Court Opinion

ID: 9958045
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-06 14:00:41.921171+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:17:43.609823
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-30567            Document: 44-1         Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/05/2024

           United States Court of Appeals
                for the Fifth Circuit
                                                                           United States Court of Appeals
                                   ____________                                     Fifth Circuit

                                                                                   FILED
                                    No. 23-30567                               April 5, 2024
                                  Summary Calendar
                                                                             Lyle W. Cayce
                                  ____________
                                                                                  Clerk

United States of America,

                                                                    Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                          versus

Cortlin Reese,

                                            Defendant—Appellant.
                   ______________________________

                   Appeal from the United States District Court
                       for the Middle District of Louisiana
                            USDC No. 3:22-CR-100-1
                   ______________________________

Before King, Haynes, and Graves, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam: *
       Cortlin Reese pleaded guilty to receipt of firearms while under a felony
indictment in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(n) and possession of firearms by a
person convicted of domestic violence in violation of § 922(g)(9). For the
first time on appeal, Reese argues that § 922(n) and § 922(g)(9) are

       _____________________
       *
           This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-30567        Document: 44-1       Page: 2     Date Filed: 04/05/2024

unconstitutional under the Second Amendment in view of New York Rifle &
Pistol Ass’n, Inc v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022).
       Because Reese failed to preserve his claims, our review is for plain
error only. See United States v. Snarr, 704 F.3d 368, 382 (5th Cir. 2013). To
prevail on plain error review, Reese must show a forfeited error that is clear
or obvious and that affects his substantial rights. See Puckett v. United States,
556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009). If he makes that showing, this court has the
discretion to correct the error, but only if it “seriously affects the fairness,
integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings.” Id. (internal quotation
marks, citation, and brackets omitted).
       In United States v. Jones, 88 F.4th 571, 573-74 (5th Cir. 2023), cert.
denied, 2024 WL 1143799 (U.S. Mar. 18, 2024) (No. 23-6769), this court
rejected a plain-error challenge to the constitutionality of § 922(g)(1) in view
of Bruen. The court determined that any error was not clear or obvious
because there was no binding precedent holding § 922(g)(1) was
unconstitutional and it was unclear that Bruen dictated such a result. Jones,
88 F.4th at 573-74; see also United States v. Sanches, 86 F.4th 680, 686-87 (5th
Cir. 2023) (rejecting plain error challenges to § 922(d)(1) and § 922(a)(6)
under Bruen).
       Reese cannot show that any error was clear or obvious because it is
unclear whether § 922(g)(9) and § 922(n) are unconstitutional in view of
Bruen and the application of Bruen to those statutes would require the
extension of precedent. See Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135; Jones, 88 F.4th at 573-
74. Therefore, Reese has not shown reversible plain error. See Jones, 88 F.
4th at 574.
       AFFIRMED.