United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997-07-02

18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed

Original case on neochart.com

Case and law context

18 U.S.C. § 924(c)

Role: applied; posture: criminal, collateral review; jury conviction for using and carrying a firearm (affirmed on direct appeal in 1993); 28 U.S.C. 2255 motion claiming the conviction is invalid after Bailey; district court denied relief; defendant appeals; question is cause and actual prejudice from an erroneous "use" instruction where "carry" was also charged and correctly instructed; result: claimant-won; claim: (c)(1)

Uncertainty

None recorded

Misfit

The operative ruling is procedural-default "actual prejudice" on a 2255 motion (cause found; no prejudice), reached by asking whether the jury verdict under a legally wrong use instruction was the functional equivalent of a carry verdict. `carry` and `during-relation` are recorded as satisfied [proved] with `scope procedural` (so they are not instances): the court says the necessary jury findings establish the elements and are supported by sufficient evidence, but it says so to decide collateral prejudice, not on sufficiency review. `procedural` is the nearer of two imperfect values: it is a harmless-error / necessarily-found analysis, not a pure procedural bar. A scope value such as `harmless-error` (or a basis `necessarily-found`) is missing.

One basis per block (known item 5): `use : not-satisfied [no-evidence]` combines a change of law (Bailey), a legally erroneous instruction and insufficiency under the new rule; `no-evidence` is defined for a verdict reversed, and here the verdict is not disturbed. `law` would be the other candidate.

Alternative conduct modes charged conjunctively in one count ("did use and carry"): the notation cannot say that one block failed, the other succeeded, and the count survives on the second; `result` only shows the net outcome.

The retroactivity of Bailey on collateral review, the cause standard, and the en banc footnote overruling the results in DeSantiago-Flores and Miller are not expressible (no id; a footnote circulated to the en banc court has no `opinion` value that fits).

The header at offset 1616 cites the statute as "924(e)(1)" (OCR damage for 924(c)(1)); not quoted.

B · Case × element grid

Top-level elements follow claim order in panels of up to six elements. Case rows repeat across panels. Every recorded block retains its holding and basis; multiple blocks are not merged into a case-level verdict. ✓ satisfied · ✗ not satisfied · ○ not reached · · not addressed. Muted blocks are not counted. Sub-element evidence remains on case and element pages.

Elements 1–6 of 13

18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
CaseQualifying federal predicate offenseFirearm objectActive employment of a firearmKnowingly possess and convey the firearmDuring and in relation to the predicateKnowing actual or constructive possession
United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)· not addressed
○ not reached · basis not recordedNot counted: applied/merits
✓ satisfied · provedNot counted: applied/procedural
✓ satisfied · provedNot counted: applied/procedural
· not addressed

Elements 7–12 of 13

18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
CasePossession advances the specific predicateArmor-piercing ammunition objectUse or carry the armor-piercing ammunitionPossess the armor-piercing ammunitionSection 2 aiding and abetting routeGreater minimum for the same firearm conduct displaces the lower minimum
United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)· not addressed· not addressed· not addressed· not addressed· not addressed· not addressed

Elements 13–13 of 13

18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
CaseSentencing consequences after offense proof
United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)· not addressed

Instances and excluded annotation blocks

Annotation blocks, including explicitly excluded context
CaseElementHolding and scopePatternExact source quotations
United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 — satisfied · proved (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)Knowingly possess and convey the firearmsatisfied
Excluded from merits counts
applied / procedural

basis: proved; claim: (c)(1); party: Holland (driver and owner of the car); subject: party=Holland (driver and owner of the car)

SCOPE: section 2255 collateral review, actual-prejudice prong of procedural default. The court does not review afresh whether the evidence proved carrying (Holland did not dispute that the gun was carried in his vehicle); it holds that the 1993 jury's findings under the unchallenged possession instruction were the functional equivalent of a carry verdict, so he was not prejudiced by the Bailey error in the use instruction. [proved] refers to that jury finding. Hence `scope procedural`, not a merits instance of `carry`. Not a direct sufficiency review: the court reasons that, because the instructions required a finding of knowing (actual or constructive, sole or joint) possession for either prong and the gun was in the car Holland owned and drove, the verdict necessarily contained every finding needed for vehicular carrying. The gun was registered to the passenger and lay under the passenger's seat; the court does not discuss how the jury attributed possession to the driver. Pre-Muscarello, consistent with it.
conveyance
In this case, the gun providing the basis for the section 924(c)(1) conviction was located under the front passenger seat of a car owned and driven by Mr. Holland.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [13659:13822] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: supports; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

