# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 4- 34 37

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

Sam ue l B. Fo rd

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Nor th ern Dis tri ct of I owa - Ced ar Ra pi ds

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Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 16 , 20 15 Fil ed : Ap ril 5, 2 01 6 [Un pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re SM ITH, BYE, and BENTON, Circu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.

Pu rs ua nt to 21 U.S.C. § 841( b) (1 )(A), th e di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Sam ue l Fo rd 1

t o a m an da to ry li fe te rm fo r di st rib ut io n of a co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc e ne ar a pr o t e c t e d

The Hon or ab le Lin da R. Rea de
, Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r 1 th e Nor th ern Dis tri ct of I owa

.lo cat io n aft er h a v i n g be en pr ev io us ly co nv ic te d of at le as t two ot he r fel on y dr ug

of fen se s. Fo rd ap pe al s, a r g u i n g th at hi s se nt en ce is (1 ) un la wfu l un de r th e pl ai n la ng ua ge of 21 U.S.C. § 84 1, an d (2 ) a vi ol at io n of th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t's
pr oh ib it io n o f cru el an d u nu su al pu ni sh m en ts . W e aff irm.

I. Bac kg ro un d
Fo rd was co nv ic te d of di st r i b u t io n of he ro in wit hi n 1,0 00 feet of a pr ot ect ed lo cat io n, res ul ti ng in th e de at h of an ot he r ("C ou nt I")
, an d di st rib ut io n of co cai ne ba se

an d he ro in ("C ou nt II" ). W it h res pe ct to bo th co un ts , th e go ve rn m en t ti m el y fil ed an in fo rm at io n of it s in te nt to se ek en ha nc ed pe na lt ie s be cau se of Fo rd 's pr io r

co nv ic ti on s. Se e 21 U.S.C. § 85 1( a)(1 ). In it ia ll y , th e di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Fo rd to

a m an da to ry li fe te rm on Co un t I an d a 36 0- m on th te r m o n C o u n t II, to ru n

co nc ur ren tl y

. In a pr io r ap pe al be fo re th is co ur t, Fo rd ul ti m at el y pr ev ai le d in ha vi ng hi s se nt en ce va cat ed

. Uni te d St at es v. For d
, 75 0 F.3 d 95 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ). In li gh t of
Bur ra ge v. Uni te d St at es , 13 4 S. Ct

. 88 1 (2 01 4)
, we rev ers ed Fo rd 's co nv ic ti on wit h

res pe ct to Co un t I bu t affi rm ed in al l ot he r res pe ct s. Id

. at 95 5– 56

. W e rem an de d
Fo rd 's cas e to th e di st ric t c o u r t w i t h di rect io ns to "en te r jud gm en t on th e le ss er in cl u d e d o f

f e n s e of di st rib ut io n of a co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc e wit hi n 1,0 00 feet of a
pr ot ect ed lo cat io n." Id

. at 95 6 (ci ti ng 21 U.S.C. §§ 8 4 1 (a)( 1)
, 86 0( a)). The di st ric t

co ur t ag ai n se nt en ced Fo rd to a m an da to ry li fe se nt en ce so le ly ba se d on hi s

co nv ic ti on of di st rib ut io n of a co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc e wit hi n 1 ,00 0 fe et of a pro te ct ed lo cat io n, i n v io la ti on of 2 1 U.S.C. § § 8 41 (b )(1 )(A), 8 51 , and 86 0( a).

II. Dis cu ss io n At se nt en ci ng , F o r d ob

jecte d to hi s se nt en ce on Eig ht h Am en dm en t gr ou nd s

on ly. The refo re, we rev ie w de no vo Fo rd 's Eig ht h Am en dm en t se nt en ci ng ch al le ng e. Se e Uni te d St at e s v

. S c o t t , 6 10 F.3 d 10 09 , 1 01 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). Bu t we rev ie w f or pl ai n erro r hi s un pr es erv ed ch al le n g e t o th e la wfu ln es s of hi s se nt en ce. Se e Uni te d
St at es v. Emly , 74 7 F .3d 97 4, 9 81 (8t h C ir. 2 01 4)

.

