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Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

Alta Lee Kemper, a federal prisoner, filed a motion seeking authorization from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to file a successive motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The motion challenges his jury conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and his life sentence, specifically alleging a violation of his Sixth Amendment rights due to a sentence enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1. The procedural posture involves Kemper’s request for permission to proceed with a successive collateral attack on his conviction and sentence in the district court.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether Kemper made a prima facie showing that his proposed successive § 2255 motion relies on newly discovered evidence or a new rule of constitutional law made retroactive by the Supreme Court to cases on collateral review.
  2. Whether the new rule announced in Alleyne v. United States is retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review.
  3. Whether prior Supreme Court decisions—Booker, Blakely, Ring, and Apprendi—support the retroactive application of Alleyne on collateral review.

Arguments of the Parties

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Alleyne v. United States, 133 S.Ct. 2151 (2013) Held that any fact increasing a mandatory minimum sentence must be submitted to a jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Not retroactively applicable on collateral review; the Court noted Alleyne was a direct appeal decision and the Supreme Court has not declared it retroactive.
28 U.S.C. § 2255(h) Standard for authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion requiring new evidence or new constitutional rule made retroactive. Applied to determine that Kemper did not meet the prima facie standard for authorization.
28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(C) Authorization requirement for successive habeas petitions. Referenced as part of the statutory framework governing successive motions.
Tyler v. Cain, 533 U.S. 656 (2001) Only the Supreme Court can make a new rule retroactively applicable on collateral review. Supported the conclusion that Alleyne has not been made retroactive.
United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005) Sentencing guidelines advisory rather than mandatory. Held not retroactively applicable to collateral review; cited to show no retroactivity for Alleyne.
Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004) Jury must find facts increasing sentence beyond statutory maximum. Not retroactively applicable on collateral review; cited to support non-retroactivity of Alleyne.
Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584 (2002) Jury must find aggravating factors necessary for death penalty. Not retroactively applicable on collateral review; cited in discussion of retroactivity.
Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000) Any fact increasing penalty beyond statutory maximum must be submitted to jury. Not retroactively applicable on collateral review; cited in retroactivity analysis.
Foster v. Quarterman, 466 F.3d 359 (5th Cir. 2006) Determined that Blakely, Ring, and Apprendi are not retroactive on collateral review. Applied to reject retroactivity arguments.
In re Elwood, 408 F.3d 211 (5th Cir. 2005) Held Booker is not retroactively applicable on collateral review. Applied to reject retroactivity claim.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court analyzed the statutory requirements under 28 U.S.C. § 2255(h) and § 2244(b)(3)(C) for authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion, which requires a prima facie showing of either newly discovered evidence or a new rule of constitutional law made retroactive by the Supreme Court. Kemper relied on the new rule announced in Alleyne v. United States, arguing it should apply retroactively to his case. The court noted that Alleyne was decided on direct appeal and the Supreme Court has not declared it retroactive on collateral review. Further, the court examined Kemper’s reliance on prior cases (Booker, Blakely, Ring, Apprendi) to support retroactivity, but found controlling Fifth Circuit precedent holds these cases are not retroactive on collateral review. Consequently, Kemper failed to meet the statutory standard for authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion.

Holding and Implications

The court DENIED Kemper's motion for authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion.

This decision directly prevents Kemper from proceeding with his successive collateral attack based on the alleged Sixth Amendment violation under Alleyne. The court’s ruling adheres to established precedent regarding retroactivity and does not establish new legal precedent. The effect is limited to the parties involved.

In re: Alta Lee KEMPER, Movant.

PER CURIAM:


Alta Lee Kemper, Beaumont, TX, pro se. Motion for an order authorizing the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas to consider a successive 28 U.S.C., § 2255 motion. Before KING, DAVIS, and ELROD, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:



Alta Lee Kemper, federal prisoner # 59786–080, moves for authorization to file a successive 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion challenging his jury conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and his life sentence. He seeks to raise a claim that the district court violated his Sixth Amendment rights when it enhanced his sentence under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1.

To obtain authorization, Kemper must make a prima facie showing that his proposed § 2255 motion relies upon either “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 “a new rule of constitutional law, made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable.” § 2255(h); 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(C).

According to Kemper, his claim relies on a new rule of law set forth in Alleyne v. United States, ––– U.S. ––––, 133 S.Ct. 2151, 186 L.Ed.2d 314 (2013), that he contends is retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review. Kemper cites United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005), Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004), Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002), and Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), and argues that this combination of decisions demonstrates that the Supreme Court has made Alleyne retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review.

In Alleyne, the Supreme Court held that any fact that increases a defendant's mandatory minimum sentence must be submitted to a jury to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Alleyne, 133 S.Ct. at 2163. Only the Supreme Court can render a new rule retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review. Tyler v. Cain, 533 U.S. 656, 662–63, 121 S.Ct. 2478, 150 L.Ed.2d 632 (2001). Alleyne is a direct criminal appeal, see Alleyne, 133 S.Ct. at 2155–56, and therefore did not involve a retroactive application of a rule on collateral review. Moreover, the Supreme Court did not declare that Alleyne applies retroactively on collateral review. Kemper has also failed to show that the Supreme Court has made Booker,Blakely,Ring, and Apprendi retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review. See Foster v. Quarterman, 466 F.3d 359, 369–70 (5th Cir.2006) (stating that Blakely,Ring, and Apprendi are not retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review); In re Elwood, 408 F.3d 211, 213 (5th Cir.2005) (stating that Booker is not retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review). Kemper thus has not met the standard to obtain authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion. See § 2255(h).

IT IS ORDERED that Kemper's motion for authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion is DENIED.

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In re Kemper
(Sep 6, 2013)