King v. United States

202 F. Supp. 3d 1346, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113103, 2016 WL 4487785
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedAugust 24, 2016
DocketCASE NO. 16-22261-CIV-LENARD/WHITE
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 202 F. Supp. 3d 1346 (King v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
King v. United States, 202 F. Supp. 3d 1346, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113103, 2016 WL 4487785 (S.D. Fla. 2016).

Opinion

JOAN A. LENARD, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

SUA SPONTE NON-FINAL ORDER DISMISSING WITHOUT PREJUDICE MOVANT’S MOTION TO VACATE (D.E. 5)

THIS CAUSE is before the Court on Movant Gregory King’s Second Motion to Correct Sentence pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255, (“Motion,” D.E. 5), filed June 24, 2016. Magistrate Judge Patrick A. White issued a Report and Recommendation (“Report,” D.E. 9) on June 30, 2016, recommending that the Court grant the Motion on the basis of the parties’ joint stipulation. For the reasons stated herein, the Court dismisses Movant’s Motion to Vacate and rejects the Report as moot.

[1349]*1349I. Introduction

On August 31, 2007, Movant was adjudicated guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). See United States v. King, 07-20253-Cr-Lenard (S.D.Fla. Aug. 31, 2007) (D.E. 25). The Court sentenced Movant under the Armed Career Criminal Act (“ACCA”), 18 U.S.C. § 924(e), to 180 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release. See id.

An individual adjudicated guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) is subject to a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(2). However, if the defendant has three prior convictions for a “violent felony or a serious drug offense,” the ACCA enhances the sentence to a mandatory minimum fifteen years’ imprisonment. 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1). The ACCA defines the term “violent felony” as any crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year that:

(i) has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another; or
(ii) is burglary, arson, or extortion, involves use of explosives, or otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another[.]

18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(2)(B). Subsection (i) is referred to as the “elements clause”; subsection (ii)’s first nine words are referred to as the “enumerated clause”; and subsection (ii)’s final thirteen words are referred to as the “residual clause.” See In re Rogers, 825 F.3d 1335, 1338 (11th Cir.2016).

In Johnson v. United States, the United States Supreme Court held that the ACCA’s residual clause is unconstitutionally vague. — U.S. -, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 2563, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015). In Welch v. United States, the Supreme Court held that Johnson announced a new substantive rule of constitutional law that applies retroactively to cases on collateral review. — U.S. -, 136 S.Ct. 1257, 1268, 194 L.Ed.2d 387 (2016).

Movant argues that after the Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson, he no longer qualifies for an enhanced sentence under the ACCA. (Mot. at 2.) Accordingly, he seeks an Amended Judgment imposing a sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment. (Joint Stipulation, D.E. 10 at 3.)

II. Background and Procedural History

On June 15, 2007, Movant pleaded guilty to being a felon , in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). See King, 07-20253-Cr-Lenard (D.E. 18). At the time of sentencing on August 31, 2007, the Presentence Investigation Report (“PSI”) recommended that the Movant receive a sentence enhancement pursuant to the ACCA, 18 U.S.C. § 924(e),1 and identified all of the Movant’s prior convictions.2 [1350]*1350Neither the Government nor the Defendant objected to the PSI.3 At the sentencing hearing, the Court first adopted the factual findings and guideline applications in the Report and then sentenced Movant as an armed career criminal pursuant to the ACCA, the PSI and the governing law.4 No explicit findings were made on the record at the time of sentencing as to whether the residual, enumerated or elements clause (or any combination thereof) applied to Movant’s predicate offenses.

On October 9, 2008, Movant filed his first Motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate his sentence. See King v. United States, 08-22820-CV-Lenard (S.D. Fla. Oct. 9, 2008) (D.E. 1). Magistrate Judge White entered a Report and Recommendation (08-22820, D.E 11) on February 9, 2009, recommending dismissal of Movant’s claims as time-barred, and alternatively, denial of Movant’s claims on the merits. Judge White agreed with Movant that his strong-arm robbery conviction did not qualify as a predicate offense under the ACCA—but noted that Movant had at least three other convictions that counted as predicate offenses.5 (Id.) Movant filed two sets of objections to Judge White’s Report, arguing that: (1) his Motion was timely; (2) strong-arm robbery does not qualify as a predicate offense under the ACCA; (3) grand theft does not qualify as a predicate offense under the ACCA; and (4) his convictions for grand theft (F01-18843), distribution of cocaine (F01-013037 and F01-013038) and possession of a controlled substance (F01-030566) all occurred on the same day and thus may only qualify as one ACCA predicate offense. (08-22820, D.E. 12 and 14.) On April 8, 2009, Movant filed a Supplemental Objection, arguing that his burglary conviction did not qualify as “generic burglary” and therefore could not be counted as an ACCA predicate. (08-22820, D.E. 15.) On June 5, 2009, this Court overruled Movant’s objections, [1351]*1351adopted Judge White’s Report and denied Movant’s first 2255 Motion. (08-22820, D.E. 18). The Court also denied Movant’s Motion for a Certificate of Appealability. (08-22820, D.E. 22) Movant appealed the Court’s decision to the Eleventh Circuit which also denied him a certificate of ap-pealability. (08-22820, D.E. 33 and 34.)

After the Supreme Court issued its decision in Welch, 136 S.Ct. at 1257, Movant filed an application under Section 2255(h) seeking permission from the Court of Appeals to file a second or successive 2255 motion. On June 16, 2016, the Eleventh Circuit granted Movant’s application to file a second or successive 2255 motion, finding that because the District Court made no explicit findings at the time of sentencing “King [ ] met his burden of making a pri-ma facie showing that his application contains the rule announced in Johnson and that he is reasonably likely to benefit from that rule.” (D.E. 1 at 9.) On June 24, 2016, Movant, who is now represented by counsel, filed his second 2255 Motion. (D.E. 5.)

Movant argues that since, the Supreme Court declared the ACCA’s residual clause unconstitutional, see Johnson, 576 U.S. -, 135 S.Ct.

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Bluebook (online)
202 F. Supp. 3d 1346, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113103, 2016 WL 4487785, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/king-v-united-states-flsd-2016.