FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ar c h 27, 2008 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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. 07- 14220 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 0 0 2 5 5 - C R - 2 - C L S - P WG 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 E D D I E C U N N I N G H A M , 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 N o r th e rn D i s tr i c to f A l ab a ma

_________________________ ( M ar c h 27, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

E ddi e C unni ngha m appe a l s hi s c onvi c t i on a nd 180- m onth s e nt e nc e f or pos s e s s i on of

f i r e a rm s by ac onvi c t e d f e l on, i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . §§ 922( g) ( 1) and 9 24 (e )( 1). O n app ea l , C un ni ng ham ar gu es thatthe evi dence pres ent ed attri al w as n o tsu ffi ci en tt o est ab l i sh th ath e h ad co n stru ct i v e p o ssessi o n , th ati s, do m i ni on and con trol , ov erthe shot gu ns foun d i nsi de hi s hom e. C un ni ng ham as se rt s thatthe evi dence s ho w s thaton l y hi s w i fe had d om i ni on and con trol ov er the s hot guns . C unni ngha m f ur the rc ont e nds tha thi s m e r e pr e s e nc e i n the hom e , or h i s k n o w l ed g e o f th e l o cat i o n o f th e sh o t g u n s, i s i n su ffi ci en tt o est ab l i sh construct i ve po ss es si on . S ec on d, C un ni ng ham ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourtfa i l ed t o s uf f i c i e nt l y i ns truc tthe j ury on the l a w of pos s e s s i on, s pe c i f

i c a l l y , the i s s ue of

“ dom i ni on a nd c ontr ol . ” C unni ngha m c ont e nds tha t , a s ar e s ul t , the j ury di d not u n d e r s ta n d th e is s u e s in v o lv e d . L a s t, C u n n in g h a m a r g u e s th a t h is 1 8 0 - m o n th s e n te n c e , im p o s e d p u r s u a n t to th e Arm e d C a r e e rC r i m i n a l Ac t( “ AC C A” ) , 1 8 U. S . C . § 9 2 4 ( e ) a n d U. S . S . G. § 4 B 1 .4 ( a ) , c o n s titu te s c ru e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n is h m e n t b e c a u s e it is g r e a tly d is p r o p o r tio n a te to th e o f f e n s e th a t w a s c o m m itte d . C u n n in g h a m a s s e r ts th a t th is i s part i cul ar l y true because hi s qual i fy i ng pri or fe l on y c on vi ct i on s occ urre d approx i m at el y 20 yea rs before the i nst antoffe nse. C un ni ng ham al so as se rt s that th e A C C A - e n h a n c e d s e n te n c e d o e s n o t a llo w th e d is tr ic t c o u r t to a d e q u a te ly3

c o n s id e rs ig n if

ic a n t f a c to r s s u c h a s h is a g e a t th e tim e o f th e p r io ro f

f e n s e s , h is r e habi l i t a t i on s i nc e thos e c onvi c t i ons , a nd the c i r c um s t a nc e s i nvol ve d i n the i ns t a nt o f f e n s e . F o r th e r ea so n s s et fo rth m o re fu ll y b elo w , w e a ff irm C u n n in g h am ’s conv i ct i on and sent ence . I. W e r e vi e w de novo “ w he the rthe r e i s s uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o s uppor tthe ju ry ’s v e r d ic t.” U n ite d S ta te s v . O r tiz , 3 1 8 F .3 d 1 0 3 0 , 1 0 3 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . W e w i l l a f f i rm the j ury ’ s ve r di c t“ i f ar e a s onabl e tr i e rof

f a c tc oul d c onc l ude tha tthe e v i d e n c e e s t ab l i s h e s g u i l tb e y o n d ar e a s o n ab l e d o u b t . ” I d . ( q u o t a t i o n o m i tt e d ) . On r e v ie w , th e e v id e n c e is v ie w e d “in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to th e g o v e rn m e n t, w ith al l re as on abl e i nfer ence s a nd cr edi bi l i ty c ho i ce s m ade i n the go vernm ent ’ s f avor. ” Id. (quo t at i on om i tt ed). “U n d e r1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) , it is u n la w f u l f o raf e lo n to p o s s e s s af

