In Re: Kenneth Johnson , 590 F. App'x 424 ( 2015 )


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  •      Case: 14-10730      Document: 00512902449         Page: 1    Date Filed: 01/14/2015
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
    No. 14-10730
    United States Court of Appeals
    Fifth Circuit
    FILED
    In re: KENNETH RAY JOHNSON,                                              January 14, 2015
    Lyle W. Cayce
    Movant                         Clerk
    Motion for an order authorizing
    the United States District Court for the
    Northern District of Texas, Lubbock to consider
    a successive 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion
    Before PRADO, ELROD, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:*
    Kenneth Ray Johnson, federal prisoner # 38827-177, moves for
    authorization to file a successive 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion to challenge his 160-
    month sentence for his conviction of aiding and abetting the distribution of
    methamphetamine. He seeks to raise a claim challenging his career offender
    enhancement in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Descamps v. United
    States, 
    133 S. Ct. 2276
    (2013).
    A prisoner who wishes to file a second or successive § 2255 motion must
    obtain authorization to do so from a court of appeals.                            28 U.S.C.
    §§ 2244(b)(3)(C), 2255(h). Contrary to Johnson’s arguments, his proposed
    § 2255 motion is successive, and he must obtain authorization to file it. See
    * Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
    be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH
    CIR. R. 47.5.4.
    Case: 14-10730    Document: 00512902449     Page: 2   Date Filed: 01/14/2015
    No. 14-10730
    Leal Garcia v. Quarterman, 
    573 F.3d 214
    , 221–22 (5th Cir. 2009); United States
    v. Orozco-Ramirez, 
    211 F.3d 862
    , 864 n.4 (5th Cir. 2000); cf. United States v.
    Rich, 
    141 F.3d 550
    , 551–53 (5th Cir. 1998).
    To obtain authorization, Johnson must make a prima facie showing that
    his proposed § 2255 motion relies on either (1) “newly discovered evidence that,
    if proven and viewed in light of the evidence as a whole, would be sufficient to
    establish by clear and convincing evidence that no reasonable factfinder would
    have found the movant guilty of the offense” or (2) “a new rule of constitutional
    law, made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court, that
    was previously unavailable.”      28 U.S.C. § 2255(h); see also 28 U.S.C.
    § 2244(b)(3)(C). Johnson does not assert that his claim is based on newly
    discovered evidence. See § 2255(h)(1). To the extent that he relies on Descamps
    for authorization, Descamps “does not provide a basis for [Johnson’s] successive
    § 2255 motion.” In re Jackson, No. 14-30805, ___ F.3d ___, 
    2015 WL 127370
    ,
    at *1, 3 (5th Cir. Jan. 8, 2015) (per curiam) (holding that “[w]hen a movant
    relies on a new rule of constitutional law to make the showing required under
    § 2255(h)(2), he ‘must point to a Supreme Court decision that either expressly
    declares the collateral availability of the rule (such as by holding or stating
    that the particular rule upon which the petitioner seeks to rely is retroactively
    available on collateral review) or applies the rule in a collateral proceeding.’”
    (quoting In re Smith, 
    142 F.3d 832
    , 835 (5th Cir. 1998), and citing In re Tatum,
    
    233 F.3d 857
    , 859 (5th Cir. 2000) (per curiam))).
    Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that Johnson’s motion for authorization
    to file a successive § 2255 motion is DENIED.
    2