FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ay 17, 2006 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- 15792 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 8 0 0 9 1 - C R - D MM 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 B E R V I C K M C C L E N D O N , D e fe 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 forthe S outhe r n D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ay 17, 2006) B efo re C A R N E 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: B e r vi c k M c C l e ndon a ppe a l s hi s c onvi c t i on fol l ow i ng aj ur y tr i a l for2

pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e a tl e a s t50 gr a m s of c oc a i ne ba s e , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) , a nd hi s s e nt e nc e e nha nc e m e ntba s e d on t w o pr i or c o n v i c t i o n s fo rc r i me s o f v i o l e n c e , p u r s u a n tt o 2 1 U . S. C. § 8 5 1 a n d U . S. S ent enci ng G ui del i nes M anual (“ U . S . S . G . ”) § 4 B 1. 1(a) , re sul t i ng i n a l i fe se nt ence . O n app ea l , M cC l endo n argues thatthe di stri ctcourterre d i n fi nd i ng that exi gentci rc um st ance s j ust i fi ed the w arra nt l es s e ntry i nt o h i s m ot el room w hen the r e w a s no s us pi c i ous a c t i vi ty obs e r ve d by the pol i c e ora ny i ndi c a t i on tha the w a s a w a r e of

pol i c e a c t i vi ty . M c C l e ndon a l s o a r gue s tha ta c c or di ng t o App re nd i v. New Je rs ey , 530 U . S . 466, 120 S . C t . 2348, 147 L . E d. 2d 435 ( 2000) , a nd B la k e ly v . W as hi ngton , 542 U . S . 296, 124 S . C t . 2531, 159 L . E d. 2d 403 ( 2004) , the di stri ctcourtvi ol at ed hi s F i fth and S i xth A m endm entri gh t s by r el yi ng on the fa ct of t w o p ri or conv i cti on s t o enh ance hi s s ent ence w hen n ei ther c on vi cti on w as a lle g e d in th e in d ic tm e n t o rp r o v e n to aju r y b e y o n d ar e a s o n a b le d o u b t. A tth e su p p ressi o n h eari n g , th e G o v ern m en tad d u ced th e fo l l o w i n g . E l i t sa F er nand ez , a hou se keeper a tthe m ot el i n w hi ch M cC l endo n w as st ay i ng , ent er ed M c C l e ndon’ s r oom a nd de t e c t e d a“ gr e a tde a l of he a t , ” a nd s a w tha tthe s m oke de t e c t orw a s c ove r e d w i th at ow e l . S he not i c e d tha ts t ove bur ne r s w e r e tur ne d on, a n d s h e tu r n e d th e m o f

f . O n t o p o f

th e c o u n t e rs h e s a w ab i g g l a s s j a rw i th s o me l i qui d i ns i de , a nd on the t a bl e s he s a w w ha ts he de s c r i be d a s l i tt l e w hi t e pi e c e s or3

s t one s tha tl ooke d s om e thi ng l i ke c e r e a l . A s s he l e f t , M c C l e ndon a c c os t e d a nd r e pe a t e dl y a s ke d he ra boutw ha ts he ha d s e e n i n the r oom . H e gr a bbe d he ra r m a nd thr e a t e ne d he r . I n r e s pons e , s he qui c kl y l e f t . M c C l e ndon fol l ow e d he rt o the m ot el offi ce . M cC l endo n t ol d the fr on tdesk w orker thathe w as go i ng t o st ay another day and thathe di d n otw anthi s r oo m cl ea ned. H e then l oo ked threa t eni ng l y a t F e r n a n d e z . W ith th e h e lp o f a n o th e r , F e r n a n d e z , w h o d id n o t s p e a kE n g lis h , to ld her m anager w hathad o cc urre d. T he m anager then cal l ed the po l i ce and t ol d them tha ts he s us pe c t e d dr ug a c t i vi ty . W he n the pol i c e a rr i ve d, the y s poke w i th both the m a n a g e ra n d F e r n a n d e z a n d s u r m is e d th a t M c C le n d o n w a s c o o k in g c r a c kc o c a in e . O ne of the offi ce rs re cogn i ze d M cC l endo n’ s nam e a s s om eone w i th a l on g h i st ory o f d r u g d e a lin g . T h e o f

f ic e r s th e n k n o c k e d o n M c C le n d o n ’s d o o ra n d e v e n tu a lly ki c ke d i ti n a f

t e rM c C l e ndon ha d pa r t i a l l y ope ne d a nd a tt e m pt e d t o r e c l os e the do or. T hey not i ce d a pu ng entod or, po ss i bl y c ocai ne, and fou nd m ar i j uana, coca i ne, and crac k cocai ne.

