FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT A ugus t 29, 2005 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. 05- 10433 N on -A rgum entC al endar

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. D o c k e tN o . 0 4
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- 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 R I C O R E S E A N H U B B A R D , 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 a b a ma

_________________________ ( A ugus t29, 2005)
B efo re T JO F L A T , D U B IN A an d M A R C U S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: R i co R es ea n H ub bard appeal s hi s 92 -m on th s ent ence , i m po se d a ft er h e p le d2

gui l t y t o be i n g a f

e l o n i n p o s s e s s i o n o f

a f i r e a r m, i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U . S. C. § 9 2 2 (g )(1 ). O n ap p eal , H u b b ard arg u es th at : (1 ) § 9 2 2 (g ) att em p t s t o reg u l a te
no n-ec on om i c i ntra st at e c ri m i nal ac t i vi ty, and i s, there fore , un const i tut i on al un d er the C om m e r c e C l a us e ; a nd ( 2) he w a s s e nt e nc e d i n vi ol a t i on of U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B ooke r , 543 U
. S
. ___, 125 S
. C t . 738, 160 L
. E d. 2d 621 (2 0 0 5 ) , be c a us e the di s tr i c tc our te nha nc e d hi s s e nt e nc e ba s e d upon f a c t s notc ha r ge d i n the i ndi ctm e nt
o ra d m itte d b y h im , p u r s u a n t to a m a n d a to ry s e n te n c in g s c h e m e . W e r evi ew const i tut i on al chal l enges to st atut es de no vo . S ee U ni t ed S t at es
v. D upr e e , 258 F
. 3d 1258 ( 11th C i r . 2001)
. H ubba r d p reserv ed h i s B ooke re rr orby
o b j e c t i n g, b a s e d o n Bl a k e l y v . W a s h i n g t o n , 5 4 2 U. S. ___ , 1 2 4 S. Ct2 5 3 1 , 1 5 9 L. E d. 2d 403 ( 2004) , a t s e nt e nc i ng. S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M a the ni a , 409 F
. 3 d 1289, 1291 ( 11th C i r . 20 0 5 ) ( hol di ng tha tappe l l a ntpr ope r l y pr e s e r ve d B ooke rc l a i m by ci ti n g B l akel y i n h i s w ri tt en obj ec t i on s t o the P S I a nd re m i nd i ng the courtat
s e nt e nc i ng of

hi s B l a ke l y obj e c t i o n ). A c c or di ngl y , he i s e nt i t l e d t o pr e s e r ve d e rr or
r e vi e w , m e a ni ng tha tw e r e vi e w hi s c l ai m d e novo, butw i l l r e ve r s e onl y f or ha r m f ul e rr or . S ee U ni t e d S t a t e s v. P a z , 405 F
. 3d 946, 948 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . “‘T o f in d h a r m le s s e r r o r , w e m u s t d e te r m in e th a t th e e rr o rd id nota f f e c tthe s ubs t a nt i a l r i ght s o f t h e p a r t i e s . ’ ” I d. ( quot i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H e rna nde z , 160 F
. 3d 661, 670 ( 11th C i r . 1998) )
. “ T he bur de n i s on the3

g o v e rn m e n t to s h o w th a t th e e rr o rd id n o t a f f e c t th e d e f

e n d a n t’s s u b s ta n tia l r ig h ts .” I d
. ( c i t i n g Un i t e d St a t e s v . Ol a n o , 5 0 7 U. S. 7 2 5 , 7 4 1 , 1 1 3 S. Ct
. 17 70 , 17 81 , 1 2 3 L. E d. 2d 50 8 (19 93 ))
. U pon thor ough rev i e w of the r e c or d, a s w e l l a s c a r e f ul c ons i de r a t i on of

the part i es ’ briefs , w e a ff i rm H ub bard’ s c on vi ct i on , bu tfi nd B oo ker c on st i tut i on al
e rr ortha tthe gove rnm e nt can n o t es t a bl i s h w a s ha r m l e s s . W e the r e f or e va c a t e a nd
re m and h i s s ent ence for r es ent enci ng consi st entw i th B oo ker. T he r e l e va ntf

