FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ay 16, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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

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________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -002 52 -C R -4 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 Z A C K E R Y S H A N N O N , a .k .a . Y a h C o o h , a .k .a . O n tar io K ru m , D e fe n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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_________________________ ( M ay 16, 2006) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

Z ac kery S hann on appeal s the deci si on of the di stri ctcourtt o sent ence hi m as ac ar e e rof

fe nde rba s e d on “ t w o pr i orfe l ony c onvi c ti ons of e i the rac r i m e of v io le n c e o rac o n tr o lle d s u b s ta n c e o f fe n s e ” w ith in 1 5 y e ar s o f th e in s ta n t o f

fe n s e . U . S . S . G . § 4B 1. 1. A l though S ha nnon c om m i tt e d the pr i orof fe ns e s out s i de the 15- y e arw i ndow pr e c e di ng the i ns t a ntof fe ns e , the c onvi c ti ons c ount e d be c a us e the se nt ence s i m po se d for tho se conv i cti on s r es ul t ed i n S hann on bei ng i ncar ce ra t ed dur i ng s om e par tof

the 15- y e arw i ndow . S e e U . S . S . G . § 4A 1. 2( e ) ( 1) . S ha nnon a dm i tt e d a ts e nt e nc i ng tha the “ t e c hni c a l l y ” qua l i f i e d a s ac ar e e rof

fe nde r , butnow ar g u e s th a th i s s e n t e n c e i s e rr o n e o u s a n d u n c o n s ti tu ti o n a l . W e a f f i r m. I . B AC KG RO UN D T hr e e of fe ns e s i n S ha nnon’ s c r i m i na l hi s t or y — t w o pr i orof fe ns e s a nd the in s ta n t o f

fe n s e — ar e c e n tr a l to th is ap p e a l. S h a n n o n c o m m itte d th e f ir s t o f fe n s e in M ay 1 9 8 6 an d w as se n ten ce d to o n e y ea r o f p ro b atio n . In A u g u st 1 9 8 6 , S h an n o n ’s p r o b a tio n o f

f ic e rf ile d a n a f f id a v it o f v io la tio n o f

p r o b a tio n a n d , ap p r o x im a te ly four - a nd- a - ha l f

y e ar s l a t e r , i n M ar c h 1991, the gove r nm e nthe l d ar e voc a ti on he ar i ng. S ha nnon’ s pr oba ti on w a s r e voke d, a nd he w a s s e nt e nc e d t o 18 m onths of i m pr i s onm e nt . S ha nnon w a s r e l e a s e d i n J ul y 1991. I n the m e a nti m e , S ha nnon c om m i tt e d the s e c ond of fe ns e , i n A pr i l 1988, a nd w as se nt ence d t o 9 0 d ay s of i m pri sonm entand fi ve ye ar s of probati on . In O ct ob er3

1988, S ha nnon’ s pr oba ti on w a s r e voke d a nd he w a s s e nt e nc e d t o 20 m onths of i m pr i s onm e nt . S ha nnon w a s r e l e a s e d i n D e c e m be r1989. S ha nnon c om m i tt e d the in s ta n t o f

fe n s e in J u ly 2 0 0 4 a n d p le a d e d g u ilty . T he pr e s e nt e nc e i nve s ti ga ti on r e por tr e c om m e nde d tha tS ha nnon be s e nt e nc e d a s ac ar e e rof fe nde r . T he gove r nm e nte xpl a i ne d a ts e nt e nc i ng tha tone r e a s on i tha d a gr e e d t o r e c om m e nd as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the s e nt e nc i ng gu i del i nes w as thatS hann on “ fa ce d the un ce rt ai nt y of thatcare eroffe nd eri ss ue. ” S ha nnon’ s a tt or ne y s t a t e d tha the w a s tr oubl e d by the c ar e e rof fe nde rde s i gna ti on, b u t a d m itte d th a t S h a n n o n “m e e ts th e r e q u ir e m e n ts o f ac ar e e ro f

fe n d e r. . . [ a lth o u g h in ] av e r y te c h n ic a l m a n n e r .” T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t s e n te n c e d S h a n n o n to 156 m onths of

i m pr i s onm e nta nd f

i ve y e ar s of

s upe r vi s e d r e l e a s e . S ha nnon w ai ved “ any obj ec ti on s t o the fi nd i ng of fa ct , concl usi on s of l aw or t o the m anner i n w hi ch the se nt ence w as pron ou nced. ” I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W hen a defendantw ai ves a n o bj ec ti on i n the di stri ctcourt , w e r evi ew that obj e c ti on on a ppe a l forpl a i n e rr or . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. R odr i gue z , 398 F . 3d 1291, 1 2 9 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON S h a n n o n a r g u e s th e r e i s “ n o r e a s o n ab l e t e m p o r a l n e x u s ” b e t we e n th e t wo4

