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United States v. Robert Thomas Aims Back
588 F.2d 1283
9th Cir.
1979
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*1 employee thereof acted or failed to remand, act On the district court is directed capacity legal an official or under color of to dismiss the action for of jurisdiction, lack authority shall not be dismissed nor relief unless the court determines that transfer to be ground therein denied on the that it is the Court of Claims would be appropriate against the United or States under 28 1406(c). U.S.C. We express § no indispensable is an party. opinion on propriety of such a transfer. may The United States be named as a REVERSED AND REMANDED. any action, judg- defendant such and a ment or decree be against entered Provided,

the United any States: That

mandatory injunctive or decree shall

specify Federal officer or (by officers title),

name or and their successors in

office, personally responsible compli- (1)

ance. Nothing herein affects other judicial on or

limitations review the pow- America, duty er or UNITED any STATES of dismiss Plaintiff-Appellee, deny action or relief any appro- legal.or priate equitable ground; (2) v. authority grant confers relief if BACK, Robert Thomas AIMS grants other statute that consent to suit Defendant-Appellant. expressly or impliedly forbids the relief sought. which is No. 77-2662. court has language This held that con- sovereign immunity. stitutes a waiver of United States Court of Appeals, States, 1098, Hill United 571 F.2d Ninth Circuit. 1978). However, (9th Cir. by its own § Jan. 1979. terms, existing does not affect limitations jurisdiction, on district court such as the 14; Watson,

Tucker Act. n. H.R.Rep. See 94-1656, Sess., 2d Cong.

No. 94th 1976 U.S. Admin.News, Cong. & pp.

Code 6133.

Even if these difficulties be could

overcome, we would still reluctant

accept as pleaded. this action A court will grant specific performance money when

damages See, adequate remedy. are an e. 1136; Contracts,

g. Corbin on Restate §

ment of Contracts 358. What the plain § liability

tiff desires to have the estate tax

reduced the full face amount of the monetary

bonds. A award is equiv making Treasury

alent redeem

bonds in this situation. We note that feder are parties large

al officials numbers

contracts, all, most, and that of these granted

contracts are based on authority regulation.

the official statute or To dispute

construe a under such a contract as dispute arising regu under the statute or

lation would be to read the Tucker Act out

of existence. We decline to do so. *2 2031 and 1153. The issues

18 U.S.C. §§ (1) are: whether the by appellant raised Beverly permitting erred in trial court woman, Indian relating activities regard appellant’s in her, forcibly with and with- his intercourse consent, night on the same out her appel- the offense with which subsequent to (2) whether the trial charged; lant was admitting erred in into evidence a by appellant statement made to an investi- gating agent appellant custody while knowing- showing appellant without a waived his Miranda ly intelligently (3) whether the trial court rights; and failing to dismiss indictment erred prosecution to establish for failure an essential element of the the evidence e., charged, penetration. crime rec- carefully reviewing After the entire case, we that serious ord in this believe error was committed at trial and prejudicial appellant is entitled to a new trial. against appellant, Robert The indictment (Robert), charged Back that on or Aims March, 1977, day 27th within about the of the Blackfeet the exterior boundaries Reservation, Indian he had carnal knowl- edge of a female named Makes (Jenny Lynn) forcibly and Cold Weather will. against her indictment, Leroy In the same Aims Back (Leroy) charged in one count with hav- Missou- (argued), Harris George William the same offense on the ing committed Mont., defendant-appellant. la, for against a female known as Tere- same date Atty. (argued), O’Leary, U. S. T. Robert Back, and in another count Beverly sa Aims Butte, Mont., plaintiff-appellee. Leroy indictment with the same

an identical offense on date Lynn. charge was convicted on the one Robert Jenny Lynn. Leroy was forcibly raping TANG, Circuit MERRILL and forcibly raping Jenny Lynn, Before convicted of TAYLOR, Judge.* District Judges, charging not convicted on the count Back, Beverly Aims raping him with Teresa TAYLOR, Judge: District Beverly referred to as Jackson. hereinafter Beverly Jackson testified that Although of the Blackfeet a member Appellant, Jenny Lynn, it is raped her after Tribe, his convic- Robert appealed from has Indian significant that he was not rather Lynn Makes Cold raping Jenny tion of woman, with that offense. Weather, in violation of an Indian Idaho, by designation. sitting

* Forthe District who, according considering Beverly Jackson whether the testimony of used the Teresa testimony, also name Bev- Jackson should been admitted over the Back, was erly Aims the first witness for appellant, we must determine prosecution. She testified detail in whether it any probative value in re- Robert, regard Leroy, activities of gard to the offense with which *3 the Jenny Lynn night and herself on of e., was charged, i. motive, did it op- show 27, 1977, early morning March and the of intent, portunity, preparation, plan, knowl- up including the the day next and events edge, identity, or absence of mistake or at the the that occurred time of offenses regard accident in prior to the offense were Leroy with which Robert and each against Jenny Lynn. is clear her testimony convicted. It from 404(b) While Rule of the Federal drinking that there was considerable of al- Rules of Evidence allows the admission of beverages the by young coholic at least men evidence, such Rule 403 requires the trial herself, quite and that became they court to weigh probative the value of the It does that appear Jenny intoxicated. not against evidence the danger prej of “unfair doing drinking, Lynn any, was much but Curtis, See United States v. udice”. 568 go along in a pick- that she did with them 643, F.2d (9th 654 United States 1978); Cir. of up truck into remote area the reserva- Butcher, v. 666, 557 F.2d (9th 670 1977). Cir. tion. prejudice” “Unfair is in defined the Notes (Jackson) Beverly Jackson testified first of the Advisory Committee the proposed on by Leroy that she was forced to have inter- Federal Rules of Evidence as “an undue against course her will. Thereaft- with him tendency suggest decision on an improp er, only permitted she was basis, er commonly, though necessarily, raped but, Jenny Lynn, that Robert over an Evidence, emotional one”. even though Robert, the of counsel for she was it may admissible, be otherwise should be permitted to testify also that Robert forced excluded it where tends to prove only crimi against him to have intercourse with disposition. nal See United States v. overruling objection, her will. the the Brown, (9th 562 F.2d 1144 Unit 1977); Cir. part court stated: “Well this is all Riggins, ed States 682, 539 (9th F.2d 683 happened events that on occasion. this 1976). Cir. will the that caution the defendant Aims not —the defendant Robert Back is The case law govern cited the respect not charged with crime with to ment dispositive is not of this issue. witness, you and so can’t consider this cases, each of those the of evidence charged. may accept as a crime You the crimes or probative acts had value may just what value it have in evidence for as to an offense, essential element of the the whole establishing pattern eve- e., intent, Here, knowledge, etc. proba the ning”. tive value of the testimony in as to motive, the Appellant strenuously that the defendant’s argues opportunity, intent, ad- preparation, highly plan, mission of knowledge, Jackson’s identity, or absence prejudicial of value of mistake or no accident is grossly regard propensity to the offense with which he overshadowed the the tes timony charged. prove only also that the disposition. He contends trial criminal The cautionary defendant was thus op court’s instruction ade- denied a fair quate. portunity against to defend charge the in volving only Jenny Lynn. Cf. United government The asserts that Jackson’s Hearst, States v. 563 (9th F.2d 1335 admissible testimony was discretion 1977). Cir. 404(b) under trial court Rule Fed. Also, It is Rules of Evidence. that caution- difficult to conceive how the activi- given by ary instruction was suf- ties of and Jenny Lynn Robert were neces- appellant. protect rights sarily ficient the same or similar to those of Robert Jackson, pellant raped raped he also with In the situation Jackson. her, 404(b) which Rule Lynn, spe- with an inference may have intercourse Robert prohibit. testified, prove cifically intends to these cir- that does not as she affair, cumstances, appears that Robert prior show that not accorded a fair trial. to have intercourse forced Admittedly, without her consent. him v. Sangrey, The case of prejudicial and Jackson was testimony of Cir., 1978), (9th recently F.2d decided the relevance had to balance the trial court court, panel of this involved value of evidence we similar issue to the one have here. might effect it prejudicial against in San- holding be asserted that Evi- Rule Fed.Rules of jury. grey dispositive of this case but our probative value of We believe the dence. opinion, distinguishable. it is *4 substantially outweighed was the evidence Sangrey, appellant In the charged was prejudice unfair and danger the of by rape and convicted of under 18 U.S.C. cautioning In have been excluded. should He charged 1153 and 2032. was §§ specific the jury, the court did not state the (Joanne). rape During the of one woman being which the evidence was purpose for case-in-chief, prosecution’s the admitted, state that it could be but did (Junia), allegedly woman who also was value it have in accepted for “what raped occasion, by appellant on the same pattern of the establishing the whole just trial, testify. During was not called to the Although we do not know how evening”. appellant took the stand and claimed he the it jury, was considered this evidence in the vicinity alleged rapes that in view of reasonable to believe seems girl. and denied advances to either His instruction, the jury the came to the court’s testimony was previ- inconsistent with his raped he that if Robert conclusion and, rebuttal, prosecu- ous statement the though even he was raped Jenny Lynn, also and, tion called Junia over the of with the former offense. This charged counsel, testify defense she was allowed to especially prejudicial since evidence was as follows: the record to show is no evidence in there her, young that several men raped one have Robert forced to that unconscious, that, knocking upon her and will, against her other than her intercourse awakening, she remembered “Denis” testimony, no evidence of an essen- own and [Sangrey] getting saying off and he was offense, penetration, e. tial element going girl. over to the other have no testimony. her own We except In Sangrey, question no serious was knowing of whether Robert would way concerning probative raised the clear value objectiona- the been convicted without have of the evidence since the testimony estab- the testi- testimony of Jackson. Since ble appellant’s the opportunity lished and infer- highly prejudicial and mony of Jackson was Joanne, entially rape his intent to the wom- little, value, any, probative very had if an he with raping. was The testi- raised whether the trial serious is mony was and as the court cor- balancing required by actually did the out, rectly pointed only “Junia testify could comment and its Rule 403. The trial court’s (Sangrey’s) by telling to his remark about proper limiting instruction give to failure upon attack her”. his The situations in this inadequate the consideration highlights Sangrey easily distinguishable. case and are the value versus the regard to Sangrey testimony clearly pro- In the was questioned the evi- prejudicial effect of bative, objectionable while in this case the court’s statement that the dence. The trial testimony questionable had probative value. the evidence for whatever jury can consider Sangrey case, In the both and this the testimo- specify it did not limit or is worth ny regarding rape the with which the which the evidence was admit- de- purpose for 404(b). From this fendants were not the required by ted as Rule causes “un- Sangrey, statement, prejudice” problem. jury ap- could infer that fair In had the prevented give the witness from testi- Should the court the court such an instruction, raped by appel- she had been the fying that on request motion, either or on its own the lant, of testimony balance her would court must be careful to instruct the jury Sangrey meaningless. rele- been correctly to as purpose limited for con- probative testimony vant and was that which the evidence admitted. This was cerning appellant’s statement not done here. going was over witness “he our opinion, it unnecessary for this girl In order for the [Joanne]”. Court to remaining discuss the issues raised to understand this statement and the time appellant since we do not believe either made, the witness place was of them has merit. explain permitted the circumstances. Reversed and remanded a new trial. here, case In the situation was much different. The Jackson MERRILL, raped necessary. Judge, Circuit appellant dissenting: appropriate to allow her to agree I dissent. with the district court evening up events

about the that Jackson’s testimony rape as to her including what taking place she observed appellant properly part admitted as Lynn between but to sequence during events which the allow the witness to continue was complete- charged offense was committed. The wit- ly unnecessary highly prejudicial ap- ness was asked to describe what had oc- addition, pellant. here there is *5 ques- evening; curred that testimony respecting In San- tion of trial court’s instruction. rape put served to offense grey requested given. no instruction or in its factual setting. It was proof not gave In case an this the court instruction the accused had misbehaved on another oc- the prejudicial but the instruction enhanced casion, from which the was invited to objectionable testimony. effect infer that he had misbehaved on this occa- summary, agree reasoning with the we It sion. was proof actually of what he did Sangrey our and conclusion believe on this occasion. The evidence thus is opinion. decision is consistent with that It 404(b), admissible under Rule Feder- appears that no clear lines can be drawn of.Evidence, al Rules being offered for a and inadmissible evi- between admissible purpose proof other than of character. It 404(b) view dence under Rule of Rule was relevant because it bore directly on the admissibility of 403. The evidence of other charged offense. acts, crimes, wrongs, charged, than or With relevance thus ques- established the must the facts and be decided on circum- tion is whether under Rule Federal in each at- particular Any stances case. Evidence, Rules of the prejudice to the ac- tempt precise rules to articulate more than outweighed cused value at- 404(b) would presumptuous Rule 403 be on presenting picture tendant a clear remembered, and inefficacious. must be circumstances under which the of- however, that evidence of other crimes fense committed. On that wrong upon acts is not looked with favor do not distinguishable find this case from carefully scrutinized to must deter- United States v. Sangrey, 586 F.2d 1312 court, mine value. If the trial (9th Cir.) standards set in San- Under discretion, its finds that the evidence is grey, the balance struck here by the trial language under of Rule admissible judge did not amount to abuse of discretion. 404(b) limiting im- a instruction is instructions, to cautionary As Sangrey portant. in neither court stated that Sangrey case nor was such cautionary requested a instruction is an instruc- requested. given error if one tion our case one was not reverseable however, given, say the court did it when was admitted. It may court, cautions, appropriate would have been for the not have been the clearest sponte, sua Sangrey give limiting instruction. if the failure to caution in failure caution error, fortiori the plain was not.

further here America, STATES

UNITED

Plaintiff-Appellee, CLAYTON, Defendant-Appellant.

Sandra

No. 77-1990. Appeals, Court of

Ninth Circuit.

Jan. 1979.

Case Details

Case Name: United States v. Robert Thomas Aims Back
Court Name: Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Date Published: Jan 4, 1979
Citation: 588 F.2d 1283
Docket Number: 77-2662
Court Abbreviation: 9th Cir.
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