United States Ninth Circuit

A foreign national who forcibly seizes control of a foreign vessel in international waters may be subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. when such vessel is intercepted by federal authorities. Foreign national's conviction and sentence for seizing control over a ship by force, and performing an act of violence likely to endanger the safety of the ship, is affirmed over challenges regarding: 1) the district court's jurisdiction; 2) the sufficiency of the indictment; 3) the admissibility of a statement to an agent; 4) the admissibility of letters seized from defendant's bunk; and 5) the constitutionality of his sentence.

Appellate Information

• Argued 11/06/2007
• Decided 04/24/2008
• Published 04/24/2008

Judges

• O'SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judge:, Before:  DIARMUID F. O'SCANNLAIN, A. WALLACE TASHIMA, and MILAN D. SMITH, Jr., Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• DeAnna S. Dotson, Esq., Kapolei, HI, argued the cause for the defendant-appellant and filed briefs., Marshall H. Silverberg, Assistant United States Attorney, Honolulu, HI, argued the cause for the plaintiff-appellee;  Thomas J. Brady, Assistant United States Attorney, Honolulu, HI, filed a brief for the plaintiff-appellee;  Edward H. Kubo, Jr., United States Attorney, District of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, was on the brief.