shown in T.M.’s alleged offenses of conspiring to obstruct commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951 and in carrying a hand gun in the robbery which so affected commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), both crimes in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 5032.
I.
One of the means of obtaining federal jurisdiction over a juvenile in a criminal proceeding occurs when the Attorney General of the United States certifies that “the offense charged is a crime of violence that is a felony ... and that there is a substantial Federal interest in the ease or the offense to warrant the exercise of Federal jurisdiction.” 18 U.S.C. § 5032 (emphasis added).
The “substantial Federal interest” provision is a separate requirement that must be met after it has been determined that the crime is violent and felonious. This condition thus restricts the application of federal jurisdiction to those violent felonies committed by juveniles that also evidence some sort of federal interest justifying the federal government’s involvement in the matter. See U.S. v. White, 139 F.3d 998, 1000 (4th Cir.1998) (citing S.Rep. No. 98-225, at 389 (1984), reprinted in 1984 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3182, 3529 (1984)); U.S. v. Juvenile Male # 1, 86 F.3d 1314, 1319 (4th Cir.1996) (“the ‘substantial interest’ and other prongs of the certification statute act as limits on the federal courts’ jurisdiction to act in this sphere.”). The fact that the crime is a violent felony alone does not mean that the offense also gives rise to a “substantial Federal interest.” See United States v. Male Juvenile, 844 F.Supp. 280, 283-84 (E.D.Va.1994) (concluding that the “substantial Federal interest” requirement was intended to limit federal jurisdiction over juveniles to something less than all violent federal crimes).
The majority, however, by its holding that robbing a pizza delivery man is a crime that gives rise to a “substantial Federal interest,” opens the door for a decision that all federal crimes of violence amount to a such an interest. While robbing a pizza delivery man at gunpoint is certainly a violent crime, neither this offense nor the case as a whole presents the scenario that the drafters of this statute envisioned as carrying a “substantial Federal interest.” According to the legislative history, the determination of whether a scenario presents a “substantial Federal interest” is to “be based on a finding that the nature of the offense or the circumstances of the case give rise to special Federal concerns.” See S.Rep. No. 98-225, at 389 (1984), reprinted in 1984 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3182, 3529 (1984). By requiring “special Federal concerns” the legislative history plainly means that the case or offense should manifest concerns that are particular to the federal government, rather than merely State concerns.
In general terms, the two concerns presented in this case are combating violent *428crimes and juvenile delinquency. While they are both serious, in my opinion, neither of these concerns are-“special Federal concerns” that justify removing jurisdiction from the state court. The majority does not state exactly the federal interest or concern,presented in this case, rather the argument that it does make in favor of this case satisfying the “substantial Federal interest” is aimed at the violent nature of the crime and the punishment available under 18 U.S.C. § 924. But, as discussed above, a crime, of. violence is not adequate on its- own to show the special. federal concern., If it were-, the “substantial Federal interest” clause in 18 U.S.C. § 5032 would be without meaning. This leaves juvenile delinquency as the other concern presented. Juvenile delinquency, however, is not a special federal concern, but instead a matter traditionally dealt with by state courts. See S.Rep. No. 98-225, at 386 (1984), reprinted in 1984 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3182, 3526 (1984) (stating the premise that “juvenile delinquency matters should generally be handled by the States”). Consequently, of the two concerns presented in the offense at issue and the case as a whole, neither of them show a federal concern that justifies federal juvenile jurisdiction.
Moreover, the legislative history gives examples of cases that give rise to special federal concerns, including “an assault on, or assassination of, a Federal official, an aircraft hijacking, a kidnaping where State boundaries are crossed, a major espionage or sabotage offense, participation in large-scale drug trafficking, or significant and willful destruction of property belonging to the United States.” S.Rep. No. 98-225, at 389 (1984), reprinted in 1984 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3182, 3529 (1984). The offense at issue here, four adults and one juvenile robbing one local pizza delivery man, has no reasonable similarity to the large-scale, far-reaching criminal schemes envisioned as examples of offenses or cases showing “special federal concerns.” Because neither this case nor the offense “give rise to special Federal concerns,” a “substantial Federal interest” is also absent.
II.
The government describes the required substantial federal interest in this case in its principal brief, p. 8, as:
Defendant was seventeen years and ten months old when he and four adults robbed a restaurant delivery person, beat him and shot him. The four adults in the violent crime were all charged federally, and the defendant should be charged with them. Moreover, there is unquestionably a substantial federal interest in combating gun violence.
And, in the governments reply brief, p. 4-5, the substantial federal interest in this case is described:
Defendant possessed a hand gun when he participated in the robbery. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 922(x)(2)(A), it is a crime for a juvenile to possess a hand gun. Therefore, the United States could prosecute for possessing the hand gun.... Furthermore, the four adults involved in the violent crime were all charged federally. There is a substantial federal interest in combating gun violence, and the United States’ certification-under this justification was proper.
These descriptions of the substantial federal interest are a far cry from the requirements of § 5032 as exemplified in the legislative history as assault on or assassination of a federal official, aircraft hijacking, kidnapping when State borders are crossed, major espionage or sabotage, large-scale drug-trafficking, and significant and wilful destruction of United States property.
*429In summary, a crime of violence alone was not intended to and should not be enough to satisfy the “substantial Federal interest” requirement of 18 U.S.C. § 5032. Our holding that a juvenile’s robbery of a local pizza delivery man at gunpoint is sufficient to show a “substantial Federal interest” will likely permit any federal felony committed by a juvenile with attendant violence to be tried under federal jurisdiction, and may well permit the same for any felony with attendant violence committed by a juvenile.
I would affirm.