B L D

- 1 5 9 NOT PRECEDENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEA LS

FOR THE THIRD CIR CUIT

_____ ______

No. 2 2

- 1 3 4 6

_______ ____

U

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

v.

G A RY R A M S E Y

,

a l s o kn o w n a s R O C K

, Appel la nt

__________ __ _______________ _________

On Appe al from th e United States District Court

for the E a s t e rn District of P e n n s y l v a n i a

(D.C. C r i m i n a l No. 2 : 0 1

- c r

- 0 0 0 0 5

- 0 0 4 )

District Judg e: Honorable P a u l S

. D i a m o n d

____ _______ ____________ _______ ______

Su bm i tted o n A p p e l l e e ’ s M o t i o n f o r Summary A ction

Pursuant to Thi rd Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P. 10.6

M a y 2 6

, 2 0 2 2

Before: M c K e e

, G r e e n a w a y

, J r

. a n d P o r t e r

, Circuit Ju dges

(Opinion filed : July 27, 2022 )

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_

_

_

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_

_

OPINION *

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_

_

_

_

_

_

_ PER CURIAM

Pro se appell ant G a r y R a m s e y appeals f r o m t he Di strict Cou rt’s order d en ying h i s

motion f o r compassi onate release unde r 18 U.S.C. § 358 2(c)(1)

. T h e G o v e r n m e n t h a s

* This disposition is not an op inion of the full C ou rt and pursu ant to I .O.P. 5.7 d oes not

cons titute bin din g pr eced en t.2 f

i l e d a m o t i o n f o r s u m m a ry a f f

i r m a n c e

. F o r t h e r e a s o n s t h a t f o l l o w

, w e g r a n t t h e

G o v e r n m e n t ’ s m o t i o n a n d w i l l s u m m a r i l y a f f

i r m t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s j u d g m e n t

. 1

R a m s e y c o m m i t t e d v i o l e n t a r m e d r o b b e r i e s o f t w o b a n k s

, o n e o f w h i c h i n v o l v e d

h i m s e t t i n g a n e a r b y

, e m p t y

, e l e m e n t a ry s c h o o l o n f i r e

. A f t e r a t r i a l i n 2 0 0 1

, a j u r y f o u n d

h i m g u i l t y o f m u l t i p l e o f f

e n s e s r e l a t e d t o t h o s e e v e n t s

, a n d t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i m p o s e d a

s e n t e n c e o f 7 5 y e a r s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t

. R a m s e y ’ s d i r e c t ap p e al a n d p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n e f f

o r t s

w e r e u n s u c c e s s f u l

. I n c l u d i n g g o o d t i m e

, R a m s e y h a s s e r v e d m o r e t h a n 2 3 y e a r s o f h i s

s e n t e n c e

. T h e B u r e a u o f P r i s o n s f o r e c a s t s h i s r e l e a se da t e t o b e O c t o b e r 7

, 2 0 6 5

.

I n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 0

, R a m s e y f i l e d a c o u n s e l e d m o t i o n f o r c o m p a s s i o n a t e r e l e a s e

u n d e r 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A )

, a r g u i n g t h a t h e s u f f

e r e d u n t r e a t e d

, l i n g e r i n g h e a l t h

e f f

e c t s f r o m c o n t r a c t i n g C O V I D

- 1 9 e a r l i e r i n t h e y e a r

, t h a t u n d e r l y i n g m e d i c a l

conditions p u t h i m a t r i s k o f s e v e r e d i s e a s e s h o u l d h e c o n t r a c t t h e v i r u s a g a i n

, a n d t h a t h e

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

o r t s

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t r u l e d that t h e s e

d i d n o t c o n s t i t u t e “ e x t r a o r d i n a ry a n d c o m p e l l i n g r e a s o n [ s ] ” f o r c o m p a s s i o n a t e r e l e a s e

u n d e r § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A )

, a n d i t d e n i e d t h e m o t i o n i n D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0

. S e e E C F N o

. 4 9 4

.

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

c o n s e c u t i v e s e n t e n c e s i m p o s e d f o r h i s c o n v i c t i o n s u n d e r 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 4 ( c )

. T h e

D i s t r i c t C o u r t r e j e c t e d t h a t g r o u n d

, t o o

, i n J a n u a ry 2 0 2 1

. S e e E C F N o

. 5 0 0

.

