Case: 17-11482 Date Filed: 09/08/2017 Page: 1 of 4
[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
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No. 17-11482
Non-Argument Calendar
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D.C. Docket No. 1:11-cr-20796-DLG-1
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
ANTON LEMAR DAMES,
Defendant-Appellant.
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Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Florida
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(September 8, 2017)
Before JULIE CARNES, JILL PRYOR and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
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Anton Dames appeals the district court’s dismissal of three post-conviction
motions that: (1) requested the production of Brady 1 evidence and statements of
witnesses who would not be called at trial; and (2) argued that (a) the government
had not disclosed all Brady material before trial, (b) the government violated his
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights by wrongfully arresting and illegally
prosecuting him, (c) the government failed to call a confidential informant as a
witness at his trial, in violation of the Confrontation Clause, (d) his trial attorney
had conspired with law enforcement and the confidential informant to falsely arrest
and convict him, and (e) his trial attorney represented the confidential informant in
the state case in which the informant cooperated in an attempt to reduce his own
sentence. The district court dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction as a
successive motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255.
We review questions concerning jurisdiction de novo. Williams v. Chatman,
510 F.3d 1290, 1293 (11th Cir. 2007). “Appellate courts have a responsibility to
examine the subject matter jurisdiction of the district courts in actions that they
review.” United States v. Al-Arian, 514 F.3d 1184, 1189 (11th Cir. 2008) (internal
quotation omitted). “The burden for establishing federal subject matter jurisdiction
rests with the party bringing the claim.” Sweet Pea Marine, Ltd. v. APJ Marine,
Inc., 411 F.3d 1242, 1247 (11th. Cir. 2005) (citation omitted).
1
Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S. Ct. 1194 (1963).
2
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A prisoner in federal custody may file a motion to vacate, set aside, or
correct sentence pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255, claiming the right to be released
upon the ground that the sentence was imposed in violation of the Constitution or
laws of the United States, or that the court was without jurisdiction to impose
such sentence, or that the sentence was in excess of the maximum authorized by
law, or is otherwise subject to collateral attack. 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a). A second
or successive motion must be certified as provided in 28 U.S.C. § 2244 by a panel
of the appropriate court of appeals. 28 U.S.C. § 2255(h). This certification must
be obtained before the second or successive motion is filed in the district court. 28
U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(A). A district court does not have jurisdiction to entertain an
unauthorized second or successive § 2255 motion. Farris v. United States, 333
F.3d 1211, 1216 (11th Cir. 2003).
Dames has failed to identify a procedural vehicle that would allow him to
raise these claims at this time. We agree with the government that the most
appropriate vehicle would be a § 2255 motion. See 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a). However,
Dames previously filed a § 2255 motion in 2014. Since Dames has neither sought
nor received permission of this Court to file a successive § 2255 motion, § 2255 is
not an appropriate vehicle through which Dames can bring his claims. See 28
U.S.C. § 2244(b); § 2255(h).
3
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To the extent that Dames requests the production of documents, he has
provided no jurisdictional vehicle under which to make that request. To the extent
he challenges his sentences, his motions are unauthorized successive § 2255
motions, and the district court lacked jurisdiction to review them. Accordingly, the
judgment of the district court is
AFFIRMED.
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