a c t s a r e the s e . O n M a y 27, 2004, H u b b ard w a s i ndi c t e d f or on e c ou ntof po ss es si on of a f i re ar m by a c on vi ct ed fe l on , i n v i ol at i on of § 922( g) ( 1)
. W i thoutthe be ne f i tof a pl e a a gr e e m e nt , H ub b ard en t ered a pl e a of gui l ty t o th e c r i me c h a r g e d
. H u b b a r d a l s o f i l e d a “ f a c tu a l r e s u me , ” i n w hi c h he
a dm i tt e d t h e fact s ne c e s s a ry t o s uppor thi s gui l ty pl e a , i nc l udi ng the f ol l ow i ng: ( 1) on M a y 16, 1995, he w a s co n v i ct ed , i n A l a ba m a s t a t e c our t , of a tt e m pt e d s e c ondde gr e e bur gl a ry , w hi ch i s a fel ony c r i m e puni s ha bl e by a t e r m of i m pr i s onm e nt
exce edi ng on e y ea r, and (2) on Jul y 17, 20 03 , he kn ow i ng l y posse ss ed a R ug er , 9m m ca l i ber, se m i -aut om at ic hand gu n. H e a l so st i pu l at ed “ that[the R ug er ] w as
m a n u f a c tu r e d o u ts id e th e S ta te o f A lab a m a a n d th e r e f

o r e a f f e c te d c o m m e r c e b y i ts i m por t a t i on i nt o the S t a t e of A l a ba m a . ” H ubba r d the n pr oc e e de d t o s e nt e nc i ng.4

A cc or di ng t o the pr e s e nt e nc e i nve s t i ga t i on r e por t ( “ P S I ” ) , H ubba r d’ s b ase offe nse l e ve l w a s 24 , pu r s ua ntt o U . S. S. G
. 2K 2. 1( a ) ( 2) ( A )
. The PS I r e c omme nded th e f o llo w in g a d

ju s tm e n ts : ( 1 ) a 2
- le v e l u p w a r d a d ju s tm e n t f

o r e n g a g in g in
re ckl es s en d an g er m entdu ri ng fl i gh tfr om l aw enforce m ent , U . S
. S
. G
. § 3 C 1. 2; (2) a 2-l ev e l r e duc t i on f

ora c c e pt a nc e of

r e s pons i bi l i ty , U . S
. S
. G
. § 3E 1. 1( a ) ; a nd ( 3) a 1- l evel re du ct i on for H ub bard’ s t i m el y e ntry of a gui l ty pl ea , U .S
. S
. G
. § 3 E 1. 1(b). W ith an ad

j ust ed offens e l evel of 23 and a cri m i nal hi st ory c at egory of V I ( base d on 14 c r i m i na l hi s t ory poi nt s), h i s S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s r a nge w a s 92 t o 115
m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. H ub bard obj ec t ed t o the 2-l evel en hancem entun der § 3C 1. 2, ar gu i ng that the adj ustm entw as no t w ar rant ed base d o n the po l i ce re po rt , w hi ch i nd i ca t ed that H u b b ard st o p p ed h i s v eh i cl e aft er o n l y a “ b ri ef v eh i cl e p u rsu i t . ” H u b b a rd al so arg u ed th aten h an cem en tw as i m p ro p er b ased o n B l ak el y. A tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng, i n s up p o rt o f t he § 3C 1. 2 e nha nc e m e nt , the g o v e rn m e n t p r e s e n te d th e t e s t i m o n y o f O f f ic e rR a y m o n d C o o k , o f th e M o b ile P o lic e D e p a r tm e n t, w h o w a s r e s p o n s ib le f o rs to p p in g H u b b a r d ’s v e h ic le p r io rto h is a rr e s t. O f

f ic e rC o o k d e s c r ib e d th a t a f te rh e tu rn e d o n th e b lu e lig h ts o f h is
m arked car, H u b b ar d i ncre as ed the spee d o f hi s vehi cl e. O ff i ce r C oo k p ursued H ub bard throu gh a r es i dent i al ar eafor abo uta m i n u te an d a hal f, du ri ng w hi ch5

