FILED
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
June 30, 2008
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
TENTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. No. 08-6032
DONALD P. BELL, (D.C. No. CV-07-1330-R)
(W. D. Oklahoma)
Defendant-Appellant.
ORDER DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY *
Before BRISCOE, MURPHY, and HARTZ, Circuit Judges.
Defendant Donald Paul Bell, a federal prisoner appearing pro se, seeks a
certificate of appealability (“COA”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1) in order
to challenge the district court’s denial of his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion to vacate,
set aside, or correct his sentence. Because Defendant has failed to satisfy the
standards for the issuance of a COA, we deny his request and dismiss the matter.
I.
In 2005, Defendant was convicted of two counts of being a felon in
possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The jury was
*
This order is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of
the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel.
unable to reach a verdict on two other counts—one under § 922(g)(1), and another
charging a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). A fifth count, also under §
922(g)(1), was dismissed on motion of the government. The district court
sentenced Defendant to 120 months’ imprisonment on each of the counts of
conviction, to be served consecutively, resulting in a total sentence of 240
months’ imprisonment. On direct appeal, we affirmed Defendant’s convictions
and sentence. United States v. Bell, 191 F. App’x 663 (10th Cir. 2006), cert.
denied, 127 S. Ct. 748 (2006), reh’g denied, 127 S. Ct. 1368 (2007).
On November 27, 2007, Defendant filed a timely § 2255 motion to vacate,
set aside, or correct his sentence. Defendant argued that his trial counsel was
constitutionally ineffective in (1) failing to seek severance of the two counts on
which he was ultimately convicted, which in turn prevented him from testifying
on his own behalf as to those counts; (2) advising him to reject the government’s
offer to allow him to plead guilty to one count of violating § 922(g)(1), in
exchange for a ten-year sentence; and (3) incorrectly advising Defendant that the
maximum sentence he could receive was ten years. 1
The district court denied Defendant’s § 2255 motion. The court first held
1
Defendant also argued that his appellate counsel was constitutionally
ineffective, but he only did so because he assumed (erroneously) that this was
necessary to avoid a “procedural bar.” He does not point to any act or omission
by appellate counsel that he deems constitutionally ineffective. Like the district
court, we will not address this issue in additional detail.
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that Defendant’s trial counsel was not ineffective in failing to seek severance of
the two counts on which Defendant was ultimately convicted. The court
explained that all five of the counts were sufficiently related for the purposes of
Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, so Defendant could not
show a reasonable probability that a motion for severance would have been
granted. Defendant had also failed to explain why joinder of the counts had
prevented him from testifying at trial.
Next, the district court concluded that Defendant had not received
professionally unreasonable advice regarding the potential plea agreement. The
district court relied, in large part, on an affidavit from Defendant’s trial counsel,
in which counsel stated that he never told Defendant whether to accept or reject
the plea agreement.
Finally, the district court held that Defendant never received professionally
unreasonable advice regarding the maximum possible sentence. Again, the
district court relied on the affidavit from Defendant’s trial counsel, in which
counsel stated that he never informed Defendant what sentence Defendant would
receive, and that he clearly and consistently told Defendant that the judge
determined the actual sentence. The district court also noted that the magistrate
judge had informed Defendant at arraignment that the maximum term of
imprisonment on each of the § 922(g)(1) counts was ten years, and the maximum
term of imprisonment on the § 841(a)(1) count was twenty years. Thus, even if
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Defendant’s trial counsel had erroneously informed him that the maximum
possible sentence was ten years, Defendant was not prejudiced by this advice.
Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal from the district court’s order
denying his § 2255 motion. The district court denied Defendant’s request to
proceed on appeal in forma pauperis. The district court did not address the
issuance of a COA, so the district court is deemed to have denied it. 10th Cir. R.
22.1(C). On appeal, Defendant requests a COA and leave to proceed in forma
pauperis.
II.
Issuance of a COA is jurisdictional. Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322,
336 (2003). In other words, a federal prisoner may appeal from the denial of a §
2255 motion only if the district court or this court first issues a COA. 28 U.S.C.
§ 2253(c)(1). A COA may be issued “only if the applicant has made a substantial
showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” Id. § 2553(c)(2). In order to
make such a showing, a federal prisoner must demonstrate “that reasonable jurists
could debate whether (or, for that matter, agree that) the petition should have
been resolved in a different manner or that the issues presented were adequate to
deserve encouragement to proceed further.” Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473,
484 (2000) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). To show ineffective
assistance of counsel, moreover, Defendant must prove that “counsel’s
representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness,” and that “any
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deficiencies in counsel’s performance [were] prejudicial to the defense.”
Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 688, 692 (1984).
Having reviewed the record, we conclude that Defendant has failed to
establish his entitlement to a COA on his claims for ineffective assistance of
counsel. Defendant has nowhere explained why joinder of the counts at trial
prevented him from testifying as to two of them, or what his testimony on those
two counts what have been. See United States v. Martin, 18 F.3d 1515, 1519
(10th Cir. 1994) (“[N]o need for a severance exists until the defendant makes a
convincing showing that he has both important testimony to give concerning one
count and a strong need to refrain from testifying on the other.”). Defendant has
thus failed to show that his trial counsel was deficient in failing to move for
severance, or that Defendant suffered any prejudice as a result.
Defendant’s other ineffective assistance of counsel claims also do not merit
the issuance of a COA. First, as we have explained previously, “[t]he decision of
whether to accept a plea agreement lies ultimately with the defendant and cannot
serve as a basis for an ineffective assistance of counsel claim.” United States v.
Lazcano-Villalobos, 33 F. App’x 927, 928 (10th Cir. 2002). Second, in an
affidavit, Defendant’s trial counsel has stated that he never told Defendant
whether to accept or reject the plea agreement, and that he informed Defendant
that the judge would ultimately determine Defendant’s sentence. Finally, even
assuming arguendo that Defendant’s trial counsel erroneously informed him that
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the maximum possible sentence was ten years, the magistrate judge correctly
informed Defendant of the possible sentences and cured any prejudice that could
have resulted from counsel’s representations. Defendant has not made the
necessary showing for the issuance of a COA.
The request for a COA and the motion for leave to proceed on appeal in
forma pauperis are DENIED and the matter is DISMISSED.
Entered for the Court
Mary Beck Briscoe
Circuit Judge
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