“ W e a ppl y am i xe d s t a nda r d of r e vi e w t o the de ni a l of

ade fe nda nt ’ s m ot i on to s u p p r e s s , r e v ie w in g th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s f in d in g s o f

fa c t fo rc le a re rr o ra n d its ap p l i cat i o n o f l aw t o th o se fact s de no vo . ” Uni te d State s v . Ly ons , 403 F . 3d 1248, 1 2 5 0 ( 1 1 th C ir .) , ce rt. deni ed , __ U . S . __, 126 S . C t . 732, 163 L . E d. 2d 5764

( 2005) . M or e ove r , “ a l l fa c t s a r e c ons tr ue d i n the l i ghtm os tfa vor a bl e t o the prevai l i ng party bel ow . ” Uni te d State s v . B e rv al di , 22 6 F . 3d 12 56 , 12 62 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 0 ) . T he F ou rth A m endm entprov i des that : “ [t ] he ri gh tof the peop l e t o b e s ec ure i n the i rpe r s ons , hous e s , pa pe r s , a nd e f fe c t s , a ga i ns tunr e a s ona bl e s e a r c he s a nd se i zure s, shal l no tbe vi ol at ed . . . . ” U . S . C on st . am end. IV . W arra nt l es s s earc hes and sei zure s i nsi de a pers on ’ s hom e are pres um pt i vel y unrea sonabl e. Uni ted Stat es v . B urgos , 720 F . 2d 1520, 1525 ( 11th C i r . 1983) . H ow e ve r , aw a rr a nt l e s s s e a r c h or se i zure m ay be j ust i fi ed w here bo th p robabl e c ause and exi gentci rc um st ance s e x is t. I d . E x i g en tci rcu m st an ces ex i stw h ere th e d el ay i n o b t ai n i n g a w arran tm u st y ie ld to th e u r g e n t n e e d fo rim m e d ia te a c tio n . I d . a t 1 5 2 6 . N ar cot i cs ca se s pre se nta c om pel l i ng need for the exi gentci rc um st ance s do ctri ne because “ contraband and records c an be eas i l y a nd qu i ckl y des troye d w hi l e ase ar ch i s progres si ng . ” Uni te d State s v . Y oung , 9 0 9 F .2 d 4 4 2 , 4 4 6 ( 1 1 th C i r . 1990) . “ I n de t e r m i ni ng w he the ra ge nt s r e a s ona bl y fe a r e d i m m i ne nt destructi on of the evi dence, the approp ri at e i nq ui ry i s w hether the fa ct s, as they a p p e a r e d a t th e m o m e n t o f e n tr y , w o u ld le a d ar e a s o n a b le , e x p e r ie n c e d a g e n t to bel i eve thatevi dence m i gh tbe destroye d b efore aw arra ntcoul d b e s ec ured. ” I d. ( quot i ng Un i tedS ta tes v. R i vera , 8 2 5 F .2 d 1 5 2 , 1 5 6 ( 7 th C ir . 1 9 8 7 ) ) .5

C i r c um s t a nc e s a r e notnor m a l l y c ons i de r e d e xi ge nt , how e ve r , w he r e the s us pe c t s a r e una w a r e of pol i c e s ur ve i l l a nc e orw he r e the pol i c e of f i c e r s c r e a t e the e x ig e n t c ir c u m s ta n c e s . Un ite dS ta te s v . T o b in , 92 3 F . 2d 15 06 , 15 11 (11th C i r. 1 9 9 1 ) ( e n b a n c ) . H er e, the re cord show s thatM cC l endo n feare d thatF er nand ez w ou l d report hi s drug acti vi ty t o an autho ri ty. A l tho ug h M cC l endo n w as no taw ar e of the po l i ce ac t i vi ty, he kn ew thatF er nand ez w as fr i gh t ened, had g on e s tra i gh tt o the m ot el fr on toffi ce af

t erthei r e ncou nt er , and w ou l d p robabl y not i fy an autho ri ty of w hat she had se en. M cC l endo n argues thathi s r enew al of the room for a no ther day s h o w s th a t h e w o u ld n o t d e s tr o y o rr e m o v e e v id e n c e o f ac r im e . H o w e v e r , h is r e ne w a l of

the r oom doe s notove r c om e the w e i ghtof the othe re vi de nc e . T he of f i c e r s ha d know l e dge of

