Opinion ID: 567977
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sentencing based on gross weight

Text: 41 One last point should be considered. Although no objection was made to the addendum, in his position paper concerning sentencing and in his counsel's closing argument for mitigation of the sentence Blythe did contend that the offense level must be based on the net, rather than gross, weight of the drug. However, the court rejected that proffered approach, finding instead that the government's use of gross weight of the drug was correct. 2 42 We find that the district court correctly upheld the use of the gross weight of the drug in calculating the base offense level. Under both the statute, 21 U.S.C. § 841, and the Sentencing Guidelines, § 2D1.1(c), the penalty for drug possession and distribution is determined by the quantity of the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of a drug rather than the amount of pure drug. United States v. Marshall, 908 F.2d 1312, 1317 (7th Cir.1990) (en banc), aff'd sub nom. Chapman v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 1919, 114 L.Ed.2d 524 (1991). In Marshall this court upheld the constitutionality of sentences based on the gross weight of drug plus the medium in which it is sold: 43 Distributors pick their poison. The penalties are plain for all to see. They decide what drug to peddle, on what medium.... Retailers who select sugar rather than blotter paper on which to sell LSD must accept their fate. 44 Marshall, 908 F.2d at 1325. See also United States v. Garcia, 925 F.2d 170, 172 (7th Cir.1991). The Supreme Court affirmed Marshall, finding that Congress reasonably established a sentencing system based on the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of the prohibited drug: 45 By measuring the quantity of the drugs according to the street weight of the drugs in the diluted form in which they are sold, rather than according to the net weight of the active component, the statute and the Sentencing Guidelines increase the penalty for persons who possess large quantities of drugs, regardless of their purity. That is a rational sentencing scheme. 46 Chapman v. United States, 111 S.Ct. 1919, 1927-28 (1991) (holding that the weight of the blotter paper containing LSD, and not the weight of the pure LSD, determines eligibility for the minimum sentence). And the D.C. Circuit recently applied Marshall specifically to the drug Dilaudid, holding that Dilaudid is a mixture or substance containing hydromorphone. United States v. Shabazz, 933 F.2d 1029, 1032 (D.C.Cir.1991). Accord, United States v. Meitinger, 901 F.2d 27, 29 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 519, 112 L.Ed.2d 531 (1990); United States v. Bayerle, 898 F.2d 28, 32 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 65, 112 L.Ed.2d 39 (1990). 47 We conclude that the court properly based its sentence on the total weight of the Dilaudid, and followed the Guidelines in determining the sentence. Since proof of the sentencing factors under the Guidelines by a preponderance of the evidence satisfies due process, United States v. Ross, 905 F.2d 1050, 1054 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 172, 112 L.Ed.2d 136 (1990), we hold that there was no violation of due process in Blythe's sentencing.