H u b b a r d d r o v e ap p r o x im a te ly 1 5 m ile s p e rh o u rf a s te rth a n th e p o s te d s p e e d lim it of 30 m i l e s pe rhour , r a n s t op s i gns w i thouts l ow i ng dow n, an d d ro v e i n oppos i ng tra ff ic l anes , despi t e the pres ence of ot her tra ff i c on t he road. A ft erH ub bard p u lle d h is v e h ic le o v e r , H u b b a r d g o t o u t a n d r a n a w a y . O f f i c e r C o o k c h a s e d h im
a n d e v e n tu a l l y a rr e s t e d h i m. A f te rO f f ic e rC o o k ’s te s tim o n y , H u b b a r d n o te d th a t, d u r in g th e c h a s e , h e d id
n o t tra v el at “an ex ce ss iv e r ate o f sp ee d ,” an d h ig h li g h ted O ff icerC o o k ’s t e s t i mo n y th a t n o n e a r c o l l i s i o n s o c c u rr e d
. H u b b a r d a r g u e d th a t th e f a c t s di d not
e s tab lis h th a t h e “r e c k le s s ly c r e a te d a s u b s ta n tia l r i s k o f d e a th o rs e r io u s b o d ily i nj ury . ” The di s tr i c t c ou r t di s a gr e e d, no t i ng tha t the “ e vi de nc e [ w a s ] mor e t han adequat e t o sup pl y the el em ent s of r ec kl es s e nd angerm en t d u ri ng fl i gh t , ” a nd rul ed the tw o-l evel enhancem ent , un der § 3C 1. 2, w as w arra nt ed. H ub bard al so re i t er at ed hi s B l akel y a rgu m en t , bu tthe di stri ctcourtov errul ed the obj ec t i on , fi nd i ng that B la k e ly w a s n o t ap p lic a b le , p u r s u a n t to th is C o u r t’s c o n tr o llin g p r e c e d e n t. T he di stri ctcourtadop t ed the P S I’ s s ent enci ng ca l cul at i on s a nd se nt ence d H u b b a r d to 9 2 m o n t h s o f i m p r is o n m e n t a n d 3 y e a r s o f s u p e r v is e d r e le a s e . T h is
appe a l f ol l ow e d.Se c tio n 9 22 (g)( 1) make s it un lawf ul f or a ny pers on : 1 who has be en convic ted in any court of, a

crime punishableby imprisonment for a ter

m exceedingone year

. . . to ship or transport in interstateor foreign commerc e, or posse ss in or aff ectingcommerc e, any

firea rm or ammunition; or to rece ive any fire arm or ammunition

whic h h a s b e e n s hippe d o r t ra nspo rt e d in interstate or

fore ign c ommerce . 18 U.S.C. 922(g) (1). 6 A s f or H ub bard’ s c on st i tut i on al chal l enge t o § 92 2(g)(1), he re cogn i ze s that 1
w e s q u ar ely r ejec ted h is ar g u m en t i n D u p re e, in w h ich w e h eld th at a d ef en d an t’ s po ss essio n of a f

i re arm thattra vel ed i n i nt er st at e c om m er ce (f ac t s thatH ub bard
a d m itte d in th is c a s e ) is s u f f ic ie n t to s a tis f

y th e c o m m e r c e e le m e n t o f th e s ta tu te and com pl y w ith the C om m er ce C l ause . S ee 25 8 F
. 3d 12 60 ; se e a l so U ni t ed S t at es
v . M cA l l i st er, 7 7 F . 3 d 3 8 7 , 3 9 0 ( 1 1 th C i r. 1 9 9 6 ) (rej ect i n g arg u m en tth atC o n g ress exce eded i t s autho ri ty, un der the C om m er ce C l ause , by enac t i ng § 9 22 (g)( 1);
n o tin g th a t th e f

e lo n - in
- p o s s e s s io n s ta tu te h a s a n e x p r e s s ju r is d ic tio n a l e l e m e n t,
w h ic h w o u ld e n s u r e th a t th e f ir e a r m p o s s e s s io n in q u e s tio n a f f e c ts i n te r s ta te
com m er ce )) ; c f. U ni t ed S t at es v. B al l i ng er , 39 5 F . 3d 12 18 (11t h C i r. ) ( en banc) ( r e j e c t i ng f a c i a l a nd a s - appl i e d c ha l l e nge s , ba s e d on the C om m e r c e C l au se, t o 18 U . S
. C
. § 247, pur su an t t o the “ appr oa c h thi s C i r c ui tha s r e pe a t e dl y t a ke n t o the
ne a r l y i de nt i c a l l a ngua ge f ound i n § 922( g) ” ) , p et . f orc e r t . f