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-A. 21 U.S.C. § 84 1( b) (1 )(A)
Fo rd fir st arg ue s th at th e se nt en ce th at th e di st ric t co ur t im po se d is il le ga l be cau se th e m ax im

um se nt en ce § 84 1 au th or iz es is 60 y ear s. Fo rd reas on s th at be cau se th e jury m ad e no fin di ng s th at th e qu an ti ty of he ro in di st rib ut ed was gr eat er th an 10 0 gr am s, § 84 1( b) (1 )(C) pr ov id es th e ap pr op ria te st at ut or y se nt en ci ng ran ge

. Und er s ub se ct io n (b )(1 )(C)
, a li fe se nt en ce is au th or iz ed on ly "i f de at h or se rio us bo di ly in jury res ul ts fro m th e us e of su ch su bs ta nc e." Oth erwi se , a m ax im um te rm of
30 y ears is au th or iz ed un de r su bs ect io n (b )(1 )( C )

. I n acco rd an ce wit h th e do ub li ng
pr ov is io n of § 86 0( a), Fo rd co nc lu de s th at th e m ax im um se nt e n c e t h e co ur t can im po se is 60 y ears

.

W e di sp os e of Fo rd 's arg um en t si m pl y by r e f

e r e n c i ng th e te xt of § 84 1( b) (1 )(A). Fo rd is co rrec t th at su bs e ct io n (b )(1 )(A)(i )'s pe na lt ie s ap pl y to di st rib ut io n of "1 ki lo gr am or m or e of a m ix tu re or su bs ta nc e co nt ai ni ng a de te ct ab le

am ou nt of h ero in ." Fo rd is , h owe ve r, in co rrec t th at su bs ect io n (b )(1 )(A)'s pe na lt ie s d o n o t al so ap pl y to th e co nd uc t fo r whi ch he was co nv ic te d. Sect io n 84 1( b) (1 )(A)(v ii i) a ls o s ta te s:

If an y pe rs on co m

m it s a vi ol at io n of th is su bp arag rap h or of se ct io n 84 9, 8 5 9
, 8 6 0
, or 86 1 of th is ti tl e aft er two or m or e pr io r co nv ic ti on s fo r a fel on y dru g offe ns e ha ve be co m e fin al
, su ch pe rs on sh al l be sen te nc ed t o a m an da to ry te rm of li fe im pr is on m en t wit ho ut rel eas e an d f i n e d i n
acco rd an ce wi th th e p rece di ng sen te nc e.

( Emp h a s is ad de d.) Fo rd ov erl oo ks th e di sju nc ti ve "o r," whi ch pr op erl y br in gs h i s

co nd uc t w i t h i n th e pr ov in ce of su bs ect io n (b )(1 )(A)'s m an da to ry li fe se nt en ce. A

m an da to ry li fe se nt en ce ap pl ie s to an y pe rs on who di st rib ut e s c e r t ai n qu an ti ti es of

co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc e or to an y pe rs on wh o v i o l a t e s § 84 9 "af te r two or m or e pr io r

co nv ic ti on s fo r a fel on y dr ug of fen se ." 21 U

. S .C. § 84 1( b) (1 )(A)(v ii i). Fo rd was

co nv ic te d un de r § 84 9 a fte r ha vi ng be en co nv ic te d o f at lea st two pri or fel on y dru g of fen se s. The di st ric t cou rt di d n ot il le ga ll y sen te nc e Fo rd to a m an da to ry li fe term

.
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-B. Eig ht h Amen dme nt

Fo rd ne xt at ta ck s hi s se nt en ce ba se d on th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t's Cru el an d
Unu su al Pu ni sh m en t Cl au se

. Fo rd arg ue s th at rece nt ch an ge s in th e Uni te d St at es Su pr em e Co ur t's Eig ht h Am en dm en t juri sp ru de nc e warra nt a rev ers al of hi s se nt en ce. Sp eci fic al ly, Fo rd arg ue s th at th e Co ur t's an al y si s in Gra ha m v. Flo ri da
, 56 0 U.S. 48 (2 01 0)
, "i nd ic at e[s ] th at m an da to ry li fe se nt en ces wit ho ut pa ro le
, imp os ed wi th ou t an i n d i vi du al iz ed as se ss men t of th e of fe ns e an d th e ch ar ac te ri st ic s of th e of fe n d e r , vi ol at e[] th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t's ba n o n c ru el an d u nu su al pu ni sh m en t."

