1. HaroldSowardsII
CJ 322, Tu/Th 9:30
10/5/15
George Lee Mims, Sr. v. US
375 F.2d 135 (5th
Cir. 1967)
1. Facts
George Lee Mims,Sr. beginsworkingatMadeiraBeach Bank priorto June
June implicatesWillie Joe Henderson,George Lee Mims,Jr.,DennisO’Connorand
StephenO’Connor
Procuresgunsand ammo,attemptto use coveralls,sailorhatsandface masksas
disguises
Trip 1: July7th
, bankclosed
July10, rentedacar fromKingCar RentalsService,putsstolenout-of-statesplatesonit,
rentsapt withprivate garage where theycanleave the rental car afterthe heist
Willie bringshiscousinThomasNapperinonthe plan
Trip 2: July11th
, getto the bankand itis closed
Place gunon Mrs. Barkiewiczheadandthreatenherbefore theyleave
There wasno intentiontoforce entry
Prosecutedforanattemptto enterMadeiraBeach Bankwithintenttorob by force and
intimidation
US DistrictCourt for Middle Districtof Floridaenterjudgment of conviction
Mims appeals
Supreme Courtreversedandsentdownfora retrial
2. Issue
Didthe conductof the participantsgobeyondthe intentandpreparationstage andreachedthe
pointwhere anovertact hadbeencommitteddirectlytendingtoeffectthe commissionof the
substantive offense?
3. Holdings
Notenoughevidence onthistopic,reversed
4. Reasoning
The jury wasn’tinstructedonwhetherthere wasanattempttorob the bank and the appellant’s
counsel failstoobjecttothisissue.The appellantwasentitledtothe question(See ISSUE) Court
requiredmore informationinordertofinda standardfor where preparationsendandattempt
begins.Theyquote the Buffum/Gregg/Coploncase.The alsouse “all proximitymustbe
determinedbyowncircumstancesandanalogytoimperfecttogive help”fromthe Kennedy
case.