United States v. Barnett

USCA1 Opinion












January 25, 1996 [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

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No. 95-1186

UNITED STATES,

Appellee,

v.

MICHAEL BARNETT,

Defendant, Appellant.


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APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS

[Hon. Joseph L. Tauro, U.S. District Judge] ___________________

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Before

Selya, Cyr and Boudin,
Circuit Judges. ______________

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Michael Barnett on brief pro se. _______________
Donald K. Stern, United States Attorney, and Michael D. Ricciuti, _______________ ___________________
Assistant United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.


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Per Curiam. Pro se defendant Michael Barnett appeals a __________ ___ __

district court order that summarily denied his motion for

relief from his sentence under 28 U.S.C. 2255. Barnett was

convicted of three offenses arising out of his participation

in a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. See United ___ ______

States v. Barnett, 989 F.2d 546 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 114 ______ _______ _____ ______

S. Ct. 148 (1993). He was sentenced to a total of thirty

years' imprisonment. Barnett's motion and supplemental

filings alleged that his sentence was the result of an

improper application of the Sentencing Guidelines. He also

claimed that his sentence violated the Double Jeopardy

Clause.

We have thoroughly reviewed the record and the parties'

briefs on appeal. We conclude that Barnett's claims are

wholly lacking in merit and that his motion was properly

denied. Briefly, neither of Barnett's claims is cognizable

under 28 U.S.C. 2255 unless Barnett shows "cause" to excuse

his procedural default and prejudice resulting from the

alleged errors, or that the failure to consider his claims

will result in a fundamental miscarriage of justice. See ___

Levasseur v. Pepe, 70 F.3d 187, 192 (1st Cir. 1995)(citing _________ ____

Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 750 (1991)). Barnett has _______ ________

failed to make either showing. Barnett's claim that he did

not possess the 50 kilogram container of pseudoephedrine as

part of the conspiracy appears to be frivolous where Barnett



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admitted that he was the "chemist" for the conspiracy and his

codefendant was recorded saying that he and his chemist had

ingredients to make 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Even if

the contention has some merit, it cannot be said to be so

obvious or strong that counsel's failure to raise the point

amounted to ineffective assistance. See Jones v. Barnes, 463 ___ _____ ______

U.S. 745, 750-54 (1983)(counsel has no duty to raise every

nonfrivolous issue requested by defendant). Barnett's Double

Jeopardy claim is also meritless. As each of his counts of

conviction required proof of an element that the others did

not, his sentence does not violate the Double Jeopardy Clause

under the familiar Blockburger test. ___________

On appeal, Barnett argues that U.S.S.G. 2D1.11 (1994)

requires that he be resentenced to a substantially lesser

term. We have considered this argument, although it was not

made below, because 2D1.11 was not retroactive when Barnett

submitted his 2255 motion. We conclude that this guideline

does not entitle Barnett to any relief from his sentence. To

the contrary, Barnett would have been subject to the same

offense level under 2D1.11, comment. n. 3. Accordingly, the

judgment of the district court is affirmed. ________











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