No. 23-341

Bobby Lee Ingram v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2023-10-02
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Relisted (2) Experienced Counsel
Tags: apprendi-v-new-jersey concepcion-v-united-states drug-quantity eleventh-circuit fair-sentencing-act first-step-act sentencing sentencing-reduction statutory-penalty terry-v-united-states
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw
Latest Conference: 2024-01-05 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Eleventh Circuit has violated Terry in holding that, at step one, district courts should disregard the 'elements' of a defendant's offense, and (i) ll deny relief based on the drug quantity found by a judge at sentencing?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED Under the First Step Act of 2018, courts may reduce certain previously imposed sentences to match the penalties in the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. The First Step Act describes a two-step process. First, the court determines whether the defendant is eligible for relief by considering whether he was sentenced for an offense whose “elements” now result in a “statutory penaltly]” that was “modified” by the Fair Sentencing Act. Terry v. United States, 141 S. Ct. 1858, 1862-63 (2021). Second, if a defendant is eligible, then the court can exercise its discretion to impose a reduced sentence, “consider[ing] intervening changes of law or fact.” Concepcion v. United States, 142 S. Ct. 2389, 2404 (2022). The Eleventh Circuit—alone among its sister categorically denies relief to certain defendants sentenced before Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000). For pre-Apprendi defendants, the Eleventh Circuit creates a hypothetical element of the offense based on the drug quantity found by the judge at sentencing. If that hypothetical element would have resulted in a statutory penalty that was not modified by the Fair Sentencing Act, then the District Court cannot reduce the defendant’s sentence. See United States v. Jackson, 58 F.4th 1331 (11th Cir. 2023). The questions presented are: 1. Whether the Eleventh Circuit has violated Terry in holding that, at step one, district courts should disregard the “elements” of a defendant’s offense, and (i) ll deny relief based on the drug quantity found by a judge at sentencing? 2. Whether the Eleventh Circuit has violated Concepcion in holding that, at step two, district courts cannot consider an “intervening change[ | of law”: Apprendi’s effect on a pre-Apprendi defendant’s sentence?

Docket Entries

2024-01-08
Petition DENIED. The Chief Justice took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2023-12-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/5/2024.
2023-12-11
2023-12-07
Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
2023-12-01
Memorandum of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2023-10-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 1, 2023.
2023-10-24
Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 1, 2023 to December 1, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-10-02
Motion (23M8) for leave to file a petition for a writ of certiorari with the supplemental appendix under seal Granted.
2023-07-19
MOTION (23M8) DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/26/2023.
2023-07-07
Motion (23M8) for leave to file a petition for a writ of certiorari with the supplemental appendix under seal filed.
2023-07-07

Attorneys

Bobby Lee Ingram
Catherine Emily StetsonHogan Lovells US LLP, Petitioner
Catherine Emily StetsonHogan Lovells US LLP, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent