Bailey v. United States

941 F. Supp. 82, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18719, 1996 WL 547851
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJune 5, 1996
DocketCriminal No. 88-CR-80870; Civil No. 96-CV-71599
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 941 F. Supp. 82 (Bailey v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bailey v. United States, 941 F. Supp. 82, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18719, 1996 WL 547851 (E.D. Mich. 1996).

Opinion

ORDER

DeMASCIO, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on petitioner’s motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. Petitioner argues that his conviction and sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1) must be vacated in light of the Supreme Court’s deci[83]*83sion in Bailey v. United States, — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). Petitioner also alleges ineffective assistance of counsel.

On December 23, 1988, agents from the ATF executed a federal search warrant at 9885 Chenolot in Detroit, Michigan. In executing the warrant, the agents went to the bedroom at the rear of the second floor. There, they found petitioner and his cousin asleep. A safe, in which an informant indicated petitioner kept a weapon and crack cocaine, was located at the floor of the bed. Petitioner denied any knowledge of the safe, but a key was found in his left shirt pocket. Three plastic bags, each containing a rock of cocaine, were also found in his pocket. Because the safe also contained a combination locking system and petitioner denied knowledge of the combination, a locksmith was called to open the safe. Inside the safe, the agents found a semi-automatic pistol, a loaded 30-round magazine, and a plastic bag containing one rock of crack cocaine, as well as several of petitioner’s personal papers.

On August 28,1990, petitioner was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Count I), and use of a firearm in relation to a drug offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1) (Count II). On November 19, 1990, petitioner was sentenced to eighty seven months on Count I and five years on Count II, consecutive to Count I,

Because the government has conceded in its response that petitioner’s conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1) cannot stand in light of Bailey, further discussion is not necessary. It is clear that petitioner did not “use”1 the weapon found in the safe within the meaning of Bailey. Thus, petitioner’s conviction and five year sentence under § 924(c)(1) must be vacated. However, the government argues that petitioner should be resentenced on the remaining count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, applying a two point enhancement for- possessing a firearm.

We find that resentencing is neither appropriate nor permitted under these circumstances. Petitioner only challenged his conviction and sentence on § 924(c)(1) in his motion; he has in no way challenged his conviction and sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (the drug count). Because the drug count is not before this court, we lack jurisdiction- to consider his sentence under that count. In Warner v. United States, 926 F.Supp. 1387 (E.D.Ark.1996), the court examined the resentencing issue in careful detail. The court held, inter alia, that it lacked jurisdiction to resentence defendant. The court stated that while § 2255 provides the defendant with a vehicle to “vacate, set aside, or correct sentence,” because defendant did not challenge either of his drug sentences, “it can seriously be argued that his sentence on those counts is not before the court in this § 2255 proceeding.” Id. at 1397. -We agree with that holding in Warner and reject the government’s resentencing argument - because the court lacks jurisdiction to review petitioner’s drug count sentence.

Petitioner next contends that he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial, asserting that counsel should have moved for a judgment of acquittal under Fed.Rule Crim.P. 29. Notably, petitioner raised the exact same' argument in a prior § 2255 motion, which the court rejected upon consideration. (See Order Dated 5/24/94 at p. 4-5). The only new evidence petitioner presents in support of his claim is the Supreme Court’s decision in Bailey. To the extent that petitioner argues Bailey is evidence of ineffective assistance, we find such an argument is without merit. Petitioner’s counsel could in no way have anticipated the Supreme Court’s interpretation of “use” in Bailey at that time. Thus, petitioner cannot prevail on his ineffective assistance of counsel claim.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that petitioner’s motion is GRANTED based upon the Supreme Court’s holding in Bailey v. United States, — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). Petitioner’s conviction and sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1) is hereby VACATED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

[84]*84 ORDER DENYING RECONSIDERATION

This matter is before the court on the government’s “Motion for Reconsideration.” Petitioner was convicted of “Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance which contains Cocaine Base,” in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (the drug count) and “Use or Carrying of a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1).” On November 19, 1990, this court sentenced petitioner to 87 months imprisonment on the drug count and 60 months on the 924(c)(1) count, consecutive to the drug count sentence. Petitioner filed the instant motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 challenging his conviction under 924(c)(1).1 The parties and the court agreed that ’his conviction and sentence must be vacated in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Bailey v. United States, — U.S.-, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). However, the government argued that petitioner should be resentenced on the drug count to include a two point enhancement for possession of a firearm under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(1). Relying on Warner v. United States, 926 F.Supp. 1387 (E.D.Ark.1996), we held that the court lacked jurisdiction to resentence petitioner on the drug count because petitioner did not challenge that sentence; he challenged only his conviction and sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1).

The government now moves for reconsideration of this court’s ruling on resentencing. Upon review, we maintain our position; we are without jurisdiction to revisit the unchallenged portion of petitioner’s sentence.

The government first contends that because an appellate court can require resentencing of a defendant who successfully challenges his § 924(c)(1) conviction on direct appeal, the same should be true in the context of a collateral attack; It is true that several federal courts, including the Sixth Circuit, have remanded Bailey

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Bluebook (online)
941 F. Supp. 82, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18719, 1996 WL 547851, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bailey-v-united-states-mied-1996.