United States v. Kashiwabara

962 F. Supp. 1278, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20895, 1996 WL 875791
CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedDecember 18, 1996
DocketCriminal Nos. 96-00579 ACK, 91-01825 ACK 03
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 962 F. Supp. 1278 (United States v. Kashiwabara) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Kashiwabara, 962 F. Supp. 1278, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20895, 1996 WL 875791 (D. Haw. 1996).

Opinion

ORDER DISMISSING DEFENDANT’S § 2255 MOTION TO VACATE, SET ASIDE OR CORRECT HIS SENTENCE

KAY, Chief Judge.

BACKGROUND

Before this Court, Defendant Kurt Kashi-wabara was convicted of: (1) conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; (2) two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); and (3) using or carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1). On June 8, 1992, Defendant was sentenced to 87 [1280]*1280months for the drug offenses and 60 months for the firearm violation.

On December 14, 1992, Defendant filed a habeas corpus motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. This Court denied his motion by order filed June 22, 1993. On May 19, 1994, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the Court’s order.

On July 5, 1996, Defendant filed a second 2255 motion alleging that the conduct for which he was convicted no longer constituted a violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1) in light of the recent decision in Bailey v. United States, — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). On September 10, 1996, the government filed an opposition seeking a dismissal of the Defendant’s petition for failure to abide by the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 19961 (“Act”) which requires every applicant of a second or successive application to obtain approval by the appropriate court of appeals. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(A). On October 11, 1996, the Ninth Circuit filed an order authorizing this Court to consider Defendant’s second habeas petition. On October 25, 1996, the government filed a second opposition to Defendant’s motion to vacate. On November 12, 1996, the Defendant filed his reply.

DISCUSSION

I. The Court dismisses Defendant’s petition because it does not involve newly discovered evidence or a new nile of constitutional laiv

On April 24, 1996, the President signed into law the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (“Act”). Section 105 of the Act amending 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to require that:

A second or successive motion must be certified as provided in section 2244 by a panel of the appropriate court of appeals to contain -
(1) newly discovered evidence that, if proven and viewed in light of the evidence as a whole, would be sufficient to establish by clear and convincing evidence that no reasonable factfinder would have found the movant guilty of the offense; or
(2) a new rule' of constitutional law, made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable.

See 28 U.S.C. § 2255, amended by Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 § 105. At the time Defendant originally filed his motion, he had not obtained the requisite appellate certification. However, in response to the government’s original opposition, the Defendant applied to the Ninth Circuit for certification. On October 11, 1996, the Ninth Circuit issued an order which stated that: “Petitioner’s motion for an order authorizing the district court to consider his second 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion is granted.”

Nevertheless, the government argues that the Ninth Circuit’s certification should not be heeded because: (1) it does not specifically refer to the grounds for allowing the petition to go forward; and (2) the only possible ground for certification — a new rule of constitutional law — does not apply because Bailey is merely a case of statutory construction.

Due to its recent enactment, many of the Act’s provisions have yet to be interpreted. For example, the exact interplay between 28 U.S.C. § 2255 and 28 U.S.C. § 2244 appears undefined. Section 28 U.S.C. 2255’s provision that “a second or successive motion must be certified as provided in section 2244” would seem to indicate that § 2244 in its entirety should be incorporated into § 2255. However, such a reading would result in the creation of two different standards for certification of successive habeas petitions. Under § 2255, a petitioner can obtain relief if newly discovered evidence viewed in light of the evidence as a whole establishes by clear and convincing evidence that no reasonable fact-finder would have found petitioner guilty. See 28 U.S.C. § 2255. Under § 2244, however, the petitioner must not only establish by clear and convincing evidence that no reasonable factfinder could have found petitioner guilty, but must also overcome “a but for constitutional error” requirement. See [1281]*1281§ 2244(b)(2)(B)(ii). Such confusion could not have been what Congress intended when it put the incorporation provision in § 2255. Instead, the Court reads the provision to merely incorporate the “procedures” for certification outlined in § 2244(b)(3) and (4).

In light of its interpretation, the Court rejects the government’s first argument, finding that the statute does not contain a “magic words” requirement. The Act merely requires that: “The court of appeals ... authorize the filing of a second or successive application only if it determines that the application makes a prima facie showing that the application satisfies the requirements of this subsection.” 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(C). It does not require the court of appeals to parrot the requirements in its order. Accordingly, the Court finds that the Ninth Circuit’s terse order satisfies the Act.

The government’s second argument, however, has merit. In his motion, Defendant did not contest his underlying conviction based on newly discovered evidence. Therefore, the only ground that the Ninth Circuit could have authorized the Defendant’s petition was the second category, i.e. “a new rule of constitutional law.” See § 2255.

The Bailey decision, however, did not create a “new rule of constitutional law.” In Bailey, the Court merely clarified the definition of “use” in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1). Bailey, — U.S. -, --, 116 S.Ct.

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Bluebook (online)
962 F. Supp. 1278, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20895, 1996 WL 875791, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-kashiwabara-hid-1996.