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Alan Bernitt John J. Villa, Civ 04-4140 Kenneth Ferguson, Civ 04-4133 Robert J. Kinney, Civ 04-4135 Keith Koski, Civ 04-4136 Matthew Diame Berry, Civ 04-4179 Timothy C. Whitfield, Sr., Civ 04-4126 Odin Dylan Payne, Civ 04-4146 Leroy Young, Civ 04-4161 Dean R. Wiese, Civ 04-4162 Darlis L. Miller, Civ 04-4175 Bobby Dale Smith, Civ 04-4176 Hector Gonzalez, Civ 04-4183 Kurt Cargle, Civ 04-4188 Gary D. Wininger, Civ 04-4189 Billy Joe Worley, Jr., Civ 04-4190 Patrick Sean Freel, Civ 04-4158 Maury Turner, Civ 04-4198 Darren Douglas, Civ 04-4199 Roger Leigh Oehler, Civ 04-4157 Harold Ryan, Civ 04-4214 Everett Smith, Civ 05-4012 Randy Dann, Civ 05-4015 Timothy Wiles Haynes, Civ 05-4026 Robert Leuthauser, Civ 05-4046 Myron R. Tallman, Civ 05-4051 v. R. Martinez
Citations: 432 F.3d 868; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 28774Docket: 05-2508
Court: Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; December 27, 2005; Federal Appellate Court
Appellants, inmates at Yankton Federal Prison Camp, appealed the district court's denial of their consolidated habeas petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, challenging the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) calculation of their good conduct time (GCT) under 18 U.S.C. § 3624. They argued that GCT should be based on the length of their sentences rather than the actual time served, as per BOP policy outlined in 28 C.F.R. § 523.20 (2005). The court found 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) ambiguous regarding whether GCT is calculated based on time served or the sentence imposed. Citing the Chevron deference principle, the court upheld the BOP's interpretation as reasonable, aligning with decisions from several sister circuits that supported the BOP's policy of calculating GCT on actual time served. Additionally, the appellants contended that the rule of lenity should apply to resolve the ambiguity in their favor. The court rejected this argument, stating that the rule of lenity is not applicable when the ambiguity can be clarified without it. Ultimately, the court affirmed the judgment of the district court, upholding the BOP's calculation method for GCT. The ruling emphasizes the deference given to the BOP's interpretation of federal statutes concerning inmate good conduct time.