1 We als o grant t he Government ’ s request for leave t o file its motion for sum mary

a ffirmance

. See Appellees ’ Motion at 11 n.2. The Government filed its mot ion on April

6, which preceded the deadline for Ramsey t o file his brief

— April 11

. See 3d Cir

. L.A. R. 27.4 (b) (providing t hat a motion fo r s ummary ac t i on should be filed “ before

appella n t ’ s brief is due ” )

.3 I n F e b r u a ry 2 0 2 2

, R a m s e y

, p r o c e e d i n g p r o s e

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

r e l e a s e a t i s s u e h e r e

. H i s m o t i o n a m p l i f i e d a r g u m e n t s t h a t h e h a d m a d e i n p r e v i o u s

f

i l i n g s : ( 1 ) t h a t h e h a s a n i n c r e a s e d c h a n c e o f c o m p l i c a t i o n s f r o m C O V I D

- 1 9 i f

r e i n f e c t e d d u e t o h i s h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s ; ( 2 ) t h e c h a n g e i n l a w c o n c e r n i n g t h e s t a c k i n g o f

s e n t e n c e s i m p o s e d f o r h i s c o n v i c t i o n s u n d e r § 9 2 4 ( c ) e n t i t l e d h i m t o r e l i e f ; a n d ( 3 ) t h a t

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

, including a r e c e n t c l a s s i fi c a t i o n b y t h e

B u r e a u o f P r i s o n s t h a t h e i s a l o w l e v e l r e c i d i v i s m r i s k

. H e a l s o a r g u e d t h a t : ( 4 ) h e n e e d s

t o c a r e f o r a n i l l f a m i l y m e m b e r ; ( 5 ) h e c o m m i t t e d t h e o f f

e n s e s a t a n i m p r e s s i o n a b l e a g e ;

a n d ( 6 ) t h e c o u r t s h o u l d l i f t t h e s t a y o f h i s 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 2 2 5 5 m o t i o n

, w h i c h c o n c e rn s a

c l a i m t h a t h i s c o n v i c t i o n u n d e r § 9 2 4 ( c ) i s i n v a l i d i n l i g h t o f S u p r e m e C o u r t r u l i n g s

.

T he Gov e rnment o p p o s e d R a m s e y ’ s m o t io n

.

T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d e n i e d r e li e f

. I t r e j e c t e d R a m s e y ’ s r e p e a t e d c l a i m t h a t h e h a s

a n i n c r e a s ed r i s k o f C O V I D c o m p l i cations d u e t o h i s hypertension and o b e s i ty

, pointing

ou t t h at R a m s e y i s f u l l y v a c c i n a t e d

, a n d h i s h e a l t h c o n d it i o n s d i d n o t p r o v i d e a

c o m p e l ling r e a s o n f o r r elea s e

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

, i n U n i t e d S t a t es v.

An d rews

, 1 2 F

. 4 t h 2 5 5

, 2 6 1 ( 3 d C ir

. 20 2 1 )

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

n o n r e t r o a c t i v e c h a n g e s t o § 9 2 4 ( c ) t h r o u g h t h e F i r s t S t e p A c t q u a l i f i e d a s “ e x t r a o r d i n a ry

a n d c o m p e l l i n g ” r e a s o n s u n d e r § 3 5 8 2

, a n d t h a t R a m s e y ’ s r e h a b i l i t a t i v e e f f

o r t s

, w h i l e

l a u d a b l e

, a l s o d i d n o t m e et t h e § 3 5 8 2 c r i t e r i a f o r g r a n t i n g r e l i e f

, s e e D

. C t

. O r d e r a t 4

( c i t i n g 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 9 4 ( t )

, w h i c h p r o v i d e s t h a t r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a l o n e c a n n o t c o n s t i tu t e

“ e x t r a o r d i n a r y a n d c o m p e l l i n g ” r e a s o n s )

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t further r uled that n e i t h e r4 R a m s e y ’ s f a m i l y circumstances n o r h i s a g e a t t h e t i m e o f t h e c r i m e s ( 3 0 y e a r s o l d )

w a rr a n t e d c o m p a s s i o n a t e r e l e a s e

. I d

. a t 3

- 4

. T u rn i n g t o t h e consideration o f s e n t e n c i n g

f

a c t o r s

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h o s e f a c t o r s “ c o n t i n u e t o w e i g h a g a i n s t R a m s e y ’ s

r e l e a s e

, ” b e c a u s e o f h i s v i o l e n t c r i m e s

. I d

. a t 4

. F i n a l l y

, t h e C o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h a t

, t o t h e

e x t e n t t h a t R a m s e y a r g u e d t h a t h e w a s i m p r o p e r l y c o n v i c t e d o f m u l t i p l e § 9 2 4 ( c ) c o u n t s

,

t h a t c l a i m h a d t o b e a d j u d i c a t e d t h r o u g h R a m s e y ’ s p e n d i n g m o t i o n u n d e r 2 8 U

. S

. C

.

