Veronica

United States v. Veronica

Good Law
48 F. App'x 280
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitOctober 16, 2002No. 01-50712; D.C. No. CR-00-00234-CAS-03California301 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM *

Veronica asserts that the district court failed to instruct the jury that the amount of drugs attributable to him must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Because Veronica did not raise this objection in a timely manner before the district court, we review for plain error. See Fed. R.Crim. Proc. 52(b); Johnson v. United States, 520 U.S. 461, 465-66 , 117 S.Ct. 1544 , 137 L.Ed.2d 718 (1997). No error, let alone plain error, occurred here, as the special verdict form specifically asked the jury to determine drug quantity beyond a reasonable doubt.

Veronica asserts that the district court erred in imposing a mandatory minimum life sentence based on Veronica’s prior drug convictions because the prior convictions were not submitted to the jury. Veronica’s argument was expressly rejected in United States v. Parks, 285 F.3d 1133, 1142-43 (9th Cir.2002).

Veronica asserts that the district court erred in finding that he was a career offender pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1. In view of our decision on the mandatory minimum life sentence, this challenge to the district court’s application of the Sentencing Guidelines is moot.

Veronica argues that the district court should have…

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