FI L ED
U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T AUGUST 9, 2010

J OHN L EY
CL ERK [ 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 8

- 1 3 6 4 5

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

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 6

- 0 0 4 4 5

- C R

- 3

- L A C

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

N A T E L I S H A T E N N I L L E J A C K S O N

,

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 u g u s t 9

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e E D M O N D S O N a n d C A R N E S

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s , a n d G O L D B E R G

, J u d g e

. *

Honora ble Richard W. Goldber g , United States Court of I nterna tional Trade J udg e, *

sitti ng by desig nation.P E R C U R I A M :

T h i s a p p e a l

, i n t h i s c o c a i n e

- b a s e c a s e , i s a b o u t w h e t h e r t h e “ s a f e t y

- v a l v e ”

p r o v i s i o n i n 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 5 3 ( f )

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

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

d e f e n d a n t ’ s s e n t e n c e i s m o d i f i e d d o w n w a r d p u r s u a n t t o 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

.

W e c o n c l u d e t h a t i t c a n n o t

.

I

. B A C K G R O U N D

N a t e l i s h a J a c k s o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t

, w a s c o n v i c t e d o f p o s s e s s i o n w i t h i n t e n t t o

d i s t r i b u t e m o r e t h a n 5 0 g r a m s o f c o c a i n e b a s e , a s w e l l a s c o n s p i r i n g t o d o t h e

s a m e , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 2 1 U

. S

. C

. § § 8 4 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) a n d ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i i )

. J a c k s o n ’ s a d v i s o r y

g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e w a s 1 2 1

- 1 5 1 m o n t h s , b a s e d o n a n O f f e n s e L e v e l o f 3 2 a n d a

C r i m i n a l H i s t o r y C a t e g o r y o f I

. B e c a u s e J a c k s o n ’ s o f f e n s e i n v o l v e d m o r e t h a n 5 0

g r a m s o f c o c a i n e b a s e , s h e w a s s u b j e c t t o a s t a t u t o r y m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e o f 1 2 0

m o n t h s

. S e e 2 1 U

. S

. C

. § 8 4 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A )

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

1 2 1 m o n t h s

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

.

L a t e r , t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n i s s u e d A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6

,

2a m e n d i n g t h e D r u g Q u a n t i t y T a b l e i n § 2 D 1

. 1 ( c )

. U

. S

. S

. G

. a p p

. C

, a m e n d

. 7 0 6

( 2 0 0 7 )

. T h e C o m m i s s i o n m a d e t h e c h a n g e r e t r o a c t i v e l y a p p l i c a b l e , r e s u l t i n g i n a

t w o

- l e v e l r e d u c t i o n i n J a c k s o n ’ s b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

. a p p

. C

, a m e n d

.

7 1 3 ( S u p p

. M a r

. 3

, 2 0 0 8 )

.

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

, o n i t s o w n

m o t i o n , r e d u c e d J a c k s o n ’ s t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t p u r s u a n t t o 1 8 U

. S

. C

.

1

§ 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

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

f e n s e l e v e l f

r o m 3 2 t o 3 0

, 2

r e s u l t i n g i n a n e w g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e o f 9 7

- 1 2 1 m o n t h s

. B e c a u s e t h e s t a t u t o r y

m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e ( 1 2 0 m o n t h s ) a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e p e r t i n e n t o f f e n s e s r e m a i n e d i n

p l a c e , J a c k s o n ’ s a c t u a l g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e w a s 1 2 0

- 1 2 1 m o n t h s

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

r e d u c e d J a c k s o n ’ s s e n t e n c e b y 1 m o n t h

, f r o m 1 2 1 m o n t h s t o 1 2 0 m o n t h s

.

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

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

. S h e

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

The district cour

t issued its order on its own motion, without first order ing br iefing or 1 conducting a hea

ring . The Gove rnment urg es us to apply plain err or re view bec ause Jackson did not reque st safety -valve relief when she was initially

sentenc ed. The outcome of this appe al
does not turn on our standa rd of r eview; we do not decide w hether J ackson c ould have or

should
have r equeste d safe ty -valve relief ear lier. See U nited States v. Crape, 603 F .3d 1237, 1241 n.2 (11th Cir. 2010).