p r io rc o n v ic tio n s a n d th e in s ta n t o f fe n s e a n d h is s e n te n c e is u n c o n s titu tio n a l. W e fi rs tdi sc uss w hether the di stri ctcourtcorr ec t l y app l i ed the care eroffe nd er p ro v isio n o f th e s en ten cin g g u id elin es . W e n ex t d iscu ss w h eth erS h an n o n ’s ar g u m e n ts h a v e m e r it. A d efen d an tw h o i s atl east1 8 years o l d w h en h e co m m i t s an o ffen se “ i s a care eroffe nd eri f . . . the i nst antoffe nse of c on vi cti on i s afe l on y thati s e i ther a cr i m e of vi ol ence or a c on trol l ed subst ance offe nse . . . and . . . the defendanthas a t l ea stt w o p ri or fe l on y c on vi cti on s of e i ther acr i m e of vi ol ence or a c on trol l ed s ubs t a nc e of

fe ns e . ” U . S . S . G . § 4B 1. 1; s e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C or nog, 945 F . 2d 15 04 , 15 07 (11th C i r. 19 91 ). P ri or fe l on y c on vi cti on s und erse cti on 4B 1. 1 are c o u n te d u s in g th e d e f

in itio n s a n d in s tru c tio n s fo rc o m p u tin g c r im in a l h is to r y in se cti on 4A 1. 2. U . S . S . G . § 4 B 1. 2 cm t . n. 3. A pri or conv i cti on i s “ any s ent ence pr e vi ous l y i m pos e d upon a dj udi c a ti on of gui l t. . . forc onduc tnotpar tof the i nst antoffe nse. ” U . S . S . G . § 4 A 1. 2(a) (1). A pri or conv i cti on i s c ou nt ed w hen

“ i m pri sonm entexce edi ng on e y ear a nd on e m on th . . . w as i m po se d w i thi n fi ft ee n y e ar s o f th e d e fe n d a n t’s c o m m e n c e m e n t o f th e in s ta n t o f

fe n s e .” U .S .S .G . § 4A 1. 2( e ) ( 1) . A pr i orc onvi c ti on a l s o i s c ount e d w he n “ a ny pr i ors e nt e nc e of i m pri sonm entexce edi ng on e y ear a nd on e m on th, w henever i m po se d, . . . re sul t ed i n the defendantbei ng i ncar ce ra t ed du ri ng any par tof such fi ft ee n-ye arperi od . ”5

I d. S e nt e nc e s i m pos e d upon r e voc a ti on of pr oba ti on c a n “ a f

fe c tthe ti m e pe r i od unde rw hi c h s e nt e nc e s a r e c ount e d unde r[ s e c ti on] 4A 1. 2( e ) ( 1) [ of the s e nt e nc i ng gui de l i ne s ] . ” C or nog, 945 F . 2d a t1510. “ I n the c a s e of apr i orr e voc a ti on of pr oba ti on . . . [ or ] par ol e . . . [ the s e nt e nc i ng c our ts houl d] a dd the or i gi na l t e r m of im p r is o n m e n t to a n y te r m o f im p r is o n m e n t im p o s e d u p o n r e v o c a tio n .” U .S .S .G . § 4A 1. 2( k) ( 1) . “ T hus , the c our tor di nar i l y s houl d c ountac onvi c ti on tha ti s i m pos e d, a nd on w hi c h the de fe nda nti s par ol e d, out s i de the w i ndow , w he n the de fe nda nt la te r— w ith in th e w in d o w — is in c ar c e r a te d fo rb r e a c h in g th e c o n d itio n s o f h is p ar o le .” C o r n o g , 9 4 5 F .2 d a t 1 5 1 0 . T he di s tr i c tc our tc orr e c t l y appl i e d the s e nt e nc i ng gui de l i ne s i n s e nt e nc i ng S h a n n o n a s ac ar e e ro f

fe n d e r . B e c a u s e S h a n n o n c o m m itte d th e in s ta n t o f fe n s e in J ul y 2004, the 15- y e arw i ndow forpr i orof fe ns e s ope ne d i n J ul y 1989. S ha nnon c o m m itte d th e f

ir s t p r io ro f

fe n s e in M a y 1 9 8 6 a n d th e s e c o n d p r io ro f fe n s e in A p r il 19 88 . W hen S hann on vi ol at ed hi s probati on for e ac h o ff ense , he re ce i ved s e n te n c e s o f

m o r e th a n o n e y e ara n d o n e m o n th o f im p r is o n m e n t th a t r e s p e c tiv e ly e nde d J ul y 1991 a nd D e c e m be r1989. B e c a us e both “ pr i ors e nt e nc e [ s ] of i m pr i s onm e nte xc e e d[ e d] one y e ara nd one m onth” a nd “ r e s ul t e d i n [ S ha nnon] b e in g in c ar c e r a te d ” a n y tim e a f te rJ u ly 1 9 8 9 , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin6