ir e a rm . S e c tio n 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) r e q u ir e s th e g o v e rn m e n t to p r o v e ‘th r e e d is tin c t e le m e n ts :’ (1) that[the defendant ] w as a c on vi ct ed fe l on ; (2) that[the defendant ] kn ew he w as in p o s s e s s io n o f

af ir e a rm ; a n d ( 3 ) th a t th e f ir e a rm a f f e c te d o rw a s in in te r s ta te com m er ce . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. W ri gh t , 39 2 F . 3d 12 69 , 12 73 (11th C i r. 20 04 ). “P o s s e s s io n c a n b e s h o w n b y c ir c u m s ta n tia l a s w e ll a s d ir e c t e v id e n c e . . . [ a n d ] . . .4

c a n be e i the ra c tua l orc ons truc t i ve [ . ] ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C r a w f or d, 906 F . 2d 1531, 15 35 (11th C i r. 19 90 ). “ A defe nd anthas c on struct i ve po ss es si on i f he e xerc i se s ow ners hi p, do m i ni on , or control ov erthe fi re arm . A defe nd antal so has c ons truc t i ve pos s e s s i on i f he ha s the pow e ra nd i nt e nt i on t o e xe r c i s e dom i ni on or c ontr ol . T he de f

e nda ntm a y e xe r c i s e tha tdom i ni on a nd c ontr ol e i the rdi r e c t l y or thr ough othe r s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. G unn, 369 F . 3d 1229, 1235 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . T he re cord es t abl i shes thatC un ni ng ham st i pu l at ed thathe w as a c on vi ct ed f e l on. A s t o C unni ngha m ’ s know l e dge tha the w a s i n pos s e s s i on of af i r e a rm , the re cord i nd i ca t es thatC un ni ng ham ’ s w i fe , D annye, pu rc hase d tw o M ossber g 12- ga uge s hot guns a s abi r thda y pr e s e ntf orC unni ngha m . D a nny e t ook the shot gu ns t o h erfa ther’ s hou se , and aft erhi s dea th, t o h erm other’ s hou se , w here they r em ai ned u nt i l O ct ob er20 04 . C un ni ng ham and D annye s epar at ed i n O ct ob er 20 04 and C un ni ng ham m ov ed i n w i th E l l i otJa ckson. A ft erC un ni ng ham m ov ed o u t, D a n n y e b r o u g h t th e s h o tg u n s b a c k to th e h o m e th e y h a d s h a r e d . O n F ebruary7, 20 05 , C un ni ng ham re turned t o the fa m i l y hom e t o speak w i th D a nny e . D a nny e a nd C unni ngha m e nga ge d i n ahe a t e d a r gum e nta nd C unni ngha m ’ s s t e p- da ught e rc a l l e d the pol i c e t o r e s ol ve the di s put e . A l though the evi dence i nd i ca t es thatC un ni ng ham w as no tl i vi ng w i th h i s w i fe atthatt i m e, there5

i s no di s put e tha ttw o s hot guns w e r e f ound i ns i de the hous e tha tni ght . O ne of the shot gu ns w as foun d i n a base m entbedroo m . T he re cord i nd i ca t es that C unni ngha m w a s i n the ba s e m e ntw he n the of f i c e r s e nt e r e d the hous e , a nd tha the in itia lly r e f

u s e d to c o o p e r a te w ith th e o f f ic e r s ’ in s tru c tio n s to e x it th e b a s e m e n t, i ns t e a d “ t a unt i ng” the of f i c e r s by r e m a i ni ng pa r t i a l l y hi dde n a nd onl y r e ve a l i ng one ha nd a tat i m e . L a t e r , C unni ngha m a dm i tt e d tha tthe r e w a s as hot gun i n the ba s e m e ntbe dr oom , a nd phy s i c a l l y poi nt e d outthe l oc a t i on of the gun t o one of

