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United States v. Mims, 10th Cir. (2006)
United States v. Mims, 10th Cir. (2006)
United States v. Mims, 10th Cir. (2006)
No. 05-3447
v.
(D. Kansas)
M ARLO J. M IM S,
Defendant - Appellant.
M arlo J. M ims was charged in the United States District Court for the
District of Kansas with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, see 18
U.S.C. 922(g)(1). He was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 235 months
imprisonment. On appeal he challenges one of the jury instructions. W e affirm.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously to honor the parties request for a decision on the briefs without oral
argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding
precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and
collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and
judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and
conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
I.
B ACKGR OU N D
On the night of February 2, 2005, Officer Jeffrey Gardner of the Kansas
City, Kansas, Police Department was patrolling the area near Thirteenth and
Quindaro Streets w hen he observed a speeding car. After a brief pursuit,
M r. M ims, the driver, lost control of the car and struck a utility pole. Officer
Gardner stopped his patrol car behind M r. M imss now-disabled vehicle.
M r. M ims got out of the car and ran away. Officer Gardner pursued M r. M ims on
foot, catching up to him only after M r. M ims tripped over a fence that he had
knocked down with his car. M r. M ims then punched Officer G ardner in the face.
Officer Gardner struck back, and they exchanged further blows. During the fight
M r. M ims grasped Officer Gardners service firearm and attempted to pull it out
of the holster. The two proceeded to fight for control of the gun, with M r. M ims
initially unable to get control of it because Officer Gardner kept his hand on the
holster snap. At some point the snap popped open and, according to Officer
Gardner, M r. M ims stumbled backwards with the gun in his hands. Officer
Gardner testified that M r. M ims was then in complete and sole possession of
th[e] firearm. R. Vol. II at 43. Officer Gardner eventually managed to seize the
gun and aim it at M r. M ims, who fled. Officer Gardner later apprehended
M r. M ims.
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II.
D ISC USSIO N
M r. M ims w as charged with violating 18 U.S.C. 922(g), which makes it
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proceedings. United States v. Gonzalez-Huerta, 403 F.3d 727, 732 (10th Cir.
2005) (en banc).
Although M r. M ims points out that the word held in the second sentence
of the jury instruction may suggest that M r. M ims could be guilty if he merely
had his hand on the gun without having exclusive control over it, such a reading
would contradict the clear import of the prior sentence, which equates possession
with direct physical control. The purpose of the second sentence was to clarify
the temporal element of the crime, not to alter the meaning of the prior sentence.
Even if the possible ambiguity of the second sentence caused the instruction to be
erroneous, it was not plainly so. Apparently neither party nor the district court
perceived this ambiguity at trial. In particular, M r. M ims does not suggest that
the prosecutor argued to the jury that the offense was complete the mom ent he
had his hand on the gun. M r. M ims has not established plain error.
III.
C ON CLU SIO N
W e AFFIRM the judgment of the district court.
Harris L Hartz
Circuit Judge
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