FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

APR 8, 2010

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 9

- 1 3 9 9 0

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 9 8

- 0 0 0 1 2

- C R

- 4

- R H

- W C S

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e

,

v e r s u s

J O S E P H B R O M E J A C K S O N

,

a

. k

. a

. A n t h o n y D e a n d r e J e n k i n s

,

a

. k

. a

. B l a c k

,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f F l o r i d a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( A p r i l 8

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e C A R N E S

, H U L L a n d F A Y

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :J o s e p h B r o m e J a c k s o n a p p e a l s p r o s e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d e n i a l o f h i s m o t i o n

f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s o r d e r d e n y i n g h i s 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

m o t i o n t o r e d u c e h i s s e n t e n c e

. A f t e r r e v i e w

, w e a f

f i r m

.

I

. B A C K G R O U N D F A C T S

A

. J a c k s o n ’ s O r i g i n a l 2 4 8

- M o n t h S e n t e n c e

I n 1 9 9 8

, J a c k s o n w a s c o n v i c t e d o f a c r a c k c o c a i n e o f f e n s e i n f e d e r a l c o u r t

,

w h i c h o r d i n a r i l y h a s a t e n y e a r s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m

. S e e 2 1 U

. S

. C

.

§ 8 4 1 ( a )

, ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i i )

. B e c a u s e J a c k s o n h a d a p r i o r 1 9 9 3 G e o r g i a d r u g

t r a f f i c k i n g c o n v i c t i o n

, h o w e v e r

, J a c k s o n ’ s s t a t u t o r y

, m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e

w a s t w e n t y y e a r s

. S e e 2 1 U

. S

. C

. § § 8 4 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) & 8 5 1

. A l t h o u g h J a c k s o n ’ s 1

i n i t i a l g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e w a s 2 3 5 t o 2 9 3 m o n t h s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t

, h i s g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

b e c a m e 2 4 0 t o 2 9 3 m o n t h s b e c a u s e o f t h e t w e n t y

- y e a r s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y

m i n i m u m

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

. § 5 G 1

. 1 ( c ) ( 2 ) ( s t a t i n g t h a t a s e n t e n c e m a y b e i m p o s e d a t

a n y p o i n t w i t h i n t h e a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e s o l o n g a s i t i s n o t l e s s t h a n a n y

s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m )

. J a c k s o n r e c e i v e d a 2 4 8

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e

. T h i s

C o u r t a f f i r m e d J a c k s o n ’ s c o n v i c t i o n a n d s e n t e n c e o n M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 0 0

.

Section 841(b)( 1)(A) states that a de fenda nt who commits a § 841(a) offe nse af ter a 1

prior convic tion for a f

elony drugoffe nse bec omes final is subject to a ter m of imprisonment

“which ma

y not be less than 20 y ear s and not more than life imprisonment.” 18 U.S.C.

§ 841(b)( 1)(A) . Section 851 require s the g overnme nt to file an informa tion with the court

stating the prior convic tions it will rely upon in seeking a sente nce tha t has an “ incre ased

punishment by

rea son of one or

more prior

convictions.” 18 U.S.C. § 851.

2I n 2 0 0 2

, J a c k s o n ’ s p r o s e m o t i o n p u r s u a n t t o 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 5 5 w a s d e n i e d

.

I n 2 0 0 4

, a G e o r g i a c o u r t v a c a t e d J a c k s o n ’ s G e o r g i a d r u g t r a f f i c k i n g c o n v i c t i o n

.

C o n s e q u e n t l y

, i n 2 0 0 5

, J a c k s o n f i l e d a s e c o n d p r o s e § 2 2 5 5 m o t i o n

, a r g u i n g t h a t

t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s h o u l d r e s e n t e n c e h i m w i t h o u t t h e t w e n t y

- y e a r m a n d a t o r y

m i n i m u m

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d e n i e d J a c k s o n ’ s m o t i o n a s a n u n a u t h o r i z e d s e c o n d

§ 2 2 5 5 m o t i o n

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t c i t e d I n r e D e a n

, 3 4 1 F

. 3 d 1 2 4 7 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 3 )

,

i n w h i c h t h i s C o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t a s e n t e n c i n g e r r o r c l a i m b a s e d o n a v a c a t e d

p r i o r s t a t e c o u r t c o n v i c t i o n d i d n o t f a l l w i t h i n § 2 2 5 5 ’ s “ n e w l y d i s c o v e r e d

e v i d e n c e e x c e p t i o n ” t o t h e b a r o n s u c c e s s i v e § 2 2 5 5 m o t i o n s

. 3 4 1 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 4 8

-

4 9

. T h i s C o u r t d i s m i s s e d J a c k s o n ’ s a p p e a l o f t h e § 2 2 5 5 r u l i n g b e c a u s e J a c k s o n

f a i l e d t o p a y t h e f

i l i n g f e e s

.

