United States v. Qumar Dennis, Milisa Mitchell, AKA "Milisa A. Mitchell", Joseph Thom, AKA "Shaka"

271 F.3d 71, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 24352, 2001 WL 1356277
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedNovember 1, 2001
DocketDocket 00-1510
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 271 F.3d 71 (United States v. Qumar Dennis, Milisa Mitchell, AKA "Milisa A. Mitchell", Joseph Thom, AKA "Shaka") is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Qumar Dennis, Milisa Mitchell, AKA "Milisa A. Mitchell", Joseph Thom, AKA "Shaka", 271 F.3d 71, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 24352, 2001 WL 1356277 (2d Cir. 2001).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

Defendant-appellant Joseph Thom appeals from the July 5, 2000 judgment of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Allyne R. Ross, District Judge), following a jury trial, convicting him of conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a), 960(b)(1)(B), and 963 and importation of 500 grams or more of cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a) and 960(b)(2)(B). Thom was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment. We write briefly to address the issue of whether a jury’s response to special interrogatories concerning drug quantities affects the district court’s discretion in imposing sentence, in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000).

Thom was indicted for one count of conspiracy to import five or more kilograms of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 963 and 960(b)(1)(B), and one count of importing 500 or more grams of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a) and 960(b)(2)(B), as well as one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to dis *73 tribute cocaine and attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(l)(A)(ii)(II), 841(b)(l)(B)(ii)(II), and 846.

During the trial, one of Thom’s co-defendants testified that she had acted as a courier for Thom and his partner, importing approximately one-and-a-half kilograms of cocaine, and further, that she had recruited five other couriers for Thom and his partner, all of whom had imported similar amounts of cocaine. At the government’s request, and without objection from the defense, the jury was given special interrogatories that queried, inter alia, (1) whether the government had proved that the alleged conspiracy to import involved quantities of 500 grams or more of cocaine and (2) whether the government had proved that the alleged conspiracy to import involved quantities of five kilograms or more of cocaine. The jury deadlocked with respect to the conspiracy and substantive counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841, but found him guilty of the importation charges. On the special interrogatories, the jury voted unanimously that the government had proved a conspiracy to import 500 grams or more of cocaine, but only three jurors found that the government had proved a conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.

In sentencing Thom to 168 months’ imprisonment, the district court adopted the Pre-sentence Report’s recommendation to sentence Thom based on a quantity of five or more kilograms. The government requested a four-level enhancement on the ground that Thom had acted as an organizer or leader of criminal activity involving five or more people. See U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 3331.1(a) (1998). The district court instead found that Thom’s role had been that of a supervisor or manager of criminal activity involving five or more people, warranting only a three-level enhancement. See id. at § 3131.1(b).

On appeal Thom argues that (1) the special interrogatories given to the jury were confusing and, therefore, warrant a grant of a new trial; (2) the imposition of a sentence based on a quantity of five or more kilograms of cocaine, in disregard of the jury’s answers to the special interrogatories, violated the principles set forth in Apprendi; and (3) the three-level enhancement imposed for defendant’s role as a manager or supervisor of five or more people also violated Apprendi because that issue was not submitted to .the jury. We find that all of these claims lack merit.

Thom contends that the use of special interrogatories without explaining their purpose to the jury was confusing, as evidenced by the jury’s deadlock on two of the counts. The defendant did not object to the use of the special interrogatories and even acknowledged that the jury’s finding would simply be “an advisory” one because the determination of quantity was for the court. Thus we review the district court’s actions for plain error. See United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 733, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993). We find no error.

We have previously upheld the use of special interrogatories on drug quantities, which, although not necessary for conviction, may be used to aid the court in sentencing. See United States v. Jacobo, 934 F.2d 411, 416-17 (2d Cir.1991); United States v. Campuzano, 905 F.2d 677, 678 n. 1 (2d Cir.1990). In the instant case, moreover, there was nothing confusing about the jury instructions or the verdict form, and the jury’s differing decisions on the various counts indicates that they were able to follow the court’s instructions and were not confused.

*74 We also reject defendant’s attempt to bring the district court’s sentencing decisions within the purview of Apprendi, which held that any fact other than a prior conviction that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the otherwise applicable statutory maximum must be proved to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 490, 120 S.Ct. 2348. Prior to Apprendi, it was well settled that the district court was not bound by the jury’s findings on special interrogatories concerning drug quantity. See Jacobo, 934 F.2d at 416; see also Edwards v. United States, 523 U.S. 511, 513-14, 118 S.Ct.

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271 F.3d 71, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 24352, 2001 WL 1356277, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-qumar-dennis-milisa-mitchell-aka-milisa-a-mitchell-ca2-2001.