Boykin

United States v. Boykin

Good Law
25 F. App'x 553
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitDecember 18, 2001No. 00-50667. D.C. No. CR-00-00449-DT-1California302 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

*554 MEMORANDUM **

Carnell Lamont Boykin appeals his conviction of being a felon in possession in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922 (g). At trial, the government produced evidence that Boykin, when he heard a loud noise outside his house, had retrieved a rifle from an attic accessway above the closet in the bedroom shared by him and his girlfriend. A search disclosed an ammunition magazine with twenty-four live rounds on Boy-kin’s bed. Boykin contends the evidence was insufficient to establish constructive possession. We disagree. Boykin’s knowledge of the gun’s location and unhindered access gave him constructive possession. United States v. Terry, 911 F.2d 272, 278 (9th Cir.1990). Moreover, Boykin plainly had actual possession when he held the gun, if only momentarily.

We also reject his defense of justification. Boykin’s argument fails on two of the four grounds required under United States v. Gomez, 92 F.3d 770 (9th Cir. 1996). Id. at 775 . First, there was no evidence of any unlawful and present threat of death or serious bodily harm. Boykin points to two threats, neither of which satisfies this prong. Any threat from the entering police was lawful, based on a valid search…

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