Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-07-02050/USCOURTS-ca8-07-02050-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Melvin R. Johnson
Appellant
United States
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Nanette K. Laughrey, United States District Judge for the

Western District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 07-2050

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the Western

* District of Missouri.

Melvin R. Johnson, also known *

as Melvyn R. Johnson, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: April 18, 2008

Filed: May 21, 2008

___________

Before MURPHY, COLLOTON, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Melvin R. Johnson appeals the 120-month prison sentence the district court1

imposed after he pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or

more of cocaine base and distributing a cocaine-base mixture, in violation of 21

U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) and (C). Johnson’s counsel has requested leave to

withdraw and has filed a brief under Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967),

Appellate Case: 07-2050 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/21/2008 Entry ID: 3436136
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arguing that the district court erred in determining Johnson was ineligible for safetyvalve relief and in sentencing Johnson to the mandatory minimum.

We conclude that the district court did not clearly err in denying Johnson

safety-valve relief under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f)(2) and USSG § 5C1.2(a)(2). See United

States v. Warford, 439 F.3d 836, 844 (8th Cir. 2006) (standard of review). The court

found that Johnson failed to show that he did not use violence or credible threats of

violence in connection with the offense, because Johnson “resisted arrest to the point

that he had to be tasered and was told to stop and continued to resist, even after being

told to stop.” (S. Tr. 25). This record is sufficient to support the court’s

determination. Consequently, we conclude that Johnson’s sentence, the statutory

minimum, is not unreasonable. See United States v. Gregg, 451 F.3d 930, 937 (8th

Cir. 2006).

After reviewing the record independently under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75,

80 (1988), we find no nonfrivolous issues. Accordingly, we affirm. We grant counsel

leave to withdraw, subject to the condition that counsel promptly comply with the

requirements of Part V of this Court’s Plan to Implement the Criminal Justice Act by

advising Johnson of the procedures for filing a petition for writ of certiorari pro se. 

______________________________

Appellate Case: 07-2050 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/21/2008 Entry ID: 3436136