### F I L E D U .S . C O U R T O F A PPE A LS E L EVENTH CI RCU I T J ul y30, 2007 T HO MAS K . KA HN C L ER K [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 16153 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 0 2 3 - C R - WS U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s J E R O M E H A R R I S , J R ., D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e So u th e rn D i s tr i c to f A l ab a ma

_________________________ ( Ju l y 30, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an d B A R K E T T , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

Je rom e H arri s, Jr . appeal s hi s 300 -m on th sent ence i m po se d aft era j ury c onvi c t e d hi m of

pos s e s s i on w i th the i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e m or e tha n 50 gr a m s of c r a c k c oc a i ne , pos s e s s i on w i th the i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e appr oxi m a t e l y 84 gr a m s of c o c a in e ; a n d p o s s e s s io n o f af ir e a rm in f

u r th e r a n c e o f

ad ru g tr a f

f ic k in g c r im e . H a rr i s c ha l l e nge s the e nha nc e m e ntof hi s s e nt e nc e pur s ua ntt o 21 U . S . C . §§ 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) a nd 851 a s av io la tio n o f h is F if th a n d S ix th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts . W e A F F I R M . I . B AC KG RO UN D A f e d e r a l g r a n d ju ry r e tu rn e d a n in d ic tm e n t a g a in s t H a rr is a n d h is c ode f e nda nt , L e ke t aH a rr i s , c ha r gi ng H a rr i s w i th, i nt e ra l i a , ( 1) pos s e s s i on w i th the i n t e n tt o d i s tr i b u t e mo r e th a n 5 0 g r a ms o f c r a c kc o c a i n e , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 2 1 U . S. C. § 8 4 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) a n d ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( c o u n t 2 ) ; ( 2 ) p o s s e s s io n w ith th e in te n t to d is tr ib u te appr oxi m a t e l y 84 gr a m s of c oc a i ne , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) ( 1) a nd 18 U . S . C . § 2 ( c ount3) ; a nd ( 3) pos s e s s i on of af i r e a rm dur i ng a nd i n r e l a t i on t o a drug tr a f f i c ki ng c r i m e , i n vi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 924( c ) ( 1) ( c ount4) . T he in d ic tm e n t d id n o t s p e c if y th a t H a rr is h a d ap r io rf e lo n y d ru g c o n v ic tio n . H a rr is p le a d e d n o t g u ilty to th e c h a r g e s in th e in d ic tm e n t. B ef ore tri al , the go vernm entfi l ed a 21 U . S . C . § 8 51 no t i ce w i th the di stri ct court , se eki ng t o enh ance H arri s’ s s ent ence pu rs uantt o 2 1 U . S . C . § 8 41 (b)( 1)(A ),3

b a s e d o n H a rr is ’s A u g u s t 2 0 0 1 c o n v ic tio n in s ta te c o u r t f o rp o s s e s s io n o f

c o c a in e . W i th the e nha nc e m e nt , H a rr i s f a c e d am a nda t ory m i ni m um s e nt e nc e of 20 y e a r s of i m pr i s onm e nt . S e e 21 U . S . C . § 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) . T he j ury f ound H a rr i s gui l ty of c ount s 2, 3, a nd 4. P r io rto s e n te n c in g , ap r e s e n te n c e in v e s tig a tio n r e p o r t ( “P S I ” ) w a s p r e p a r e d . T he P S I a ss i gn ed H arri s abase offe nse l evel of 34 pu rs uantt o U ni t ed S t at es Se n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s § 2 D 1 . 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) . A s t o h i s c r i mi n a l h i s t o ry c a t e g o ry , th e PSI st at ed thatH arri s had previ ou sl y bee n con vi ct ed i n st at e c ou rtof, i nt eral i a, pos s e s s i on of

