Whether mere possession of a firearm in the same location as drug trafficking constitutes possession 'in furtherance of' a drug offense under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and whether a de facto life sentence for nonviolent drug trafficking violates the Eighth Amendment

QUESTIONS PRESENTED FOR REVIEW 1. When a defendant sells drugs from his house at the same time he has a firearm in his house, is that enough to prove that he possessed the firearm “in furtherance of” a drug trafficking offense in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)? 2. Is de facto life imprisonment for nonviolent drug trafficking crimes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment? i