FILED
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS April 28, 2008
TENTH CIRCUIT Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee, No. 07-4189
v. (D. Utah)
JEREMIAH VAUGHN GREGORY, (D.C. No. 2:05-CR-00893-PGC-1)
Jr.,
Defendant - Appellant.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before TACHA, ANDERSON, and BRORBY, Circuit Judges.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist in the determination
of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10 th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is
therefore ordered submitted without oral argument.
Defendant and appellant, Jeremiah Vaughn Gregory, Jr., was indicted on
one count of bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2113(a), for robbery of a
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited,
however, for its persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th
Cir. R. 32.1.
Wells Fargo bank in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 6, 2005. After a jury found
him guilty, he was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. He appeals his
conviction, arguing that the district court erred in (1) failing to dismiss the
indictment for lack of jurisdiction, and (2) effectively denying him his right to
present his theory of the defense at trial. We affirm.
BACKGROUND
As indicated, Gregory was indicted on one count of bank robbery.
Proceeding pro se, Gregory filed a motion to dismiss the indictment for lack of
jurisdiction. He argued that he was a “member of the radical white supremacist
organization called THE ORDER,” an “ultra-fundamentalist element of the Aryan
Nation”; that the group had asked the government to cede five states
(Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah) to create a safe haven for white
people; and that, upon rejection of that plan, Gregory and others had renounced
their United States citizenship, joined The Order’s militia, and commenced
activities designed to destabilize the United States government. Motion To
Dismiss at 2, R. Vol. I. “Zionist banks and financial institutions were targeted”
and Gregory stated he “participated in numerous operations.” Id. Gregory then
argued:
As a combatant, the principle of military immunity shields Gregory
from being held accountable to civilian authorities for their actions.
Combatants are held accountable to military laws and the generally
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accepted rules of war. Neither the beliefs of the individual nor the
reason behind the conflict have any bearing on this grant of military
immunity. The test is whether the individual was a combatant and
that the alleged acts were undertaken in furtherance of this
conflict. . . . Gregory is clearly a combatant in the struggle for a
racially pure white homeland. THE ORDER has from its inception,
attacked banks and corporate institutions to achieve its goal of
destabilizing the government of the United States.
Id. at 2-3. The district court denied the motion, finding Gregory’s “arguments
entirely lack[ed] merit.” Order Denying Motion to Dismiss at 1, R. Vol. I. The
district court denied Gregory’s motion to reconsider, calling the motion “facially
meritless.” Order Denying Motion to Reconsider at 1, R. Vol. I.
Gregory also filed a motion to suppress evidence, including his confession,
both of which were obtained in a hotel room following his arrest. Following a
hearing, the district court denied the motion. There then followed a colloquy
between the court and Gregory touching upon a number of matters, including
Gregory’s statement that he was “going to say there was justification, moral or
otherwise, for the robbery and present that issue to the jury for them to decide
whether or not they should exercise their right as a community conscience to
acquit in spite of the facts and instructions of the Court.” Tr. of Motion to
Suppress Hr’g at 73-74, R. Vol. IV. Gregory argued that “the jury has a
sovereign right to acquit irregardless” and that his organization had been robbing
banks to fund its “ongoing fight against the government” since “we not only have
a duty but we have a right to throw out an oppressive government.” Id. at 77-79.
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While the district court expressed doubt about the relevance and admissibility of
that evidence, it stated that a final determination would be made at the pre-trial
conference.
At the final pre-trial conference, Gregory offered various instructions
advising the jury about their “sovereign right to acquit even in the face of the
evidence.” Tr. of Final Pre-Trial Hr’g at 18, R. Vol. VI. The district court
rejected each proposed instruction. When Gregory asked how much “leeway” he
would be given to argue the issue to the jury, the court stated, “[Y]ou’re going to
be questioning witnesses about facts, and then in your opening and closing
statement you’re not entitled to argue that they should disregard the law.” Id. at
22. Gregory then stated that he might take the stand himself to testify as to the
same theory. The court expressed doubt about the relevancy of such testimony,
and told Gregory the court would preclude “any evidence along the lines that
Mr. Gregory has just described.” Id. at 41-42. The court then stated:
And the record should also reflect that one of the reasons I’m doing
this is to protect Mr. Gregory in the sense that if the jury learns that
he is a member of a white supremacist organization that has been
robbing banks since the 1980's, that might tend to inflame their
passions and lead to an inaccurate result on this particular charge.
