Vicky v. United States

709 F.3d 712, 2013 WL 869647
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedMarch 11, 2013
Docket12-2752, 12-2769
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 709 F.3d 712 (Vicky v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vicky v. United States, 709 F.3d 712, 2013 WL 869647 (8th Cir. 2013).

Opinions

BENTON, Circuit Judge.

Robert M. Fast pled guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2). The district court1 ordered him to pay $3,333 restitution to Vicky — the pseudonym for the child-pornography victim whose images were on Fast’s computer — under 18 U.S.C. § 2259. Vicky challenges the restitution award by direct appeal and in a petition for mandamus.2 She argues that Fast need not proximately cause the losses defined in subsections 2259(b)(3)(A) through (E) to be liable for them, and that the district court misinterpreted the “full amount of [her] losses” under section 2259(b)(1). Because she lacks standing as a nonparty to bring a direct appeal, this court grants the motions to dismiss by Fast and the government. Having jurisdiction over her mandamus petition under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. § 3771(d)(3), this court denies her petition.

I.

The CVRA grants crime victims, including Vicky, the “right to full and timely restitution as provided in law.” 18 U.S.C. § 3771(a)(6). The district court must order restitution. Id. § 2259(a), (b)(4)(A). “The language of 18 U.S.C. § 2259 reflects a broad restitutionary purpose.” In re Amy Unknown, 701 F.3d 749, 760 (5th Cir.2012) (en banc) (citations omitted); accord United States v. Julian, 242 F.3d 1245, 1247 (10th Cir.2001). “Restitution” is the “full amount of the victim’s losses as determined by the court,” including the costs enumerated in subsections 2259(b)(3)(A) through (F). 18 U.S.C. § 2259(b)(1), (3). The district court resolves “[a]ny dispute as to the proper amount or type of restitution ... by the preponderance of the evidence.” Id. § 3664(e). The government bears the “burden of demonstrating the amount of the loss sustained by a victim as a result of the offense.” Id.

[715]*715Vicky documents $1,224,697.04 in losses from her sexual abuse and the distribution of the pornographic images. Before Fast’s sentencing, she sought $952,759.81 restitution (having previously collected $271,937.28 from other defendants). The government initially requested “at least $10,000” restitution. The district court ruled that Fast need not have proximately caused the losses defined in subsections 2259(b)(3)(A) through (E) to be liable for them. United, States v. Fast, 820 F.Supp.2d 1008, 1010 (D.Neb.2011). The court initially ordered Fast to pay $19,863.84 restitution. Id. On appeal, the government agreed with Fast that proximate cause is required. This court remanded to the district court to reconsider Vicky’s restitution award (denying her motion to intervene as moot). United States v. Fast, No. 11-3455, at *1 (8th Cir. May 15, 2012).

On remand, the district court determined “that proximate cause is required for each element of restitution under 18 U.S.C. § 2259.”3 United States v. Fast, 876 F.Supp.2d 1087, 1088 (D.Neb.2012). It found Fast liable for losses accrued after June 25, 2010 — when he began committing the crime. Id. at 1089. The district court concluded that Fast “proximately caused harm to Vicky’ that directly resulted in compensable injury and damage to her in the sum of $3,333.” Id. at 1090. This amount consisted of “$2,500 for medical and psychiatric care, occupational therapy, and lost income under 18 U.S.C. § 2259(b)(3)(A), (B), & (D),” and $833 for “attorney fees and costs under 18 U.S.C. § 2259(b)(3)(E).” Id. at 1088.

II.

Fast and the government move to dismiss Vicky’s direct appeal of the restitution order, arguing that she lacks standing because she is not a party to the case. “Standing is a fundamental element of federal court jurisdiction.” Curtis v. City of Des Moines, 995 F.2d 125, 128 (8th Cir.1993), citing Sierra Club v. Morton, 405 U.S. 727, 732, 92 S.Ct. 1361, 31 L.Ed.2d 636 (1972). Those failing to “intervene or otherwise attain party status may not appeal a district court’s judgment.” Id. (citation omitted). “[A]ll Courts of Appeals to have addressed this issue have concluded that nonparties cannot directly appeal a restitution order entered against a criminal defendant.” United States v. Stoerr, 695 F.3d 271, 277 (3d Cir.2012) (citations omitted); see In re Amy Unknown, 701 F.3d at 756; United States v. Alcatel-Lucent France, SA, 688 F.3d 1301, 1307 (11th Cir.2012) (per curiam); United States v. Monzel, 641 F.3d 528, 542 (D.C.Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 132 S.Ct. 756, 181 L.Ed.2d 508 (2011); United States v. Aguirre-Gonzalez, 597 F.3d 46, 53-55 (1st Cir.2010); In re Acker, 596 F.3d 370, 373 (6th Cir.2010) (per curiam); United States v. Hunter, 548 F.3d 1308, 1315-16 (10th Cir.2008); United States v. United Sec. Sav. Bank, 394 F.3d 564, 567 (8th Cir.2004) (per curiam); United States v. Mindel, 80 F.3d 394, 398 (9th Cir.1996); United States v. Grundhoefer, 916 F.2d 788, 793 (2d Cir.1990); see also United States v. Laraneta, 700 F.3d 983, 986 (7th Cir.2012) (finding “no quarrel” with the result that “a crime victim cannot appeal from a denial of restitution in a criminal case because the victim is not a party”).

Vicky did not successfully intervene, and the CVRA does not grant her party status. The CVRA grants the government the [716]*716right to assert a victim’s rights on direct appeal, 18 U.S.C. § 3771(d)(4), and details when a victim may re-open a plea or sentence through a motion, id. § 3771(d)(5); see Hunter, 548 F.3d at 1315-16 (“[Section 3771(d)(5) ] makes no mention of a direct appeal.”). The CVRA grants a victim the right to petition for mandamus. 18 U.S.C. § 3771(d)(3). “Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to impair the prosecutorial discretion of the Attorney General or any officer under his direction.” Id. § 3771(d)(6). Allowing victims to appeal would “erode the CVRA’s attempt to preserve the Government’s discretion.” In re Unknown, 701 F.3d at 757; accord Hunter, 548 F.3d at 1316. “That Congress included these provisions but did not provide for direct appeals by crime victims is strong evidence that it did not intend to authozize such appeals.” Monzel,

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Bluebook (online)
709 F.3d 712, 2013 WL 869647, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vicky-v-united-states-ca8-2013.