Section 3582(c) (2) a llows for modification of a n imposed term of imprisonment when 2

the def endant “ has bee n sentenc ed to a ter m of imprisonment based on a se ntencing rang e that has subseque ntly

been lowe red by

the Sentencing

Commi ssion.”

3v a l v e r e l i e f b e c a u s e t h e b o t t o m e n d o f h e r n e w c a l c u l a t e d g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e ( 9 7

m o n t h s ) w a s b e l o w t h e s t a t u t o r y m i n i m u m a p p l i c a b l e t o h e r o f f e n s e ( 1 2 0 m o n t h s )

.

I I

. D I S C U S S I O N

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

t h e s t a t u t o r y m i n i m u m , r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s a d v i s o r y g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

.

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

. C i s z k o w s k i

, 4 9 2 F

. 3 d 1 2 6 4

, 1 2 7 0 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 )

. B u t u n d e r

t h e s a f e t y

- v a l v e p r o v i s i o n o f 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 5 3 ( f )

, f o r s e n t e n c e s a r i s i n g u n d e r 3

The saf ety -valve applies “if the court finds a t sentencing , afte r the Gove rnment has be en 3

aff orded the opportunity

to make a r ecommendation, that--

(1) the de fenda

nt does not have more than 1 cr iminal hist ory point, as determined unde r the sentenc ing g

uidelines;

(2) the de fenda

nt did not use violence or c redible thre ats of violence or possess a f irea rm or other da

ng erous we apon (or

induce a nother pa rticipant to do so) in conne ction with the
offe nse;

(3) the of fense did not result in death or ser ious bodily injury to any person;

(4) the de fenda

nt was not an org anizer, lea der, ma nag er, or supervisor of

others in the
offe nse, as de termined unde r the sente ncing g uidelines and wa s not eng ag ed in a
continuing criminal ente rprise, a s defined in se ction 408 of the Controlled Substances Act; and

(5) not later

than the time of the se ntencing hear ing, the defe ndant has truthfully provided
to the Gover

nment all information and e vidence the def endant ha s conce rning the offe nse
or off enses that we re pa

rt of the sa

me cour se of c onduct or of a common scheme or plan,

but the fac t that the defe ndant has no re levant or use ful other infor mation to 

### p r o v i d e or that the Gover

nment is alrea dy

awa re of the information shall not prec lude a

4c o n v i c t i o n s f o r s p e c i f i e d d r u g

- r e l a t e d o f

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

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

. S e e U n i t e d S t a t e s 4

v

. Q u i r a n t e , 4 8 6 F

. 3 d 1 2 7 3

, 1 2 7 3

- 7 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 )

. I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h e n t h e

r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 3 5 5 3 ( f ) “ a r e m e t

, i f a d e f

e n d a n t h a s a n a d v i s o r y g u i d e l i n e s

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

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

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

. ” I d

. a t 1 2 7 5

- 7 6

.

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

i m p o s e d

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

o r F e d

. R

. C r i m

. P

. 3 5

. 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( B )

. O n e c i r c u m s t a n c e i n w h i c h

m o d i f i c a t i o n i s p e r m i t t e d i s s p e c i f i e d i n 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

, w h i c h g r a n t s “ a

d i s t r i c t c o u r t

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

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

e n d a n t w h e n t h a t d e f

e n d a n t w a s s e n t e n c e d b a s e d o n a s e n t e n c i n g

r a n g e t h a t w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y l o w e r e d b y t h e S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n p u r s u a n t t o 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 9 9 4 ( o )

. ” 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 0 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 0 )

.

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

.

deter mination by

the cour t that the defe ndant has c omplied with this require ment.” 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) (e mphasis added)

.

The Gove rnment conte nds that, even if sa fety -valve relief is available in a

section 4 3582(c) (2) pr ocee ding, Jackson does not satisfy the per tinent conditions. W e do not addr ess this
contention bec ause it involves fa ctual issues not y et addr essed by a district cour

t.

51 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) ; F e d

. R

. C r i m

. P

. 4 3 ( b ) ( 4 )

.

