United States v. Steven Dale Witten, Steve Binion Fechser, Emory Woodfin Cofield, 965 F.2d 774 (9th Cir. 1992). · Go Syfert
United States v. Steven Dale Witten, Steve Binion Fechser, Emory Woodfin Cofield, 965 F.2d 774 (9th Cir. 1992). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
“abney does not provide a basis for finding jurisdiction here. . . . even if the alleged predicate act were dismissed, the appellants would still face trial for conspiracy to violate rico.”
10 citation events (4 in the last 25 years) across 8 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Pickering v. People (virginislands, 2016-02-25)
Top citers, strongest first. 9 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Pickering v. People
virginislands · 2016 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
abney does not provide a basis for finding jurisdiction here. . . . even if the alleged predicate act were dismissed, the appellants would still face trial for conspiracy to violate rico.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Ginyard (2×)
D.C. Cir. · 2008 · confidence medium
Courts have likewise refused to extend Abney to interlocutory appeals from denials of motions to strike overt acts or objects from conspiracy indictments, see Head, 697 F.2d at 1206 ; United States v. Powell, 632 F.2d 754, 758 (9th Cir.1980), 5 or predicate acts from Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) indictments, see Tom, 787 F.2d at 68 ; United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 776 (9th Cir.1992).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Ramirez Burgos
1st Cir. · 1995 · confidence medium
LEXIS 12553, at *2 (6th Cir. May 19, 1993) (interlocutory appeal of double jeopardy claim raised in § 924(c) and § 2119 context; dismissed for lack of jurisdiction); United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 775-76 (9th Cir.1992) (similar).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Ramirez Burgos
1st Cir. · 1995 · confidence medium
See United States v. McHenry, 1993 ___ ______________ _______ U.S. App. LEXIS 12553, at *2 (6th Cir. May 19, 1993) (interlocu- tory appeal of double jeopardy claim raised in 924(c) and 2119 context; dismissed for lack of jurisdiction); United States _____________ v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 775-76 (9th Cir. 1992) (similar).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Michael Greenfield, John Baker, James Marren, Michael Smith, and Michael Sidel
7th Cir. · 1993 · confidence medium
In its order of January 22, 1993, the district court refused to dismiss the mistried counts against Greenfield, holding that no double jeopardy concerns existed 3 See United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 776 (9th Cir.1992); United States v. Levy, 803 F.2d 1390 , 1399 n. 45 (5th Cir.1986); United States v. Hornung, 785 F.2d 868, 870 (10th Cir.1986); United States v. Tom, 787 F.2d 65, 69 (2d Cir.1985); United States v. Gulledge, 739 F.2d 582, 586-87 (11th Cir.1984); United States v. Mulhern, 710 F.2d 731 , 740 n. 5 (11th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 964 (1983), & cert. denied, 465 U.S. 10…
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Bailin
N.D. Ill. · 1993 · confidence medium
United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 776 (9th Cir.1992); Tom, 787 F.2d at 69 .
cited Cited "see" United States v. Robert Rawlings, Jr.
9th Cir. · 1994 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 775 (9th Cir.1992) (citing Abney v. United States, 431 U.S. 651, 659-62 (1977)).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Ellis McHenry
6th Cir. · 1993 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774 (9th Cir.1992). 4 It therefore is ORDERED that this appeal is dismissed sua sponte for lack of a final, appealable order.
discussed Cited "see, e.g." United States v. Jenkins
W.D.N.Y. · 2017 · signal: see also · confidence medium
In. reaching that conclusion, the Second Circuit distinguished that circumstance — a motion" targeting a predicate act — from one challenging an entire count: “Where a defendant challenges an entire count on grounds of former jeopardy, lack of an interlocutory appeal would prevent all opportunity to vindicate the asserted right to avoid trial on that count.” Id. (emphasis added); see also United States v. Witten, 965 F.2d 774, 776 (9th Cir. 1992) (appellate court did not have jurisdiction over interlocutory appeal from denial of motion to dismiss on double jeopardy grounds predicate ac…
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Steven Dale WITTEN, Steve Binion Fechser, Emory Woodfin Cofield, Defendants-Appellants
91-10529, 91-10590 and 91-10591.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Jun 2, 1992.
965 F.2d 774
92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4628
1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 12146
Richard Wright, Wright & Stewart, Las Vegas, Nev., for defendant-appellant Wit-ten., Oscar Goodman, Goodman, Stein & Ches-noff, Las Vegas, Nev., for defendant-appellant Fechser., Harry E. Claiborne, Las Vegas, Nev., for defendant-appellant Cofield., Kurt Schulke, Organized Crime Strike Force, Las Vegas, Nev., and Teresa McHenry, Trial Atty., Crim. Div., Washington, D.C. (argued and briefed), for plaintiff-appellee.
Hug, Tang, Nelson.
Cited by 9 opinions  |  Published
HUG, Circuit Judge:

