United States v. Riley Harrington Keller, Iii, Millard Lee Smith, Jr.

916 F.2d 628, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 19268, 1990 WL 155432
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedNovember 2, 1990
Docket89-8623
StatusPublished
Cited by198 cases

This text of 916 F.2d 628 (United States v. Riley Harrington Keller, Iii, Millard Lee Smith, Jr.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh 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. Riley Harrington Keller, Iii, Millard Lee Smith, Jr., 916 F.2d 628, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 19268, 1990 WL 155432 (11th Cir. 1990).

Opinion

COX, Circuit Judge:

Defendants, Riley Harrington Keller III, and Millard Lee Smith Jr., appeal their convictions for armed bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 371, and use of a firearm during an armed bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). 1 Keller and Smith also appeal the sentences imposed by the district court under the Sentencing Guidelines. We affirm Smith’s convictions and sentences, and affirm in part and reverse in part Keller’s convictions and sentences.

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Indictment

Keller’s and Smith’s convictions arise from a series of five armed bank robberies committed in the Atlanta suburbs between June 17, 1988, and July 18, 1988. All of the banks robbed were branches of Bank South located in Kroger Supermarkets.

Count One of the indictment alleges that Keller robbed the Bank South branch at 6050 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross, Georgia, on June 17, 1988, by telling the bank teller he had a bomb. Count Two of the indictment alleges that Keller robbed the Bank South branch at 2090 Dunwoody Club Drive, Dunwoody, Georgia, on June 30, 1988, by again telling the bank teller he had a bomb.

Count Three of the indictment alleges that Keller and Smith conspired to rob the Bank South branch at 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, Georgia, on July 11, 1988. Count Four of the indictment charges Keller and Smith with the actual robbery of the bank referred to in Count Three. Count Five of the indictment charges Keller and Smith with use of a firearm (a shotgun) in connection with the bank robbery referred to in Count Four.

Count Six of the indictment asserts that Keller, Smith and Robert Wegner, an unin-dicted co-conspirator, conspired to rob the Bank South branch at 2090 Dunwoody Club Drive, Dunwoody, Georgia, on July 18, 1988. Count Seven of the indictment alleges that Keller, Smith and other individuals actually robbed the bank referred to in Count Six. Count Eight charges Keller and Smith with use of a firearm (a shotgun) during the commission of the bank robbery referred to in Count Seven.

Count Nine asserts that Keller, Smith and Wegner conspired to rob the Bank South branch at 6050 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross, Georgia, on July 18, 1988. Count Ten charges Keller and Smith with actually robbing the bank referred to in Count Nine. In Count Eleven, Keller and Smith are charged with using a firearm (a shotgun) during the commission of the bank robbery referred to in Count Ten.

B. The Evidence

Counts One and Two

The government, in proving the charges contained in Counts One and Two, introduced the eyewitness testimony of several tellers who were present during the robberies. All the bank tellers identified Keller as the individual who robbed the two banks. 2 The government also introduced the videotape of the banks’ security cameras. The tapes showed Keller robbing the two banks.

*631 Counts Three, Four and Five

In proving the charges contained in Counts Three, Four and Five, the government again introduced the eyewitness testimony of two bank tellers. The bank tellers positively identified Keller as the bank robber. The tellers indicated that Keller entered the bank with a shotgun, demanded the money from their tills, received it and then left the bank. The government introduced testimony that immediately after the bank robbery a metallic blue Chevrolet Impala, containing two white males, was seen being driven out of the supermarket’s parking lot. These witnesses all agreed that the car had an extremely loud exhaust noise and accelerated “quicker than a stock car.” R.5-293. The witnesses all confirmed that Smith’s car was identical to the one seen leaving the parking lot.

The government’s evidence showed that at the time of the robbery Keller and Smith were roommates, that Smith frequently drove for Keller because Keller could not drive, that Smith owned a metallic blue Chevrolet Impala that produced a loud exhaust noise, and that no other person had access to Smith’s car at the time of the robbery. Most damaging, however, was the testimony of a friend of Smith’s. This friend indicated that after July 11, 1988, Smith began to act unusually, turning out the lights in the room and then looking out the window. R.5-393. The friend testified that Smith said that “he [Smith] was waiting for the Feds to come get him.” Id.

Counts Six through Eleven

In proving the charges stemming from the last two bank robberies on July 18, 1988, the government used the testimony of Robert Wegner. Wegner testified that Keller asked him if he would like to make some money helping Keller rob a bank. Wegner agreed and was instructed to be at Smith’s house the next day at 1:15 p.m.

The next day Wegner arrived at Smith’s house and discussed with Keller and Smith the plan to rob the bank in Dunwoody. The group decided that Wegner would drive Keller to the bank and Smith would drive Keller away from the bank after the robbery. During their discussions, Keller showed Smith and Wegner a shotgun that Keller was to use to commit the robbery. Smith and Wegner were to receive $500.00 and $1,000.00 respectively for their part in the robbery.

As the three men proceeded from Smith’s house to the bank, Wegner had second thoughts about driving Keller to the bank. According to Wegner, the three men then agreed that Smith would drive Keller to the bank and Wegner would drive Keller away from the bank. Smith and Keller left Weg-ner in the parking lot behind the supermarket for about twenty minutes. When Keller returned, he said that he did not get enough money and would need to rob a second bank.

The three men then went to the Bank South branch located on Peachtree Parkway in Norcross. Smith drove Keller to the entrance of the supermarket. Keller got out of Smith’s car and proceeded to rob the Bank South branch. Keller then ran back to Wegner’s car and was taken by Wegner to Smith’s house. Smith returned home a short time after the robbery.

The government again elicited testimony from the bank tellers that Keller was the man who committed the robberies. One teller identified a pair a sunglasses found in Keller’s room as the ones worn by the bank robber. A shotgun found in Keller’s room was also identified as similar to the one used in the robbery. A supermarket employee identified Smith’s car as being at the scene of one of the robberies.

C. The Verdict

The jury convicted Keller on all eleven counts. The jury convicted Smith on Counts Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, and Eleven but acquitted him on Counts Three, Four, and Five.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Sufficiency of the Evidence

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
916 F.2d 628, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 19268, 1990 WL 155432, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-riley-harrington-keller-iii-millard-lee-smith-jr-ca11-1990.