the of f i c e r s . E a r l i e r , D a nny e a dvi s e d the of f i c e r s tha tthe r e w a s agun unde rne a th the bed i n the up st ai rs m as t erbedroo m . W hi l e l ea vi ng the ho use, C un ni ng ham c onf i rm e d tha thi s w i f

e ha d boughtthe s hot guns f orhi m a s abi r thda y pr e s e nta nd no t ed thathe coul d n otpu rc hase gu ns because he w as a c on vi ct ed fe l on . F urther, b o th s h o tg u n s w e r e m a n u f a c tu r e d in C o n n e c tic u t a n d , th u s , h a d tr a v e le d in i n t e r s t a t e c o mme r c e . A c c o r d i n g l y , th e s e f a c t s s u p p o r taf

i n d i n g th a tCu n n i n g h a m, ac o n v i c t e d f

e l o n , h a d c o n s tru c t i v e p o s s e s s i o n o f th e s h o t g u n s f

o u n d i n h i s h o me o n F e b ru a ry 7 , 2 0 0 5 . S e e W r ig h t, 3 9 2 F .3 d a t 1 2 7 3 ; G u n n , 3 6 9 F .3 d a t 1 2 3 5 . T h e r e f o r e , v i e wi n g th e e v i d e n c e i n th e l i g h tm o s tf a v o r ab l e t o th e g o v e rn m e n t , we concl ud e thatthere w as suff i ci entevi dence t o con vi ctand aff i rm as t o thi s i ss ue. II . W here the defendantfa i l s t o o bj ec tt o a j ury i nstruct i on before the di stri ct6

c o u r t, o u rr e v ie w o f

th a t in s tru c tio n is f

o rp la in e rr o r . W r ig h t, 3 9 2 F .3 d a t 1 2 7 7 . U nd erpl ai n err or re vi ew , there m ustbe: “ (1) e rr or, (2) thati s pl ai n, and (3) that af fe ct s s ub st ant i al ri gh t s. If al l three of tho se cond i t i on s a re m et , the courtm ay e x e r c is e its d is c r e tio n to n o tic e af o r f e ite d e rr o rb u t o n ly if

( 4 ) th e e rr o rs e r io u s ly af fe ct s the fa i rnes s, i nt egri ty, or pu bl i c r eput at i on of j ud i ci al proceedi ng s. ” U ni t ed S t a t e s v. L e C r oy , 441 F . 3d 914, 930 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ; W r i ght , 392 F . 3d a t1277. H e r e , the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s j ury i ns truc t i on m i rr or e d the pa tt e rn j ury i ns truc t i on fr om thi s C i rc ui tre gardi ng the l aw of po ss es si on . T he court ’ s i nstruct i on w as prop erbecause i ti nform ed the j ury m em bers thati n o rdert o fi nd thatC un ni ng ham po ss es se d the subj ec tfi re arm (s ), they had t o fi nd thathe ei ther had di re ctph ys i ca l c o n tr o l o v e rit o rh a d th e p o w e ra n d th e in te n t to e x e r t c o n tr o l o v e rit. A d d itio n a lly , th e c o u r t’s in s tru c tio n r e f le c te d a n a c c u r a te s ta te m e n t o f th e la w . S e e G unn, 369 F . 3d a t1235; C r a w f or d, 906 F . 2d a t1535. A c c or di ngl y , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d notpl a i nl y e rri n i ns truc t i ng the j ury on the l a w of pos s e s s i on, a nd w e a ff i rm as t o thi s i ss ue. II I. W e ha ve de c l i ne d t o r e vi e w ac l a i m tha tas e nt e nc e c ons t i tut e d c rue l a nd un usual pu ni shm entw hen the ar gu m entw as no tra i se d i n the di stri ctcourt . S ee U n ite d S ta te s v . S a n c h e z , 1 3 8 F .3 d 1 4 1 0 , 1 4 1 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) ( r e f u s in g to7

consi der E i gh th A m endm entar gu m ent , w here defe nd ant ’ s s ent ence w as enhanced thr ough a“ c a r e e rof