This is an interlocutory appeal from the district court’s order denying a motion to dismiss one of the predicate acts alleged in an indictment charging the appellants with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d). For the reasons explained below, we dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

The appellants, Steven Binion Fechser, Emory Woodfin Cofield, and Steven Dale Witten, were employees of Binion’s Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In April 1986, a Clark County, Nevada grand jury returned an indictment against appellants, charging them with kidnapping and robbing card cheats. Fechser and Co-field were indicted for kidnapping and robbing Barry Finn and robbing Alan Brown. Witten was indicted for kidnapping and robbing Brown and robbing Finn. The jury acquitted Cofield of the charges of kidnapping and robbing Finn and robbing Brown, acquitted Witten of kidnapping Brown, and acquitted Fechser of kidnapping Finn. However, the jury found Witten and Fech-ser guilty of the robbery charges. Fechser and Witten filed motions to dismiss those robbery charges. The Clark County, Nevada district court ordered a new trial for Fechser and Witten on the robbery charges, finding that there was insufficient evidence of robbery. [1]

On February 10, 1989, Fechser and Wit-ten moved the state trial court to dismiss the robbery counts against them. While that motion was pending in state court, a federal grand jury indicted the appellants for conspiracy to violate 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c). Predicate Act VII alleges that the appellants kidnapped and robbed Brown and Finn, in violation of Nevada law.

The appellants filed a motion to dismiss Predicate Act VII on the grounds that it violated the Double Jeopardy Clause. The district court denied the motion, and the appellants appealed. Since we do not have jurisdiction to consider this appeal, we do not decide whether the failure to dismiss the predicate act violates the Double Jeopardy Clause.

Federal courts of appeal have jurisdiction to review “all final decisions of the district courts.” 28 U.S.C. § 1291. An .appeal from a pretrial denial of a motion to dismiss an indictment, or part of an indictment, is an interlocutory appeal, and generally is not considered a final judgment. In some circumstances, however, a pretrial denial of a motion to dismiss an indictment on double jeopardy grounds is appealable under the collateral order doctrine. See Abney v. United States, 431 U.S. 651, 659-62, 97 S.Ct. 2034, 2040-42, 52 L.Ed.2d 651 (1977).

In Abney, the Supreme Court held that there was jurisdiction to consider an interlocutory appeal of a pretrial denial of a motion to dismiss an indictment on double jeopardy grounds. Id. at 662, 97 S.Ct. at 2041. The Court recognized that, to fall within the collateral order exception to the final judgment rule, the order must involve an important right that will be “lost, probably irreparably,” if review has to await final judgment. Id. at 658-59, 97 S.Ct. at[*776] 2039-40. In Abney such a right would have been irreparably lost. The Court noted that “the Double Jeopardy Clause protects an individual against more than being subjected to double punishments. It is a guarantee against being twice put to trial for the same offense.” Id. at 660-61, 97 S.Ct. at 2041 (emphasis in original) (footnote omitted). Even if a defendant “has his conviction ultimately reversed on double jeopardy grounds, he has still been forced to endure a trial that the Double Jeopardy Clause was designed to prohibit.” Id. at 662, 97 S.Ct. at 2041 (footnote omitted). Since dismissal of the indictment would prevent a second trial, the Court found that the refusal to dismiss was immediately appealable. Id.

Abney does not provide a basis for finding jurisdiction here. The appellants moved to dismiss an alleged predicate act, not an entire indictment, or even an entire count. Even if the alleged predicate act were dismissed, the appellants would still face trial for conspiracy to violate RICO. A defendant can violate section 1962(d) even if he does not personally participate in the commission of any predicate offenses. United States v. Tille, 729 F.2d 615, 619 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 845, 105 S.Ct. 156, 83 L.Ed.2d 93 (1984). Thus, the collateral order doctrine is not applicable here. United States v. Tom, 787 F.2d 65, 68 (2d Cir.1986).

The appeal is DISMISSED.

1

. Witten and Fechser contend that the Clark County district court in effect acquitted them of the robbery charges. We do not reach this issue since we find that we do not have jurisdiction to consider this appeal.