i l e d, N o. 04- 9627 ( A p r . 7 , 2 0 0 5 )
.7

W he r e a pa ne l of

thi s C our tha s a dd ress e d a n i s s ue of l a w , “ e a c h s uc c e e di ng p an el i s b o u n d b y th e h o l d i n g o f th e fi rst p an el t o ad d ress th e i s s u e o f la w , u n l ess and u nt i l thatho l di ng i s overrul ed en banc, or by th e S u p rem e C ou rt . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. H og an, 98 6 F
. 2d 13 64 , 13 69 (199 3). U nde rour uni f or m l i ne of
co n tro ll in g p r e c e d e n t, § 9 2 2 (g ) is a co n stitu ti o n al ex er cise o f C o n g re ss ’s C om m e r c e C l a us e pow e r . H ubba r d’ s a dm i s s i on, i n the f a c tua l r e s um e h e fi l ed, th a t h e p o s s e s s e d a g u n th a t h a d tr a v e le d in in t e r s t a te c o m m e r c e w a s s u f f ic ie n t to dem on stra t e the re qu i re d nexus t o i nt er st at e com m er ce . A cc ordi ng ly, w e affi rm H u b b a r d ’s c o n v ic tio n . A s f orH ub ba r d’ s Book e rc l a i m, the Si xth A me nd me ntr i gh tt o tr i a l by j ur y i s vi ol at ed w here , un der am andat ory G uid eli nes s ys t em , a s ent ence i s i ncre as ed because of a n enh ance m en t b as ed on fa ct s f ou nd by the j ud ge thatw er e nei ther
a d m itte d b y th e d e f

e n d a n t n o rf

o u n d b y th e ju ry . B o o k e r , 5 4 3 U .S . _
__ , 1 2 5 S . C t. at74 9-56 (200 5). T he B oo ker c on st itu ti on al error i s the use of extra -ver di ct enhancem ent s t o rea ch a G ui del i nes r es ul tthati s bi nd i ng on the se nt enci ng j ud ge. U ni t ed S t at es v. M atheni a, 40 9 F
. 3d 12 89 , 12 91 (11t h C i r. 20 05 ). T he B oo ker
n o n -co n st i tu t i o n al , o r s ta tu t o ry, erro r o ccu rs w h en th e d i stri ctco u rtsen t en ces a d e f e n d a n t u n d e r a m a n d a to ry s e n te n c in g s c h e m e , e v e n in th e a b s e n c e o f a S ix th A m endm entenhancem entvi ol at i on . Id. T hi s c as e c on ce rns bot h types of error.8

T he di s tr i c tco ur tc om m i tt e d B ooke rc ons t i tut i ona l e rr orby s e nt e nc i ng H ubba r d on the b asi s of

f a c t s ( r e c kl e s s e nda nge r m e ntdur i ng f l i ght ) nota l l e ge d i n the i ndi c tm e ntora dm i tt e d by hi m a s pa r tof hi s pl e a a nd s t a tut ory erro r b y appl y i ng th e g u id e lin e s in a m a n d a to ry f a s h io n . A const i tut ional error i s harm l es s i f the go vernm entca n sho w that“ i ti s c l ea r be y ond a reaso n ab l e doubttha tthe e rr orc om pl a i ne d of di d notc ontr i but e t o the
se nt ence ob t ai ned. ” P az , 40 5 F . 3d at94 8 (qu ot at i on and al t er at i on o m it ted ). B a s e d on ourc a r e f

ul r e vi e w of

the r e c or d, w i th pa r t i c ul a ra tt e nt i on t o the
se nt enci ng tra nscr i pt , w e c an fi nd no i nd i ca t i on of w h eth er o r no tthe di stri ctcourt
w ou l d h ave s ent ence d H ub bard si m i l ar l y und eran advi sory sc hem e. M oreover, H ubba r d w a s s e nt e nc e d t o the l ow e nd of the G ui de l i ne s ran g e. O n thi s r e c or d, the g o v e rn m e n t c a n n o t s h o w th a t th e e rr o rw a s h a r m le s s . A c c o r d i n g l y , w e v a c a te H ubba r d’ s s e nt e nc e a nd r e m a nd hi s c a s e t o the di s tr i c t c our tfo r rese nt e nc i ng consi st entw i th B oo ker. A FFI R M ED I N PA R T, VA C A TED A N D R EM A N D ED I N PA R T.