f e nde rpr ovi s i on, ” be c a us e the de f e nda ntdi d notr a i s e i ti n the di stri ctcourt ). H ow ever , w e have re vi ew ed a c on st i tut i on al chal l enge t o a se nt ence notr a i s e d i n the di s tr i c tc our tf orpl a i n e rr or . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S w a t z i e , 228 F . 3d 1278, 1281 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . T o c orr e c tpl a i n e rr or , w e f i r s tm us tf

i nd ( 1) e rr or , ( 2) th a t is p la in , a n d ( 3 ) th a t a f f e c ts s u b s ta n tia l r ig h ts . “I f a ll th r e e c o n d itio n s a r e m e t, a n appe l l a t e c our tm a y the n e xe r c i s e i t s di s c r e t i on t o not i c e af or f e i t e d e rr or , but onl y i f ( 4) the e rr ors e r i ous l y a f f e c t s the f a i rne s s , i nt e gr i ty , orpubl i c r e put a t i on of ju d ic ia l p r o c e e d in g s .” I d . T he A C C A pr ovi de s tha ta ny pe r s on c onvi c t e d of a n of f e ns e unde r18 U . S . C . § 922( g) w ho ha s 3 pr e vi ous c onvi c t i ons f oravi ol e ntf

e l ony oras e r i ous d ru g o f f e n s e , i s s u b

j e c tt o a1 5 - y e a rma n d a t o ry mi n i mu m s e n t e n c e . 1 8 U . S. C. § 9 24 (e )( 1). A “ vi ol entfe l on y” i s def i ned as a n o ff

ense pu ni shabl e by at erm exce edi ng on e y ea r that(1) “ has a s a n el em entthe use, att em pt ed use, or threa t ened us e of phy s i c a l f

or c e a ga i ns tthe pe r s on of a nothe r , ” or( 2) i s , i nt e ra l i a , bur gl a ry or “in v o lv e s c o n d u c t th a t p r e s e n ts as e r io u s p o te n tia l r is k o f p h y s ic a l in

ju ry to another. ” 18 U . S . C . § 9 24 (e )( 2)(B ). T he re cord i nd i sput abl y e st abl i shed that C u n n in g h a m w a s c o n v ic te d o f f iv e s e p a r a te in s ta n c e s o f a rm e d r o b b e ry , in vi ol a t i on of

A l a . C ode § 13A - 8- 41, a n of f e ns e puni s habl e unde rA l aba m al a w by8

2 0 y e a r s to lif

e im p r is o n m e n t p u r s u a n t to A la . C o d e § 1 3 A - 5 - 6 ( a ) ( 1 ) , ( 5 ) . A c c or di ngl y , the di s tr i c tc our tpr ope r l y f ound tha tC unni ngha m w a s s ubj e c tt o the i n c r e a s e d s e n t e n c e u n d e rth e AC C A.

“ In n o n -cap i t al cases, th e E i g h th A m en d m en ten co m p asses, atm o st , o n l y a n a rr o w p r o p o r tio n a lity p r in c ip le .” U n ite d S ta te s v . B r a n t, 6 2 F .3 d 3 6 7 , 3 6 8 ( 1 1 th C i r . 1995) ( c i t i ng H a rm e l i n v. M i c hi ga n, 501 U . S . 957, 985- 994, 111 S . C t . 2680, 2696- 2701, 115 L . E d. 2d 836 ( 1991) ) . W e m us tm a ke athr e s hol d de t e rm i na t i on tha tthe s e nt e nc e i m pos e d i s gr os s l y di s pr opor t i ona t e t o the of f e ns e c om m i tt e d, a nd onl y i f w e s o f i nd m us tw e the n c ons i de rs e nt e nc e s i m pos e d on othe r s i n the j uri sdi ct i on and for com m i ss i on of the sa m e c ri m e i n o ther j uri sdi ct i on s. U ni t ed S ta te s v . R e y n o ld s , 2 1 5 F .3 d 1 2 1 0 , 1 2 1 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . I n R e y nol ds , the de f