B

. S e c t i o n 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) M o t i o n B a s e d o n A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6

I n 2 0 0 8

, J a c k s o n

, a c t i n g p r o s e

, w r o t e a l e t t e r t o t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s t a t i n g t h a t

h e h a d h e a r d a b o u t A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 t o t h e S e n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s

, w h i c h l o w e r e d

t h e b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l s i n U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( c ) a p p l i c a b l e t o m o s t c r a c k c o c a i n e

o f f e n s e s

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

. a p p

. C

, a m e n d s

. 7 0 6

, 7 1 3

. J a c k s o n ’ s l e t t e r a s k e d w h e t h e r

h e n e e d e d t o f

i l e a m o t i o n t o h a v e h i s s e n t e n c e r e d u c e d b a s e d o n A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6

a n d

, i f h e d i d n o t

, a s k e d t h e c o u r t t o c o n s i d e r c e r t a i n p o s t

- s e n t e n c i n g r e h a b i l i t a t i v e

c o n d u c t a n d h i s f

a m i l y ’ s h a r d s h i p i n r e s e n t e n c i n g h i m

. J a c k s o n ’ s l e t t e r d i d n o t

3m e n t i o n t h a t h i s p r i o r G e o r g i a d r u g t r a f f i c k i n g c o n v i c t i o n h a d b e e n v a c a t e d i n

2 0 0 4

.

O n D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o n s t r u e d J a c k s o n ’ s l e t t e r a s a

§ 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) m o t i o n f

o r a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n a n d g r a n t e d t h e m o t i o n

. T h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t J a c k s o n w a s e l i g i b l e f o r a § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n

b e c a u s e A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 h a d l o w e r e d J a c k s o n ’ s a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

. T h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h a t ( 1 ) A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 l o w e r e d J a c k s o n ’ s i n i t i a l r a n g e

f r o m 2 3 5 t o 2 9 3 m o n t h s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t t o 1 8 8 t o 2 3 5 m o n t h s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t

, a n d

( 2 ) t h e r e f

o r e

, b e c a u s e o f t h e t w e n t y

- y e a r m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e

, J a c k s o n ’ s

a m e n d e d a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e w a s s i m p l y 2 4 0 m o n t h s

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

.

§ 5 G 1

. 1 ( b ) ( s t a t i n g t h a t w h e n t h e s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m i s g r e a t e r t h a n t h e

h i g h e n d o f t h e a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

, t h e m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m “ s h a l l b e t h e

g u i d e l i n e s e n t e n c e ” )

. A s a r e s u l t

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i m p o s e d a 2 4 0

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e

o n D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8 ( w h i c h w a s e i g h t m o n t h s l o w e r t h a n h i s o r i g i n a l s e n t e n c e )

.

C

. M o t i o n f

o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n B a s e d o n V a c a t e d P r i o r C o n v i c t i o n

O n D e c e m b e r 2 0

, 2 0 0 8

, J a c k s o n p r o s e f i l e d a m o t i o n f

o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f

t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8 o r d e r

. J a c k s o n ’ s m o t i o n c o n t e n d e d t h a t h e 2

“Unde r the ‘pr ison mailbox rule,’ a pro se pr isoner’s c ourt filing is de emed f iled on the 2

date it is delivere d to prison authorities for mailing .” Willi ams v. McNe il, 557 F.3d 1287, 1290

n.2 (11th Cir.), ce rt. denied, 129 S. Ct. 2747 (2009). Jackson aver red tha t he deliver ed his

motion for rec onsideration to prison offic ials for mailing on Dec ember 20, 2008.

4n o l o n g e r w a s s u b j e c t t o t h e t w e n t y

- y e a r s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e

b e c a u s e h i s G e o r g i a d r u g t r a f f i c k i n g c o n v i c t i o n h a d b e e n v a c a t e d

. J a c k s o n

a t t a c h e d a c o p y o f a J u d g m e n t o f N o l l e P r o s e q u i d a t e d M a y 2 0 0 6 t h a t n o l p r o s s e d

J a c k s o n ’ s i n d i c t m e n t a n d i n d i c a t e d t h a t J a c k s o n w a s g i v e n s t a t e h a b e a s r e l i e f i n

2 0 0 4

. J a c k s o n a r g u e d t h a t

, w i t h o u t t h e G e o r g i a d r u g t r a f f i c k i n g c o n v i c t i o n

, h i s

c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y c a t e g o r y w a s I I r a t h e r t h a n I I I a n d h i s a m e n d e d a p p l i c a b l e

g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e w a s 1 6 8 t o 2 1 0 m o n t h s

. T h e g o v e r n m e n t c o n c e d e d t h a t J a c k s o n ’ s

G e o r g i a d r u g c o n v i c t i o n u s e d t o s u p p o r t t h e i n c r e a s e d s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y

m i n i m u m h a d b e e n v a c a t e d

, b u t a r g u e d t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t w a s n o t p e r m i t t e d t o

r e d u c e h i s s e n t e n c e o n t h a t g r o u n d i n a § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) p r o c e e d i n g

.