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

s a f e t y

- v a l v e r e l i e f w h e n r e d u c i n g a d e f e n d a n t ’ s s e n t e n c e p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n

3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) ? T h e a n s w e r i s “ n o , ” b e c a u s e t h e s a f e t y

- v a l v e i s i n a p p l i c a b l e t o

s e n t e n c e

- m o d i f

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

.

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

3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) p r o c e e d i n g s

. B r a v o , 2 0 3 F

. 3 d a t 7 8 1 ( “ T h i s C i r c u i t h a s b e e n v e r y c l e a r

i n h o l d i n g t h a t a s e n t e n c i n g a d j u s t m e n t u n d e r t a k e n p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

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

. ” ) ; U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. V a u t i e r , 1 4 4 F

. 3 d

7 5 6

, 7 6 3 n

. 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 8 ) ( “ ‘ [ S e c t i o n ] 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) a n d r e l a t e d s e n t e n c i n g

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

. ’ ” ( q u o t i n g U n i t e d S t a t e s

v

. C o t h r a n , 1 0 6 F

. 3 d 1 5 6 0

, 1 5 6 2 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 7 ) ) )

. A s t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s

r e c e n t l y e x p r e s s e d

, “ [ b ] y i t s t e r m s , § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) d o e s n o t a u t h o r i z e a s e n t e n c i n g o r

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

. ” D i l l o n v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s , 1 3 0 S

. C t

. 2 6 8 3

, 2 6 9 0 ( 2 0 1 0 )

.

“ I n s t e a d

, i t p r o v i d e s f

o r t h e ‘ m o d i f [ i c a t i o n o f ] a t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t ’ b y g i v i n g

c o u r t s t h e p o w e r t o ‘ r e d u c e ’ a n o t h e r w i s e f i n a l s e n t e n c e i n c i r c u m s t a n c e s s p e c i f i e d

b y t h e C o m m i s s i o n

. ” I d

.

T h e s a f e t y

- v a l v e i s a p p l i c a b l e o n l y w h e n a d i s t r i c t c o u r t “ i m p o s e [ s ] a s e n t e n c e ”

a f t e r m a k i n g c e r t a i n f

i n d i n g s “ a t s e n t e n c i n g

. ” 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 5 3 ( f )

. S a f e t y

- v a l v e

6r e l i e f i s n o t a v a i l a b l e t o J a c k s o n

. S e c t i o n 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) i s n o “ s e n t e n c i n g o r

r e s e n t e n c i n g , ” b u t i s i n s t e a d a “ m o d i f i c a t i o n o f a t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t

. ” D i l l o n , 1 3 0 5

S

. C t

. a t 2 6 9 0 ( a l t e r a t i o n o m i t t e d )

. T h e i n a p p l i c a b i l i t y o f t h e s a f e t y

- v a l v e i s

s u p p o r t e d b y t h e s t a t u t o r y p r e r e q u i s i t e s f o r s a f e t y

- v a l v e r e l i e f

, w h i c h r e q u i r e t h a t t h e

d e f e n d a n t “ t r u t h f

u l l y p r o v i d e [ ] t o t h e G o v e r n m e n t a l l i n f o r m a t i o n a n d e v i d e n c e t h e

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

f e n s e s t h a t w e r e p a r t o f t h e s a m e c o u r s e o f

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

h e a r i n g

. ” 1 8 U

. S

. C

. 3 5 5 3 ( f ) ( 5 ) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d )

. T h e t i m e

- o f

– t h e

- s e n t e n c i n g

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

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

, b e c a u s e “ t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i n a § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

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

. ” S e e U n i t e d S t a t e s v

.

P h i l l i p s , 5 9 7 F

. 3 d 1 1 9 0

, 1 1 9 8 n

. 1 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 1 0 )

. W e a g r e e w i t h t h e N i n t h C i r c u i t

t h a t s e c t i o n 3 5 5 3 ( f

) ’ s “ r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e t i m e o f s e n t e n c i n g a l l s u p p o r t a c o n s t r u c t i o n

