United States v. Bruce Derek Spring AKA Bruce Derek Walls

80 F.3d 1450, 44 Fed. R. Serv. 395, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 6162, 1996 WL 148539
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedApril 2, 1996
Docket94-4262
StatusPublished
Cited by135 cases

This text of 80 F.3d 1450 (United States v. Bruce Derek Spring AKA Bruce Derek Walls) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Bruce Derek Spring AKA Bruce Derek Walls, 80 F.3d 1450, 44 Fed. R. Serv. 395, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 6162, 1996 WL 148539 (10th Cir. 1996).

Opinion

STEPHEN H. ANDERSON, Circuit Judge.

Defendant Bruce Derek Spring, aka Bruce Derek Wells, appeals his conviction and 802 month prison sentence arising out of firearms violations and a series of bank robberies in Utah and Colorado, in which Mr. Spring and Matthew Corey Monitz were involved. For the following reasons, we affirm in part and reverse and remand in part.

BACKGROUND

Mr. Spring was arraigned on August 19, 1993 on a five-count indictment charging him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 922(g); one count of aiding and abetting Mr. Monitz in the commission of an armed bank robbery at West One Bank in Kearns, Utah, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 2113(d); one count of aiding and abetting Mr. Monitz in the using and carrying of a pistol in relation to the West One Bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and one count of aiding and abetting Mr. Monitz in the commission of a bank robbery at First Security Bank in Salt Lake City, Utah, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 2113(a). Mr. Spring and Mr. Monitz were tried separately. Trial for Mr. Spring was set for October 4, 1993.

*1454 A superseding indictment was filed on September 8, 1993, adding three counts against Mr. Spring: (1) bank robbery of the University of Utah Credit Union in Salt Lake City, Utah, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 2113(a); (2) conspiracy to commit bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; and (3) aiding and abetting Mr. Mon-itz in the using and carrying of a firearm in relation to a conspiracy to commit bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 924(c). The superseding indictment also alleged that several of the crimes charged in the original indictment were committed in furtherance of the conspiracy.

After several continuances, pursuant to Mr. Spring’s request, a new trial date was set for February 7, 1994. On January 5, 1994, the grand jury filed a second superseding indictment against Mr. Spring, adding three more counts: (1) making a false statement on a federal form during the acquisition of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6); (2) aiding and abetting Mr. Mon-itz in the commission of an armed bank robbery at First Security Bank in Park City, Utah, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 2113(d); and (3) aiding and abetting Mr. Monitz in the using or carrying of a pistol in relation to a bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 924(c).

Because of a conflict of interest resulting from the First Security Bank robbery charge, Mr. Spring’s counsel requested to withdraw from the case. A hearing was held on the withdrawal motion on January 21, 1994. At the hearing, Mr. Spring stated that he wished new counsel to be appointed, and wanted to proceed to trial rather than enter into a plea agreement. The court therefore granted Mr. Spring’s counsel’s motion to withdraw and vacated the February 7 trial date. The government attorney then inquired: “Would there be then an order at this time that from February the 7th to the setting of the new trial date with new counsel being excluded under the Speedy Trial Act for the appropriate reasons of preparation time needed by new counsel?” R. Vol. VIII at 16. The court responded:

Yes, it would appear the provisions of the Speedy Trial Act would be tolled pending the appearance of new counsel and new counsel’s indication of preparation time. But I think we ought to have new counsel appear as soon as that is reasonably possible so that we can have these new dates set.

Id. The court then directed the government attorney to “prepare an order reflecting the-granting of the motion and also the tolling of the Speedy Trial Act.” Id. at 17.

The order memorializing the court’s findings in the January 21 hearing was not in fact entered until November 22, 1994. The Order stated in part:

The Court ... finds that new counsel could not reasonably be prepared for trial on February 7, 1994, the currently scheduled trial date in this matter. Thus, the ends of justice served by a continuance in this matter outweigh the bést interest of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that jury trial in this matter currently scheduled to commence on February 7, 1994, is vacated and will be rescheduled upon appointment of new counsel for defendant. The continuance resulting from this appointment of new counsel is necessary to insure continuity of counsel for defendant and to allow reasonable time necessary for effective preparation by new counsel.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the time involved in this matter, from January 21,1994 to the new trial date to be set at a later time, is excluded under the Speedy Trial Act pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(8)(A), (B)(ii) and (B)(iv).

R. Vol. I at Tab 163.

New counsel was appointed for Mr. Spring on the day of the hearing, January 21, and on February 1, a telephone conference occurred between the court, Mr.

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80 F.3d 1450, 44 Fed. R. Serv. 395, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 6162, 1996 WL 148539, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-bruce-derek-spring-aka-bruce-derek-walls-ca10-1996.