United States v. Wallace

178 F. App'x 76
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedApril 27, 2006
DocketNos. 03-1777-CR(L), 03-1778-CR(CON)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 178 F. App'x 76 (United States v. Wallace) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second 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. Wallace, 178 F. App'x 76 (2d Cir. 2006).

Opinion

Defendants-Appellants Jerkeno Wallace and Negus Thomas appeal from judgments of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (Alvin W. Thompson, J.), convicting them of six counts and seven counts, respectively, of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(l)(A)(iii) and 846); aiding and abetting drug distribution (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b)(1)(C); 18 U.S.C. § 2); drug distribution (21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C)); operating a drug distribution outlet as to Thomas (21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(2)); conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and/or a crime of violence (18 U.S.C. § 924(o)); firing a weapon into a group of persons, and, in doing so, committing murder in the first degree (18 U.S.C. §§ 36(b)(2)(A), 1111(a), 2); possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and, in doing so, committing murder in the first degree (18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(l), 924(c)(l)(A)(iii), 2); and possessing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and, in doing so, committing murder in the first degree (18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(l), 924(c)(1)(A)(iii), 2). Wallace and Thomas were both sentenced to life in prison. Familiarity with the relevant facts, procedural history, and legal issues is presumed.

Both Appellants challenge their convictions on several grounds. Thomas also challenges the imposition of certain enhancements at his sentencing. This sum[79]*79mary order disposes of all of their claims, except Thomas’s claim that he was inappropriately convicted for two violations of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1) based on his committing two predicate offenses with a single use of a firearm. We treat that claim in a separate opinion. Having concluded that the Appellants’ remaining objections lack merit, we affirm in part, and remand for proceedings consistent with United States v. Crosby, 397 F.3d 103 (2d Cir.2005), with respect to the sentences of both Appellants.

I.

Appellant Thomas invokes the Commerce Clause to challenge the constitutionality of the drive-by shooting statute. 18 U.S.C. § 36(b). Although this argument has been waived, even if we were to reach it, we would easily reject it since we have held that several federal criminal statutes, including one which criminalizes the commission of murder while engaged in a large narcotics conspiracy, do not violate the Commerce Clause even after United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549, 115 S.Ct. 1624, 131 L.Ed.2d 626 (1995). See United States v. Walker, 142 F.3d 103, 111 (2d Cir.1998).

Thomas challenges the vagueness of the drive-by shooting statute, 18 U.S.C. § 36. In a case such as this, vagueness is assessed in light of the specific facts of the case and not with regard to the statute’s facial validity. United States v. Rybicki, 354 F.3d 124, 129 (2d Cir.2003) (en banc), cert. denied, 543 U.S. 809, 125 S.Ct. 32, 160 L.Ed.2d 10 (2004). If a defendant’s “conduct is clearly proscribed by the statute[, he] cannot successfully challenge it for vagueness.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). Section 36(b)(2) criminalizes the conduct of “[a] person who, in furtherance or to escape detection of a major drug offense and with the intent to intimidate, harass, injure, or maim, fires a weapon into a group of 2 or more persons and who, in the course of such conduct, kills any person.” 18 U.S.C. § 36(b)(2). The defendant’s vagueness challenge fails because his conduct clearly falls within the plain language of the statute. The mode of transportation is irrelevant to the analysis, and the statute is not unconstitutionally vague as applied to defendant Thomas. The rule of lenity “is not applicable unless there is a grievous ambiguity or uncertainty in the language and structure of [the statute].” Chapman v. United States, 500 U.S. 453, 463, 111 S.Ct. 1919, 114 L.Ed.2d 524 (1991) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). There is no such ambiguity or uncertainty in the language of this statute.

Thomas argues that the District Court erred in determining that the photo array was not unduly suggestive. In order to determine whether an allegedly tainted identification is admissible, courts must conduct a sequential inquiry. Raheem v. Kelly, 257 F.3d 122, 133 (2d Cir.2001). Under the first step of that inquiry, the court must “determine whether the pretrial identification procedures unduly and unnecessarily suggested that the defendant was the perpetrator.” Id. We agree with the District Court that the array was not unduly suggestive.

Thomas argues that the District Court should have found that his interrogation at the police station, at which no Miranda warnings were given, was a violation of Miranda. Under Oregon v. Mathiason, 429 U.S. 492, 495, 97 S.Ct. 711, 50 L.Ed.2d 714 (1977) (per curiam), there is no requirement that the Miranda warning be given merely because the interview takes place at the police station. “Miranda warnings are required only where there has been such a restriction on a [80]*80person’s freedom as to render him ‘in custody.’ ” Id. A defendant is not deemed to have been “in custody” where, as here, there was “no indication that the questioning took place in a context where [defendant’s] freedom to depart was restricted in any way.” Id.; see also California v. Be-heler, 463 U.S. 1121, 1125, 103 S.Ct. 3517, 77 L.Ed.2d 1275 (1983) (per curiam); United States v. Newton, 369 F.3d 659

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Thomas v. United States
D. Connecticut, 2023
United States v. Wallace
617 F. App'x 22 (Second Circuit, 2015)
United States v. Oates
514 F. Supp. 2d 221 (D. Connecticut, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 F. App'x 76, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-wallace-ca2-2006.