United States v. Johnson
717 F.3d 131
| 2d Cir. | 2013Background
- Johnson pled guilty to distributing fifty grams or more of crack cocaine (Nov 2006).
- Original sentence: 262 months after a 10% variance from a 292–365 month range (Nov 2006).
- Amendment 706 reduced offense level to 33 after retroactive application, yielding a 235–293 month range (2009).
- District Court again reduced to 212 months with a 10% variance (2009).
- Johnson moved for a further § 3582(c)(2) reduction under Amendment 750 (Nov 2011); amendment lowered crack offenses by two levels.
- District Court granted a within-Guidelines reduction to 188 months under Amendment 750 but denied a further downward variance; Johnson appeals.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validity of § 1B1.10 amendment binding on courts | Johnson argues amendment exceeds authority and binds courts | Johnson contends amendment improper; seeks variance | § 1B1.10 valid and binding on district courts |
| Commission authority to retroactively reduce sentences | Johnson claims overreach beyond SRA and 28 U.S.C. § 994(u) | Commission may issue binding retroactive reductions | Commission authority proper; amendment within delegation |
| Separation of powers | Amendment encroaches on judicial power | Delegation valid under Mistretta; Dillon requirements. | No separation-of-powers violation; valid delegation |
| APA procedures for policy statement adoption | Amendment not following APA notice/comment | APA not applicable to policy statements; accountability satisfied | APA procedures not required for policy statements; valid adoption |
Key Cases Cited
- United States v. Savoy, 567 F.3d 71 (2d Cir. 2009) (retroactive reductions under Amendment 706; binding § 1B1.10 interpretation)
- United States v. Berberena, 694 F.3d 514 (3d Cir. 2012) (non-delegation/APA and § 1B1.10 authority)
- United States v. Anderson, 686 F.3d 585 (8th Cir. 2012) (constitutional/administrative-law framing of § 1B1.10 authority)
- United States v. Horn, 679 F.3d 397 (6th Cir. 2012) (binding policy statements via § 994(a)(2)/(u))
- United States v. Garcia, 655 F.3d 434 (5th Cir. 2011) (intelligible principle/delegation under SRA)
- Mistretta v. United States, 488 U.S. 361 (U.S. 1989) (delegation principle upheld; intelligible principle sufficient)