The Eig ht h Am en dm en t "fo rb id s on ly ex tre m e se nt en ces th at are 'gr os sl y 2
di sp ro po rti on at e' to th e cri m e." Har meli n v. Mic hi ga n , 50 1 U.S. 95 7, 10 0 1 (1 99 1) (Ken ne dy, J., co nc ur rin g in pa rt an d co nc ur rin g in jud gm en t) (q uo ti ng So le m v. Helm
, 46 3 U.S. 27 7, 28 8 (1 98 3) ); se e al so Gra ha m , 56 0 U.S. at 59 –6 0 (n ot in g th at Ju st ic e Ken ne dy's co nc ur ren ce in Har meli n is th e co nt ro ll in g opi nio n)

. T o de te rm ine whe th er

a se nt en ce fo r a te rm of ye a r s is gr os sl y di sp ro po rti on at e, a rev ie win g co ur t

un de rta ke s "a th res ho ld co m pa ris on of th e cri m e co mm i t t e d an d th e se nt en ce im po se d." Har meli n , 50 1 U.S. at 10 05

. In th e rare cas e th at th e th res ho ld co m pa ris on "l ead s to an in fere n c e o f g r o ss di sp ro po rti on al it y ," th e co ur t sh ou ld th en pe rfo rm a

co m pa rat iv e an al y si s of t h e d e f en da nt 's se nt en ce wit h se nt en ces rece iv ed by ot he r of fen de rs in th e sa m e juri sd ic ti on an d o th er jur is di ct io ns

. Id

.

Fo rd 's m an da to ry li fe se nt en ce is no t gr os sl y di sp ro po rti on at e co m pa red to hi s cri m in al co nv ic ti on

. St at ut es th at im po se m an da to ry li fe se nt en ces "fo r dr ug of fen se s do no t vi ol at e th e Eig ht h A m en dm en t's pr oh ib it io n of cru el an d un us ua l

pu ni sh m en ts ." Uni te d St a t e s v

. Co ll in s , 3 40 F.3 d 67 2, 67 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ) (ci ta ti on

om it te d)

. "It is well se tt le d th at a se nt en ce wit hi n th e ran g e p r o v i d e d b y st at ut e is

"Ex ces si ve ba il sh al l no t be re qu ire d, no r ex ces si ve fin es im po se d, no r cru el 2

an d u nu su al pu ni sh m en ts in fli ct ed ." U.S. Co ns t. am en d. VIII

.
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-ge ne ral ly no t rev ie wab le by an ap pe ll at e co ur t." Id

. (ci ta ti on om it te d)

. Fu rth erm or e,

we ha ve ne ve r fo un d a se nt en ce th at fal ls wit hi n th e ran ge pr es cri be d by st at ut e to be

an Eig ht h Am en dm en t vi ol at io n. I d

. a t 6 8 0. Fo rd 's se nt en ce fal ls wit hi n th e ran ge
pr ov id ed by § 84 1( b) (1 )(A). Fo rd 's arg um en t an d le ga l au th or it y do no t pe rs ua de us
to ho ld th at § 84 1( b) (1 )(A)'s m an da to ry li fe se nt en ce vi ol at es th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t.

