Opinion ID: 71387
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Mikell's Sentence

Text: 32 When sentencing Mikell, the district refused to allow him to present a collateral attack on one of his prior convictions upon which the court relied when enhancing his sentence to life imprisonment. Prior to sentencing, Mikell specifically alleged, in response to the information filed by the government, that counsel which represented him at the previous state court proceeding had a conflict of interest because he represented both Mikell and a codefendant. Thus, Mikell argues that he was denied effective assistance of counsel at that proceeding and that his plea of guilty was, therefore, subject to constitutional attack. See Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942). 33 Relying on United States v. Roman, 989 F.2d 1117 (11th Cir.1993) (en banc), the district court held that a sentencing court may not examine the constitutionality of a defendant's earlier state conviction when calculating a sentence, except in the narrow case, not applicable here, when a defendant alleges that his state conviction was wholly uncounseled. 34 The government concedes that the district court's reliance on Roman was misplaced. Roman concerned the calculation of a defendant's criminal history for purposes of the federal Sentencing Guidelines. Mikell, however, was not sentenced under the Sentencing Guidelines but under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A)(iii). The provisions for implementing the sentence enhancement scheme set forth in section 841 are found in section 851. That statute specifically sets forth a procedure by which a defendant who is subject to a statutory sentence enhancement may challenge the constitutionality of an earlier conviction that is the basis for the enhancement. Such challenge is not as limited as that permitted by Roman when the enhancement is pursuant to the Sentencing Guidelines but, instead, allows a defendant to assert any constitutional challenge to his prior conviction. 21 U.S.C. § 851(c)(2). Because the district court's refusal to allow Mikell to attack the constitutionality of his prior conviction was error, we vacate Mikell's sentence and remand for resentencing.