O n J u l y 2 5

, 2 0 0 9

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e n t e r e d a n o r d e r d e n y i n g J a c k s o n ’ s

m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t J a c k s o n ’ s

s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n w a s “ m o r e l i m i t e d t h a n i t w o u l d o t h e r w i s e h a v e b e e n ” b e c a u s e

o f t h e s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e

, b u t c o n c l u d e d t h a t i t c o u l d n o t “ r e l y

o n A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 t o r e v i s i t t h e m i n i m u m m a n d a t o r y

, e v e n t h o u g h i t w a s b a s e d

o n a n o w

- v a c a t e d c o n v i c t i o n

. ” T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h a t

, p u r s u a n t t o

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 1 0 ( b ) ( 1 )

, i t c o u l d c o n s i d e r o n l y A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 ’ s c h a n g e t o t h e

b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l a n d t h a t a l l o t h e r o r i g i n a l s e n t e n c i n g d e t e r m i n a t i o n s w e r e “ l e f t

u n a f f e c t e d

. ”

5O n A u g u s t 3

, 2 0 0 9

, J a c k s o n f i l e d a n o t i c e o f a p p e a l c h a l l e n g i n g t h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t ’ s J u l y 2 5

, 2 0 0 9 o r d e r d e n y i n g h i s m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n

. J a c k s o n d i d

n o t c h a l l e n g e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s u n d e r l y i n g D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8 o r d e r g r a n t i n g h i s

§ 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) m o t i o n a n d r e d u c i n g h i s s e n t e n c e t o 2 4 0 m o n t h s

.

I I

. D I S C U S S I O N

O n a p p e a l

, J a c k s o n a r g u e s t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s h o u l d h a v e g r a n t e d h i s

m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d

, i n l i g h t o f h i s v a c a t e d G e o r g i a d r u g t r a f f i c k i n g

c o n v i c t i o n

, s h o u l d h a v e r e s e n t e n c e d h i m w i t h o u t r e g a r d t o t h e t w e n t y

- y e a r

s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m

. W e a f f i r m t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d e n i a l o f J a c k s o n ’ s

m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n f

o r t h r e e r e a s o n s

, a n y o n e o f w h i c h i s s u f f i c i e n t a l o n e

.

F i r s t

, w e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t l a c k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n o n J u l y 2 5

, 2 0 0 9

t o m o d i f y J a c k s o n ’ s 2 4 0

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e i m p o s e d o n D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

. S e e

U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P h i l l i p s

,

_ _ _ _ F

. 3 d

_ _ _ _ , N o s

. 0 8

- 1 7 2 4 8 & 0 9

- 1 1 2 1 0

, 2 0 1 0 W L

6 1 0 8 8 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. F e b

. 2 3

, 2 0 1 0 )

. U n d e r P h i l l i p s a n d R u l e 3 5 ( a )

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t 3

h a d t h e p o w e r t o c o r r e c t a n y c l e a r e r r o r i n J a c k s o n ’ s n e w s e n t e n c e w i t h i n s e v e n

d a y s o f i m p o s i n g t h a t s e n t e n c e o n D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, i

. e

. , o n o r b e f o r e D e c e m b e r

2 2

, 2 0 0 8

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t a c t u p o n J a c k s o n ’ s m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n

We review de novo whe ther the district c ourt had jurisdiction to modify J ackson’ s 3

reduc ed 240-month sentenc e upon Jackson’s motion for re consideration. See Phill ips, 2010 W L

610883, at *4.

6u n t i l J u l y 2 5

, 2 0 0 9

. O n c e t h e s e v e n

- d a y t i m e l i m i t i n R u l e 3 5 ( a ) e x p i r e d

, t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o u l d n o t h a v e g r a n t e d J a c k s o n ’ s m o t i o n f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n

.

S e c o n d

, i n a § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) p r o c e e d i n g “ a l l o r i g i n a l s e n t e n c i n g d e t e r m i n a t i o n s

r e m a i n u n c h a n g e d w i t h t h e s o l e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e g u i d e l i n e r a n g e t h a t h a s b e e n

a m e n d e d s i n c e t h e o r i g i n a l s e n t e n c i n g

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. B r a v o

, 2 0 3 F

. 3 d 7 7 8

, 7 8 1

( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 0 )

. T h u s

, J a c k s o n m a y n o t a t t a c k h i s i n c r e a s e d s t a t u t o r y m a n d a t o r y

m i n i m u m w i t h i n t h e n a r r o w l y p r e s c r i b e d c o n f i n e s o f a § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) p r o c e e d i n g

.

T h i r d

, J a c k s o n ’ s i n i t i a l § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) m o t i o n ( f i l e d i n 2 0 0 8 ) d i d n o t s e e k a

r e d u c e d s e n t e n c e b a s e d o n h i s v a c a t e d p r i o r d r u g c o n v i c t i o n ( v a c a t e d i n 2 0 0 4 )

, b u t

s o u g h t a r e d u c t i o n u n d e r A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6

. T h u s

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t e r r i n

d e n y i n g a m o t i o n f

o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n b a s e d o n a n e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t c l a i m

. 4

A F F I R M E D

.

The Court appointed Jackson counse l and aske d for suppleme ntal briefing on the 4

jurisdictional issue under Phillips. J ackson’ s letter brie f ra ises substantive due proc ess and other

issues that were not raised in the district cour t or in his init ial brief a

nd do not fall within the

limit ed scope of the supplementa l briefing . Thus, we de cline to addr ess these issues.

7