....
There is not going to be any prior bad acts coming into the trial on
the theories that have been outlined to me this morning.
....
I have firmly ruled that you’re not entitled to nullification
instructions or nullification arguments, and you’re not entitled to
present evidence about some white supremacist operation or war with
the United States.
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Id. at 42, 43, 49. The court subsequently denied Gregory’s motion to reconsider
its ruling on Gregory’s theory of defense.
On the second day of trial, after the government rested, Gregory indicated
he might want to testify. Another colloquy ensued, and the court stated it would
allow Gregory to briefly explain why he robbed the bank, as long as it did not
“turn into a filibuster or an extensive [argument].” Tr. of Trial at 170, R. Vol. IX.
Gregory then stated he would not testify.
The jury returned a guilty verdict. At sentencing, Gregory reiterated his
separatist philosophy, announcing that the district court had “turned this
courtroom into a cesspool, a sleazy and vile place” and assuring the court “that
retribution will be swift, certain, and exact a very heavy toll. . . . [W]hile I would
like to be the one to visit revenge retribution to your doorstep, I’ll have to trust
that to others, but believe me, when all is said and done, you will not escape the
wrath which you rightfully deserve.” Tr. of Sentencing Hr’g at 6-9, R. Vol. X.
The district court determined that an upward departure under United States
Sentencing Commission, Guidelines Manual (“USSG”) 5K2.9, or an upward
variance under 18 U.S.C. 3553(a), was warranted based upon the “strong
nexus . . . between Mr. Gregory’s purpose in robbing Wells Fargo Bank . . . and
his intent to commit other crimes with the proceeds from that robbery.” Order
Regarding Sentencing Enhancement at 15, R. Vol. I. The court accordingly
sentenced Gregory to 240 months.
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Gregory appeals, arguing the district court erred in failing to dismiss the
indictment for lack of jurisdiction and that it erred by preventing him from
presenting his theory of defense.
DISCUSSION
We review de novo a district court’s conclusion that it has subject matter
jurisdiction over a criminal case. Huerta v. Gonzales, 443 F.3d 753, 755 (10 th
Cir. 2006). We review the denial of a motion to reconsider for abuse of
discretion. United States v. Barajas-Chavez, 358 F.3d 1263, 1266 (10 th Cir.
2004).
Gregory argues that the district court erred in failing to transfer jurisdiction
over his case to a military tribunal, given that Gregory was a self-declared
“enemy belligerent” under Article 21 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(“UCMJ”). As the government points out in its brief, this argument fails for
multiple reasons. First, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3231, the district court had
jurisdiction over this case. Second, a military tribunal would have no jurisdiction
over Gregory under the UCMJ–the UCMJ lists those who are subject to its
provisions and, as the government aptly puts it, “[a] self-styled enemy belligerent,
performing bank robberies within the United States in furtherance of a hostile
cause, is simply not included.” Appellee’s Br. at 14. Third, neither the UCMJ
nor any other provision of law establishes any military commission with authority
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to hear this case. Finally, Gregory cannot divest a federal district court of
criminal jurisdiction simply by claiming his crime was part of a “war” against the
United States.
With respect to his argument that the district court prevented him from
presenting his theory of defense, we review a district court’s decision to exclude
evidence for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Jordan, 485 F.3d 1214, 1218
(10 th Cir. 2007). There was no such abuse of discretion here. First, the record
discloses that the district court would in fact have allowed Gregory to present his
justification for robbing the bank, within appropriate limits. Second, the district
court properly determined the proposed testimony was more likely to confuse or
mislead the jury than to establish any element of the crime charged or otherwise
properly assist the jury in its deliberations. “Our deference to the trial court is
based upon its first-hand ability to view the witnesses and evidence and assess
credibility and probative value.” Id. Gregory’s proffered testimony was of little
relevance or probative value, and had the potential to mislead or confuse. The
district court did not err in its handling of Gregory’s proffered testimony about
his theory of defense.
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CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, Gregory’s conviction is AFFIRMED.
ENTERED FOR THE COURT
Stephen H. Anderson
Circuit Judge
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