No. 18-9772

William Jerome Howard, Jr. v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2019-06-24
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Relisted (2)IFP Experienced Counsel
Tags: 21-usc-841 cocaine-possession controlled-substance-offense criminal-law drug-offenses federal-sentencing federal-sentencing-guidelines felony-drug-offense florida florida-drug-law mens-rea sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation ussg-4b1.2
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Securities Immigration
Latest Conference: 2020-02-28 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Florida offenses of sale of cocaine under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(1)(a)(1) and possession of cocaine under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(6)(a) are 'felony drug offense[s]' under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B), and whether the Florida offenses of sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(1)(a)(1) qualifies as a 'controlled substance offense[s]' under USSG § 4B1.2

Question Presented (from Petition)

QUESTION PRESENTED Drug offenses in Florida are unlike most states insofar as in Florida, the prosecution does not have to prove a defendant knew the illicit nature of a substance in his possession. In light of this fact, the question presented is whether the Florida offenses of sale of cocaine under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(1)(a)(1) and possession of cocaine under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(6)(a) are “felony drug offense[s]” under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B), and whether the Florida offenses of sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute under Fla. Stat. § 893.13(1)(a)(1) qualifies as a “controlled substance offense[s]” under USSG § 4B1.2. i

Docket Entries

2020-03-02
Petition DENIED.
2020-02-26
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/28/2020.
2019-08-08
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/1/2019.
2019-07-19
Memorandum of respondent United States of America filed.
2019-06-20
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 24, 2019)

Attorneys

United States of America
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent
William Jerome Howard, Jr.
Conrad Benjamin KahnFederal Public Defender, Middle District of Florida, Petitioner
Conrad Benjamin KahnFederal Public Defender, Middle District of Florida, Petitioner