W e ha ve pr ev iou sly co nsi de re d an d re j ec te d a si m il ar Gra ha m -b as ed arg um en t. In Uni te d St at es v. Sc ot t , 61 0 F.3 d 10 09 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ), th e de fen da nt rel ie d on Gra ha m in ch al le ng in g th e s e n te nc in g co ur t's us e of pr io r juv en il e fel on y dr ug

co nv ic ti on s. Id

. at 10 17

. W e ex pl ai ne d th at th e Su pr em e Co ur t's "an al y si s in Gra ha m

was li m it ed to de f

e n d a n ts se nt en ced to li fe in pr is on wit ho ut pa ro le fo r cri m es

co m m it te d a s ju v en il es

. The Co ur t in Gra ha m di d no t cal l in to qu es ti on th e

co ns ti tu ti on al it y of us in g pr io r co nv ic ti o n s , juv en il e or ot he rwis e, to en ha nc e th e

se nt en c e o f a co nv ic te d ad ul t." Id

. at 10 18

. Lik ewis e, th e Co ur t in Gra ha m di d no t cal l in to qu es ti on th e us e of m an da to ry li fe se nt en c es fo r ad ul t of fen de rs

. In de ed
,
m uc h of th e an al y si s of Gra ha m cen te rs on th e di st in ct io n be twee n juv en il e an d ad ul t of fen de rs

. Se e Gra h am , 56 0 U.S. at 68 –7 2 (fi nd in g th at "co m pa red to ad ul ts ," juv en il es are le ss cu lp ab le
, m or e cap a bl e of ch an ge , an d le ss su sc ep ti bl e to de te rren ce).

Not ab ly, Fo rd 's ar g u men t, if ad op te d, wou ld effe ct iv el y req ui re ho ld in g th at
st at ut es im

po si ng m an da to ry lif

e te rm s ar e ca

te gor ic al ly un co ns ti tu ti on al

. Fo rd 's lo gi c

wou ld pe rm it li fe se nt en ces on ly a f t e r se nt en ci ng co ur ts en ga ge in an ad di ti on al

an al y si s s im il ar t o t he an al y si s alre ad y pr es en t un de r 18 U.S.C. § 35 53

. Co nt rary to Fo rd 's as se rti on th at Gra ha m's rat io na le su pp or ts th is arg um en t an d "s ub st an ti al ly

un de rcu t[s ]" "t he rat io na le of Har meli n ," th e Co ur t in Gra ha m ex pr es sl y reaf fir m ed

t he two cl as si fic at io ns se t ou t by th e Co ur t in Har meli n

. Se e id

. at 5 9

– 6 2

. Th e

an a l ys i s in Gra ha m was li m it ed to th e se co nd cl as si fic at io n of cas es , whe re
cat eg or ic al ru le s de fin e Eig ht h Am en dm en t st an da rd s. Id

. at 60

. Bu t th e Co ur t di d no t rejec t t h e va li di ty of th e fir st cl as si fic at io n, whe re a se nt en ce is as se ss ed fo r gr os s

-5

-di sp ro po rti on al it y

. Id

. at 59

. Lik e Fo rd
, th e pe ti t io ne r in Har meli n "at ta ck [ed ] hi s

se nt en ce be cau se of it s m an da to ry na tu re," arg ui ng th at "an y se ve re pe na lt y sc he m e
req ui res in di vi du al iz ed se nt en ci ng so th at a jud ic ia l of fic ia l m ay co ns id er m it ig at in g ci rcu m st an ces ." 50 1 U.S. at 10 06 (Ken ne dy, J., co nc ur rin g in pa rt an d co nc ur rin g in jud gm en t). The Co ur t he ld th at it s "p rece de nt s do no t su pp or t th is pr op os it io n." Id

. Rat he r, th e Co ur t ex pl ai ne d th at it s p r e c e d e n t s de m on st rat e th at th ere is no
req ui rem en t o f in di vi du al iz ed sen te nc in g i n n on cap it al cas es

. Id

.

As di sc us se d ab ov e, Fo rd 's se nt en ce is no t an "ex tre me s e nt en ce[] th at [is ]
gr os s l y di sp ro po rti on at e to th e cri m e." Se e id

. at 10 01 (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on

om it te d)

.

III. Co nc lu si on Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t.

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