Mr. Kelly also had three rounds of ammunition that matched the cylinder of the gun under the seat
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [1407:1504] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: cuts-against; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

the government is required to prove only that the defendant transported a firearm in a vehicle and that he had actual or constructive possession of the firearm while doing so.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [19053:19228] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 1 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

The essential inquiry is whether the jury’s verdict, under the instructions given and the nature of the evidence, required the jury to find all the elements of a “carrying" violation, or stated another way, whether the verdict was the functional equivalent of such a finding.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [21878:22153] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

The jury findings required by the instructions, taken together, establish the elements of carrying a firearm under section 924(c)(1).
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [16071:16204] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

These findings were made under proper instructions, unaffected by Bailey, and supported by sufficient evidence.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [16533:16644] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 — satisfied · proved (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)During and in relation to the predicatesatisfied
Excluded from merits counts
applied / procedural

basis: proved; claim: (c)(1); party: Holland (driver and owner of the car); subject: party=Holland (driver and owner of the car)

SCOPE: same collateral actual-prejudice analysis as the carry block, hence `scope procedural`. The nexus was not challenged in this proceeding; the court holds only that the jury necessarily found it under instructions untouched by Bailey. The fact lines are the background facts recited, not facts the court ties to the nexus in terms.
jury-finding-common-to-both-prongs/gun-in-vehicle-with-drugs-cash-pagers
Both defendants possessed cash and pagers purchased by Mr. Holland
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [1335:1401] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: supports; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

Three ounces of cocaine in a cosmetic bag were found by the side of the road where the traffic stop occurred.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [1506:1615] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: supports; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

As we have pointed out, the “during and in relation to” element was not affected by the holding in Bailey.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [18138:18244] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

The jury necessarily found that the gun was being transported in the vehicle owned and operated by Mr. Holland, that Mr. Holland possessed the gun, and that he did so dining and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, all findings it was required to make under the instructions for either a “using” or “carrying” conviction.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [16205:16532] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 — not reached (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)Firearm objectnot_reached
Excluded from merits counts
applied / merits

claim: (c)(1)

A revolver; not contested.
Unspecified routeNo source quotation recorded for this block.
United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 — satisfied · proved (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)Enumerated federal drug felonysatisfied
Excluded from merits counts
applied / lower-court

basis: proved; claim: (c)(1); party: Holland; subject: party=Holland

Jury conviction on the 841(a)(1) count, affirmed on direct appeal and not in issue here.
csa/felony
Kenneth Wayne Holland was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [22:136] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: supports; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

United States v. Holland — 116 F.3d 1353 (1997) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1997 — not · no-evidence (18usc924: author: Fable · historical QA: PASS (QA2, neov2/qa/wave2-cases-QA2.md) · changed after review; current content not independently reviewed)Active employment of a firearmnot
Counted merits instance
applied / merits

basis: no-evidence; claim: (c)(1); party: Holland (driver and owner of the car); subject: party=Holland (driver and owner of the car)

The court declares the trial evidence insufficient for "use" after Bailey (a gun stored under the seat is not active employment), and the trial instruction on use incorrect. The conviction nonetheless stands on the carry prong, so this is an insufficiency ruling on one prong without a reversal. Kept `merits` although the posture is section 2255: this is the court's own application of the Bailey test to the trial evidence (the premise of the prejudice inquiry), not an inference from what the jury must have found.
accessibility-without-active-employment/gun-under-seat-of-drug-vehicle
revealed a revolver registered to Mr. Kelly under the passenger seat plus drug paraphernalia and a small amount of cocaine found elsewhere in the vehicle
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [1180:1333] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: cuts-against; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

police officers observed five rounds of ammunition on the vehicle’s center console
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [1026:1108] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: supports; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

In Bailey, the Supreme Court rejected such a broad definition of “use” and held that section 924(c)(1) “requires evidence sufficient to show an active employment of the firearm by the defendant, a use that makes the firearm an operative factor in relation to the predicate offense.”
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [2639:2921] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

The Court also made clear that “use” does not extend to situations “where an offender conceals a gun nearby to be at the ready for an imminent confrontation.... Placement for later active use does not constitute ‘use.’”
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [3231:3450] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

It is clear that under the construction of “use” employed in Bailey, the evidence in this case is legally insufficient to support a conviction for using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense under section 924(c)(1).
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_116.jsonl#/f3d/116/1353-01; Unicode character offsets [3481:3721] (end exclusive); SHA-256 009438fcc9986a862dab6e536f87dd90ffb69c8d6d1ff9836d80b1c1b859efb8.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

Court interpretations recorded from this case