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

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

Although w e believe that sentenc e-modification procee dings a re r eadily distinguishable 5

from other

sentenc ing pr ocee dings, w e ac knowledg e that they are in some sense a

sentenc ing

proce eding . And when de ciding whether Fe d. R. Crim. P . 35(a) limit ed the powe rs of district courts to modify

sentenc es re sulting fr om section 3582(c) (2) pr ocee dings, w e said that the section 3582(c )(2) modification of an or igina l sentence was a “sente ncing ” for

the purposes of Rule 35(a) . United States v. Phill ips, 597 F.3d 1190, 1199 (11th Cir. 2010). The Phill ips
decision wa s focuse d on Rule 35(a) -- its words a nd its li miting purpose. “ I t is a max im not to be disreg arde d, that g ener al expressions, in every opinion, are to be taken in conne ction with the

case in which those expressions are used.” Cohens v. V irg inia, 19 U.S. (6 Wheat.) 264, 399, 5

L .Ed. 257 (1821). The case now bef ore us doe s not touch on Rule 35(a) or the intere st that Rule implicates.

7c r i m i n a l w a s o r i g i n a l l y s e n t e n c e d

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

r e d u c e d

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. S t o c k d a l e , 1 2 9 F

. 3 d 1 0 6 6

, 1 0 6 8 ( 9 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 7 )

.

6

T h e i n a p p l i c a b i l i t y o f s a f e t y

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

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

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

e n d a n t ’ s s e n t e n c e

. I n c o n s i d e r i n g a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n u n d e r s e c t i o n

3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

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

- p a r t a n a l y s i s

. B r a v o , 2 0 3

F

. 3 d a t 7 8 0

. T h e f

i r s t s t e p r e q u i r e s t h e c o u r t t o “ r e c a l c u l a t e t h e s e n t e n c e u n d e r t h e

a m e n d e d g u i d e l i n e s , f

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

g u i d e l i n e r a n g e f

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

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

. ” I d

. T h e

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

l i g h t o f t h e f

a c t o r s s p e c i f

i e d i n 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 5 3 ( a )

, a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n i s 7

w a r r a n t e d

. S e e B r a v o , 2 0 3 F

. 3 d a t 7 8 1

.

We must di sag ree with the circ uits that have conc luded that the saf ety -valve does apply 6 in section 3582(c) (2) pr ocee dings. See , e.g ., United States v. Mihm, 134 F.3d 1353, 1355 (8th Cir. 1998); United States v. Clark, 110 F.3d 15, 18 ( 6th Cir. 1997). By the way , beca

use we do not find the pertinent statutes to be a mbiguous, see Reno v. Kora y , 115 S. Ct . 2021, 2029 (1995), we do not apply

the rule of

lenity as urg ed by

J ackson a

nd discussed by

some other c ourts. A split of authority

among the circ uits is an insufficient justification for the imposition of the rule of lenity . I d.

Nothing in this rec ord indicate s that the district court conside red a nd applied the se ction 7 3553(a) fac tors. But be cause the district court sente nced Jackson to the lowest a vailable

sentenc e -- the statutory

minimum -- a

ny err or wa s harmless. See U nited States v. Raad, 406 F.3d 1322, 1323 n.1 ( 11th Cir. 2005).

8A p o t e n t i a l s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n m u s t b e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a p p l i c a b l e p o l i c y

s t a t e m e n t s i s s u e d b y t h e S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n

. D i l l o n , 1 3 0 S

. C t

. a t 2 6 9 4

. T h e

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

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

.

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

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

. ”

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 1 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( S u p p

. M a r

. 3

, 2 0 0 8 )

. M o r e o v e r , t h e b a c k g r o u n d

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

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

. ”

I d

. c m t

. b a c k g r o u n d ( 2 0 0 8 ) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d )

. N o t h i n g t o w h i c h o u r a t t e n t i o n h a s

b e e n d r a w n i n t h e S e n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s t e l l s u s t h a t a d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s a u t h o r i z e d t o

m a k e a n e x t r a a n d b r a n d n e w d e t e r m i n a t i o n

- - t h e a p p l i c a b i l i t y o f t h e s a f e t y

- v a l v e

- -

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

S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n a n d s e c t i o n 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

.

I I I

. C O N C L U S I O N

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 w h e n i t

, p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

, r e d u c e d

t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s o t h e r w i s e f

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

- v a l v e

9p r o v i s i o n o f s e c t i o n 3 5 5 3 ( f )

.

A F F I R M E D

.

10