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

, a n d f u r t h er, i t d e n i ed R a m s e y ’ s

re ques t t o l i f t t h e s t a y o f t h a t m o t i o n p e n d i n g t h e d e v e l o p m e n t s o f a r e l a t e d c a s e b e f o r e

t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t

. 2 T h i s t i m e l y ap p e a l f o l l o w e d

.

W e h a v e j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 2 9 1

. W e r e v i e w t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s

o r d e r f o r a n a b u s e o f d e c i s i o n

, s e e A n d r e w s

, 1 2 F

. 4 t h a t 2 5 9

, a n d w e “ will no t disturb th e

Dist rict Co urt ’ s de ci sion unl e ss there is a definite a nd firm conviction that it committed a

cl e ar error o f judg ment in th e conclu sion it reached upon a weighing of the relevant

factors

. ” United States v. P awlo ws ki , 967 F .3d 327, 330 (3d C ir. 2020) ( c l e a n e d u p ).

W e m a y s u m m a r i l y a f f

i r m i f t h e a p p e a l d o e s n o t p r e s e n t a s ub s t a n t i a l q u e s t i o n

. S e e 3d

Cir. L.A.R. 27.4; I.O.P. 10. 6

.

2 T he District Court denied Ramsey ’ s request to li f t the stay of his § 2255 motion pending

further proceedings in Un ited States v. Walker

, 99 0 F. 3d 316 (3 d Cir. 202 1)

, petition for

cert. filed

, Jul

. 2 6, 2021 (No. 21

- 102 )

. The D istrict Co urt noted tha t the Supreme Court

heard argument in Dece m ber 2021 in a related case, United States v. Taylor

, 141 S. Ct.

2882 (U. S. Jul

. 2, 2021) (No. 20

- 1459)

, a nd ordered the § 2255 motion to remain stayed

pending a de cision in T aylor

. Ramsey did not raise th is issue in his ope ning brief in this

C o urt

, but in any even t

, w e not e that courts generally have broad discretion t o make case

man agement decision s

. S e e g enerally Un ited States v. Washington , 869 F.3d 193, 2 20

(3 d Cir. 2017) (referring to the district courts ’ au thority)

.5 W e d i s c e rn n o a b u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n b y t h e D i s t ri c t C o u rt i n i t s c o n cl u s i o n th a t

R a m s e y i s n o t e n t i t l e d t o c o m p a s s i o n a t e relea s e, a nd we a g r e e w i t h t h e r e a s o n i n g i n i t s

F e b r u a ry 8

, 2 0 2 2 O r d e r

. A b s e n t a n e x t r a o r d i n a ry a n d c o m p e l ling reason

, a D i s t r i c t C o u r t

m a y n o t g r a n t c o m p a s s i o n a t e r e l e a s e u n d e r § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i )

. R a m s e y h a s n o t

persuasively 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 m a d e a n e rr o r o f j u d g m e n t b y d e c i d i n g t h a t

n o n e o f R a m s e y ’ s c i t e d r e a s o n s f o r r e l e a s e m e t t h e “ e x t ra o r d i n a ry a n d c o mpel l i n g ”

s t a n d a r d i n § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 )

.

O n appeal, R a m s e y c o n t e n d s t ha t t h e D i s t r ic t C ou r t d i d no t c o n s i d e r all i s s u e s

ra i s e d i n h i s m o s t r e c e n t § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) m o t io n

. H e 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 a n a l y z e d the a l l e g e d sentencing d i s p a r i t y a n d h i s l a t e s t m a r k e r o f r e h a b i l i t a t i o n

, a

D e c e m ber 2 0 2 1 c l a s s i f i c a t i o n a s a l o w

- l e v e l r e c i d i v i s m r i s k

, w i t h i n t h e § 3 5 5 3 ( a )

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

. H o w e v e r

, i n l i g h t o f t h e f a c t t h a t R a m s e y d i d n o t d e m o n s t r a t e a n

e x t r a o r d i n a r y a n d c o m p e l l i n g r e a s o n f o r g r a n t i n g r e l e a s e

, whether t h e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c t o r s

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

. Se e generally Andrews , 12 F.4th a t 262 (“If a

prisoner suc cessfully shows extraordinary and compelling circumstanc e s , the current

sentencing landscape may be a legitimate consideration for courts at the next step of the

anal ysis when they weigh the § 3553(a) factors.”) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d )

.

A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e w i l l a f f

i r m t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s o r d e r

.