c oc a i ne , f

orw hi c h he ha d be e n s e nt e nc e d t o f i ve y e a r s of im p r is o n m e n t, a n d th a t h is s e n te n c e h a d b e e n s u s p e n d e d . T h e P S I a s s ig n e d H a rr is at ot a l of tw o c r i m i na l hi s t ory poi nt s f orac r i m i na l hi s t ory c a t e gory of I I . W i th a t ot al offe nse l evel of 34 and a cri m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I I, H arri s’ s a dv i sory gui de l i ne r a nge a s t o c ount s tw o a nd thr e e w a s 168 t o 210 m onths of i m pr i s onm e nt . A ddi t i ona l l y , a n i ndi vi dua l w ho c om m i t s a n of f e ns e unde r21 U . S . C . § 8 41 (b)( 1)(A ) a ft era pri or conv i ct i on for afe l on y drug o ff ense has becom e f i nal i s s ubj ec tt o a m andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence of 20 ye ar s. T here fore , H arri s’ s gui del i ne ra ng e a s t o cou nt s tw o and three w as the 20 -y ear m andat ory m i ni m um . A s t o cou ntfour, the gu i del i ne ra ng e w as the st atut ori l y m andat ed t erm4

of i m pr i s onm e ntof

f i ve y e a r s , t o be s e rve d c ons e c ut i ve l y t o a ny othe rt e rm of im p r is o n m e n t. In hi s pre se nt enci ng hear i ng m em orandu m , H arri s obj ec t ed t o the 20 -y ea r e nha nc e d m a nda t ory m i ni m um s e nt e nc e , a r gui ng tha t , unde rB l a ke l y v. W as hi ng t on , 54 2 U . S . 29 6, 12 4 S . C t . 25 31 (200 4), the enhanced sent ence vi ol at ed hi s F i fth and S i xth A m endm entri gh t s bec ause hi s pri or conv i ct i on w as nei ther c h a r g e d in th e in d ic tm e n t n o rp r o v e n to ju ry b e y o n d ar e a s o n ab le d o u b t. H a rr is a r gue d tha tA l m e nda r e z - T orr e s v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 523 U . S . 224, 118 S . C t . 1219 ( 1998) , i n w hi c h the S upr e m e C our the l d tha tade f e nda nt ’ s s e nt e nc e m a y be e nha nc e d ba s e d on pr i orf e l ony c onvi c t i ons tha ta r e ne i the ra l l e ge d i n the i n d i ctm en tn o r p ro v en t o th e j u ry, i s n o l o n g er g o o d l aw i n l i g h to f B l ak el y. A t H a rr is ’s s e n te n c in g h e a r in g , h e r e ite r a te d h is c o n s titu tio n a l o b je c tio n s to the enhanced m andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence . T he go vernm entre spon ded, i nt er al i a, thatthe § 8 51 no t i ce of enhancem entw as t i m el y f i l ed, and thatou r c as e l aw di d notpr e c l ude the di s tr i c tc our tf r om m a ki ng af

i ndi ng of f a c ta s t o pr i or c o n v ic tio n s . T he di s tr i c tc our tove rrul e d H a rr i s ’ s obj e c t i ons t o the s e nt e nc i ng e n h a n c e m e n t, s p e c if

ic a lly f in d in g th a t “g iv e n th e s ta te o f th e la w in th e E le v e n th C i r c ui t , the obj e c t i on t o appl i c a t i on of the e nha nc e m e ntunde rS e c t i on 851 i s not5

w e l l t a ke n. ” R - 126 a t13. T he di s tr i c tc our ts e nt e nc e d H a rr i s t o: ( 1) 240 m onths of i m pr i s onm e nta s t o c ount s 2 a nd 3, w i th both t e rm s t o run c onc urr e nt l y ; a nd ( 2) 60 m onths a s t o c ount4, t o run c ons e c ut i ve l y w i th c ount s 2 a nd 3, f orat ot a l of

300 m onths of

i m pr i s onm e nt . T he c our tnot e d tha ti tha d “ abs ol ut e l y no di s c r e t i on but t o i m po se . . . a m andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence of 30 0 m on ths i n thi s c as e. ” I d. at 2 6 . I I . DI S CUS S I ON O n ap p e a l, H a rr is a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t v io la te d h is F if th a n d S ix th A m endm entri gh t s by i m po si ng an enhanced m andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence un der 21 U . S . C . § 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) , ba s e d on i t s f i ndi ng tha the w a s pr e vi ous l y c onvi c t e d of a f el on y drug o ff

ense , because the fa ctof the pri or conv i ct i on w as nei ther c harged i n the i ndi c tm e ntnorf

ound by aj ury be y ond ar e a s onabl e doubt . H a rr i s m a i nt a i ns tha tA l m e nda r e z - T orr e s i s no l onge rgood l a w i n l i ghtof B l a ke l y a nd A ppr e ndi v. N ew Je rs ey , 53 0 U . S . 46 6, 12 0 S . C t . 23 48 (200 0). W e r e v ie w c o n s titu tio n a l e rr o r s in s e n te n c in g d e n o v o , b u t w ill r e v e r s e o n ly for harm ful error. U ni t ed S t at es v. P az , 40 5 F . 3d 94 6, 94 8 (11 th C i r. 20 05 ) ( per c ur i a m ) ( c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . “ T o f i nd ha rm l e s s e rr or , w e m us tde t e rm i ne tha tthe e rr ordi d nota f

f e c tthe s ubs t a nt i a l r i ght s of the pa r t i e s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H e rn a n d e z , 1 6 0 F .3 d 6 6 1 , 6 7 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) ( c ita tio n s o m itte d ) .6

I n A l m e nda r e z - T orr e s , the S upr e m e C our the l d tha tthe gove rnm e ntne e d not pr ove be y ond ar e a s onabl e doubttha tade f e nda ntha d pr i orc onvi c t i ons ora l l e ge tho se pri or conv i ct i on s i n i t s i nd i ctm enti n o rdert o u se them t o enh ance a de f e nda nt ’ s s e nt e nc e . 523 U . S . a t243- 44, 118 S . C t . a t1230- 31. I n A ppr e ndi , the S up re m e C ou rtexpl i ci t l y dec l i ned t o o verrul e A l m endarez -T orre s. 53 0 U . S . at 489- 90, 120 S . C t . a t2362. T he C our tr e s t a t e d the pr i orc onvi c t i on rul e , hol di ng th a t “[ o ]th e rth a n th e f

a c t o f ap r io rc o n v ic tio n , a n y f a c t th a t in c r e a s e s th e p e n a lty fo r a cri m e b eyo n d th e p rescri b ed st atu t o ry m ax i m u m m u stb e su b m i tt ed t o a j u ry, and p roved b ey on d a re as on abl e dou bt . ” I d. at49 0, 12 0 S . C t . at23 62 -63. In B l a ke l y , the C our ta ga i n r e i t e r a t e d i t s hol di ng i n A ppr e ndi tha t“ [ o] the rtha n the f a c tof apr i orc onvi c t i on, ” a ny f a c ttha te nha nc e s ade f

e nda nt ’ s s e nt e nc e be y ond the st atut ory m axi m um m ustbe prov ed t o a j ury. 54 2 U . S . at30 1, 12 4 S . C t . at 2 5 3 6 ( q u o tin g 5 3 0 U .S . a t 4 9 0 , 1 2 0 S . C t. a t 2 3 6 2 ) . M or e ove r , w e ha ve c ons i s t e nt l y he l d tha tA l m e nda r e z - T orr e s r e m a i ns good l aw . In U ni t ed S t at es v. S hel t on , w e hel d thatthe deci si on i n A l m endarez -T orre s w as “ l ef tun di sturbed b y A pp re nd i , B l akel y, and B oo ker, ” and that“ a di stri ctcourt do es no terr by r el yi ng on pri or conv i ct i on s t o enh ance a def endant ’ s s ent ence . ” 40 0 F . 3d 13 25 , 13 29 (11th C i r. 20 05 ).7

B as ed on the abov e pre ce dent , H arri s’ s argum entthatthe di stri ctcourterre d by e nha nc i ng hi s s e nt e nc e f orapr i ordrug c onvi c t i on pur s ua ntt o 18 U . S . C . §§ 8 4 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) a n d 8 5 1 h a s n o m e r it. I I I . CONCL US I ON A c c or di ngl y , upon r e vi e w of the r e c or d on appe a l a nd c ons i de r a t i on of the p a r tie s ’ b r ie f

s , w e d is c e rn n o r e v e r s ib le e rr o r . A F F I R M E D .