Damon v. United States
732 F.3d 1
1st Cir.2013Background
- Damon pled guilty in 2008 to possession of a firearm by a felon; district court used prior MA convictions (2005 marijuana distribution and 2006 assault and battery) to set base Guideline level.
- PSR recommended base level 24 under U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(2) due to prior felony convictions; sentencing led to a total offense level of 23 and 70-month sentence.
- Damon did not challenge the crime-of-violence designation of the assault-and-battery conviction at sentencing or on direct appeal.
- After Holloway (2011) and Johnson (2010), Damon moved under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 arguing the MA assault-and-battery conviction is not categorically a crime of violence.
- District court denied the § 2255 petition, citing lack of retroactive Johnson/Holloway effect on collateral review, procedural default, and lack of a complete miscarriage of justice.
- This First Circuit decision affirms, holding Damon's § 2255 claim procedurally defaulted and not excusable under cause or actual innocence.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether Damon's claim is procedurally defaulted | Damon argues Johnson/Holloway retroactivity and misapplication of guidelines. | Government maintains procedural default applies and limits relief. | Claim procedurally defaulted; affirm. |
| Whether Johnson applies retroactively on collateral review | Johnson/Holloway should apply to § 2255 claims. | Retroactivity not applicable on collateral review (as argued previously). | Retroactivity acknowledged, but not outcome-altering due to default. |
| Whether a guideline miscalculation constitutes a complete miscarriage of justice | Error in categorizing prior conviction could be a miscarriage under § 2255. | Guideline errors generally not cognizable absent exceptional circumstances. | Not a complete miscarriage of justice; default bars relief. |
| Whether actual innocence can excuse procedural default | If actually innocent of the predicate crime, relief may be available. | Actual innocence requires factual innocence; Damon cannot show fact-based innocence. | Actual innocence not established; inapplicable here. |
| Whether the petition should be treated as a valid collateral attack despite non-constitutional errors | Non-constitutional error in guideline application could be cognizable. | Non-constitutional guideline errors are not generally habeas-attackable. | Procedural default forecloses relief. |
Key Cases Cited
- Holloway v. United States, 630 F.3d 252 (1st Cir. 2011) (MA assault-and-battery not categorically a crime of violence)
- Johnson v. United States, 559 U.S. 133 (Supreme Court 2010) (redefines a key statute used for classification of offenses)
- Mangos v. United States, 134 F.3d 460 (1st Cir. 1998) (prior circuit view treated MA assault-and-battery as crime of violence)
- Bousley v. United States, 523 U.S. 614 (Supreme Court 1998) (cause and actual innocence standards for procedural default)
- Davis v. United States, 417 U.S. 333 (Supreme Court 1974) (miscarriage-of-justice standard for non-constitutional claims)
- Knight v. United States, 37 F.3d 769 (1st Cir. 1994) (procedural default for claims not raised on direct appeal)
- Reed v. United States, 468 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court 1984) (availability of cause to excusing defaults)
- Begay v. United States, 553 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court 2008) (limits and interpretation of violent felony concepts)
- Chambers v. United States, 555 U.S. 122 (Supreme Court 2009) (clarifies 2000s interpretations of violence-related classifications)
- James v. United States, 550 U.S. 192 (Supreme Court 2007) (statutory interpretation affecting violent crime determinations)
- Frady v. United States, 456 U.S. 152 (Supreme Court 1982) (procedural-default framework for collateral attacks)