e nda ntpl e d gui l ty t o vi ol a t i ng 18 U . S . C . §§ 922( g) ( 1) a nd 924( e ) , a nd w a s s e nt e nc e d unde rthe A C C A t o 180 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e nt . I d. a t1212- 13. R e y nol ds ’ s tr i gge r i ng of f e ns e s i nc l ude d f

e l ony c onvi c t i ons f

or de l i ve ry of

c oc a i ne , bur gl a ry , a nd a ggr a va t e d ba tt e ry . I d. a t1212. A l though R ey no l ds ar gu ed thathi s s ent ence w as di spropo rt i on at e bec ause hi s posse ss i on of a f ir e a rm w a s f

o ra n in n o c e n t r e a s o n , s p e c if ic a lly , to p r e v e n t ate e n a g e r ’s a c c e s s to the f i r e a rm , w e r e a s one d tha t“ [ s ] e c t i ons 922( g) a nd 924( e ) ( 1) . . . do notf oc us on the m ot i ve or pu rpose of the curre ntpo ss es si on of fi re arm s, bu tra ther on the fa ct9

tha tape r s on w i th thr e e orm or e vi ol e ntf e l onyors e r i ous drug c onvi c t i ons c urr e nt l y pos s e s s e s af

i r e a rm . ” I d. a t1214 ( c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . W e he l d tha tthe 15 -y ea r s ent ence w as no tgrossl y di spropo rt i on at e t o the § 9 22 (g) off ense , and that th e A C C A d id n o t im p o s e c ru e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n is h m e n t. I d . H er e, C un ni ng ham w as conv i ct ed un der the sa m e s t atut es and w as se nt ence d to th e s am e ter m o f im p riso n m en t as R ey n o ld s. In ad d it io n , C u n n in g h am ’s qu al i fy i ng pri or conv i ct i on s, w hi ch i ncl ud ed fi ve st at e c on vi ct i on s f or arm ed r o b b e ry , a r g u ab ly w e r e a s s e r io u s , if n o t m o r e s o , th a n th e q u a lif y in g o f f e n s e s in R e y n o ld s . A c c o r d in g ly , w e h o ld th a t C u n n in g h a m ’s s e n te n c e is n o t g r o s s ly di s pr opor t i ona t e t o hi s of f e ns e of c onvi c t i on, a nd the r e f

or e , doe s notvi ol a t e the E i ghth A m e ndm e nt . M or e ove r , t o the e xt e nttha tC unni ngha m a r gue s tha tthe appl i ca t i on of the A C C A base d o n 2 0-ye ar -ol d p ri or conv i ct i on s r es ul t s i n an u n c o n s titu tio n a lly d is p r o p o r tio n a te s e n te n c e , h e m is in te rp r e ts th e ap p lic ab le anal ys i s. T he t es tfor a n E i gh th A m endm entvi ol at i on i s w hether the se nt ence w as g r o s s lyd is p r o p o r tio n a te to th e o f f e n s e f o rw h ic h th e s e n te n c e w a s im p o s e d . R ey no l ds, 21 5 F . 3d at12 14 . F urther, t o the ext entthatC un ni ng ham ar gu es that the appl i c a t i on of

the A C C A doe s nota l l ow the c our tt o c ons i de rm i t i ga t i ng c i r c um s t a nc e s s uc h a s hi s a ge a tthe t i m e of the pr i orof

f e ns e s , hi s s ubs e que nt re habi l i t at i on , and the fa ct s s urroun di ng the i nst antoffe nse, the di stri ctcourt10

e xpr e s s l y a c know l e dge d a nd c ons i de r e d the s e c i r c um s t a nc e s i n i t s a na l y s i s of the § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) s e n te n c in g f

a c to r s . A c c o r d in g ly , C u n n in g h a m h a s f a ile d to s h o w p la in error. In l i gh tof the foregoi ng , C un ni ng ham ’ s c on vi ct i on and sent ence ar e AF F I RME D.