c o u n tin g th e p r io rc o n v ic tio n s to w ar d S h a n n o n ’s c ar e e ro f fe n d e rs ta tu s . S h an n o n erro n eo u sl y arg u es th atth ere i s “ n o reaso n ab l e t em p o ral n ex u s” bet w ee n the t w o p ri or conv i cti on s a nd the i nst antoffe nse. B ec ause “ re as on abl e” t a ke s i t s m e a ni ng di r e c t l y f r om the r e l e va ntpr ovi s i ons of the s e nt e nc i ng g u id e lin e s , w h ic h d e s ig n a te S h a n n o n a s ac ar e e ro f fe n d e r , th is ar g u m e n t fa ils . S h a n n o n a ls o a r g u e s th a t h is d e s ig n a tio n a s ac ar e e ro f fe n d e ris in c o n s is te n t w ith the “ s pi r i t ” of

the c ar e e rof

fe nde rl a w s be c a us e c ounti ng as e nt e nc e i m pos e d upon r e voc a ti on of

pr oba ti on i s “ t a nt a m ountt o tur ni ng apr oba ti on vi ol a ti on i nt o a

‘ c r i m e of vi ol e nc e ’ or‘ c ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e of fe ns e . ’ ” T hi s f

l a w e d ar gum e nt ig n o re s b o th se ctio n 4 A 1 .2 (k )( 1 ) o f th e s en ten cin g g u id elin es an d o u r v iew th at “a c our tor di nar i l y s houl d c ountac onvi c ti on tha ti s i m pos e d, a nd on w hi c h the de fe nda nti s par ol e d, out s i de the w i ndow , w he n the de fe nda ntl a t e r— w i thi n the w i ndow

— i s i nc ar c e r a t e d forbr e a c hi ng the c ondi ti ons of hi s par ol e . ” C or nog, 945 F .2 d a t 1 5 1 0 . S h a n n o n ’s b ar e a s s e r tio n th a t c o u n tin g th e tw o p r io rc o n v ic tio n s “is n o t c o n s is te n t w ith c o n s titu tio n a l d u e p r o c e s s o f la w ” a ls o fa ils . W e r e c e nt l y de c l i ne d t o r e c ogni z e a n e xc e pti on t o c ounti ng pr i orc onvi c ti ons w h ere th e p ri o r co n v i cti o n s fel l w i th i n th e rel ev an tw i n d o w so l el y b ecau se c onvi c ti on a nd s e nt e nc i ng w e r e de l a y e d. S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. A da m s , 403 F . 3d 1 2 5 7 , 1 2 6 0 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 5 ). In A d am s, th e d istrict co u rt in cr ea se d th e d efen d an t’ s7

c r i m i na l hi s t or y s c or e ba s e d on apr i orc onvi c ti on w i thi n 10 y e ar s of the i ns t a nt o f fe n s e . T h e d e fe n d a n tc o m m i tt e d th e p r i o ro f fe n s e o u t s i d e th e 1 0 - y e arwi n d o w, b u t, d u e to a“ab u s y s ta te - c o u r t d o c k e t,” w a s n o t c o n v ic te d a n d s e n te n c e d u n til s e v e n m o n th s la te r . I d . a t 1 2 5 9 . T h e d e la y c a u s e d th e c o n v ic tio n to c o m e w ith in th e te n - y e arw in d o w . O n a p p e a l, “[ w ]e d e c lin e [ d ] [ th e d e fe n d a n t’s ] in v ita tio n to r e c ogni z e a n e xc e pti on t o the 10- y e arrul e w he r e , due t o a n a l l e ge d ba c kl og i n the s ta te - c o u r t s y s te m in w h ic h h e w a s c o n v ic te d , im p o s itio n o f th e s e n te n c e fo rh is pr i orc onvi c ti on w a s de l a y e d. ” I d. a t1260. W e r e a s one d tha ts uc h a n e xc e pti on w oul d be c ontr ar y t o the “ pl a i n a nd or di nar y m e a ni ng” of the s e nt e nc i ng gu i del i nes. Id. A s S hann on ob se rves , the del ay i n sent enci ng i n h i s c as e w as l o n g e rth a n i n A d a ms , b u tSh a n n o n fa i l s t o e x p l a i n w h y th e r e a s o n i n g i n A d a ms d o e s n o t ap p ly w ith e q u a l fo r c e in h is c a s e . I V . CONCL US I ON T he di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr, pl ai nl y or otherw i se , i n sent enci ng S hann on as ac ar e e ro f

fe n d e r . AF F I RME D.