M c C l e ndon’ s pa s tdr ug a c t i vi ty , a nd, r e f l e c t i ng on the for e goi ng fa c t s , r e a s ona bl y be l i e ve d tha tM c C l e ndon w oul d de s tr oy the dr ug e v id e n c e in a n a tte m p t to a v o id d e te c tio n . S e e T o b in , 9 2 3 F .2 d a t 1 5 1 1 . F u rth erm o re, th e ex i g en tci rcu m st an ces w ere n o tcreat ed b y th e o ffi cers’ kn ock o n M cC l endo n’ s m ot el room do or; the exi gentci rc um st ance s w er e c re at ed by M cC l endo n’ s a cti on s t ow ar d F er nand ez . M cC l endo n k new thatF er nand ez had e n te r e d h is m o te l r o o m w h e r e d r u g a c tiv ity w a s in p la in v ie w . H is th r e a t to F e r n a n d e z le d to h e rb e lie f th a t s o m e th in g ille g a l w a s a fo o t in th e r o o m .6

M c C le n d o n w a s w e ll a w a r e th a t F e r n a n d e z s a w th e e v id e n c e o f ille g a l a c tiv ity in h is r o o m , w a s f

r ig h te n e d o f

h is r e s p o n s e , a n d w o u ld p r o b a b ly r e p o r t h is a c tiv ity af t ershe f l ed hi s pre se nce. T hu s, the re cord show s thatexi gentci rc um st ance s j us t i f i e d the w a rr a nt l e s s e ntr y a nd tha tthos e c i r c um s t a nc e s w e r e notc r e a t e d by the of f i c e r s . A c c or di ngl y , w e a f f i r m the di s tr i c tc our ti n de ny i ng M c C l e ndon’ s m ot i on t o su p p ress. M c C le n d o n tim e ly o bje c te d th a t h is s e n te n c e w a s u n c o n s titu tio n a lly e nha nc e d ba s e d on pr i orc onvi c t i ons tha tw e r e nota l l e ge d i n the i ndi c t m e nta nd n o t p r o v e n to aju r y b e y o n d ar e a s o n a b le d o u b t, w h ic h v io la te d h is F if th a n d S ix th A m endm entri gh t s und er B l akel y a nd Appr e ndi . T he fa c ta nd na tur e of M cC l endo n’ s t w o p ri or conv i cti on s w er e m ade kno w n i n the P S I. In addi t i on , at s e n t e n c i n g , th e Go v e r n m e n ti n tr o d u c e d e x p e r tt e s t i m o n y a n d e v i d e n c e th a tth e t wo c o n v ic tio n s w e r e , in fa c t, a ttr ib u te d to M c C le n d o n . W e h a v e r e ite r a te d o n n u m e r o u s o c c a s io n s th a t A lm enda re z- T orre s v . Uni ted Stat es , 5 2 3 U .S . 2 2 4 , 1 1 8 S . C t. 1 2 1 9 , 1 4 0 L . E d . 2 d 3 5 0 ( 1 9 9 8 ) , c o n tin u e s to c o n tr o l c a s e s c o n c e r n in g e n h a n c e m e n ts b a s e d o n p r io rc o n v ic tio n s . S e e , e .g ., Uni te d State s v . G i bs on , 434 F . 3d 1234, 1246 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( “ [ T ] he gove r nm e nt need no tal l ege i n i t s i nd i ctm entand n ee d n otprov e bey on d a re as on abl e dou btthat ade fe nda ntha d pr i orc onvi c t i ons foradi s tr i c tc our tt o us e thos e c onvi c t i ons for7

p u rp o s e s o f

e n h a n c in g as e n te n c e .” ) ; Uni te d State s v . C ante l l ano , 430 F . 3d 1142, 1147 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( pe rc ur i a m ) ( “ T he fa c tof apr i orc onvi c t i on c l e a r l y m a y be fo u n d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t.” ) , ce rt. deni ed , __ U . S . __, 126 S . C t . 1604, __ L . E d. 2 d _ _ ( 2 0 0 6 ) ; Uni ted Stat es v. O rdun o-M i re l es , 4 0 5 F .3 d 9 6 0 , 9 6 2 ( 1 1 th C ir .) , c e r t. deni ed , __ U . S . __, 126 S . C t . 223, __ L . E d. 2d __ ( 2005) ( e xpl a i ni ng tha tthe S i xth A m endm enti s noti m pl i ca t ed w hen a defendant ’ s s ent ence i s e nh ance d b as ed o n ap r io rc o n v ic tio n ) . M c C le n d o n ’s c la im is w ith o u t m e r it. A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ff

i rm bo th M cC l endo n’ s c on vi cti on and sent ence . A FFI R M ED