Archive | rehabilitation

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

Second Circuit Updates – July 20, 2016

There were three summary orders from the circuit today.

Remanded again: In United States v. White, the circuit reaffirmed that the district court must consider material post-sentencing conduct when resentencing a defendant. Ms. White’s case had already been remanded by the circuit once before because the district judge did not make factual findings to support a sentence enhancement. At the resentencing, the district court made ambiguous comments suggesting that it was ignoring her post-sentencing rehabilitation. The circuit, therefore, sent Ms. White’s case back to the district judge again. This time, the judge must consider whether the evidence of Ms. White’s rehabilitation merited a reduced term of supervised release.

Two affirmances: In United States v. Galanis, the circuit upheld the district court’s revocation of bail pending trial because there was probable cause that the defendant had continued his criminal activity; and, in United States v. Sturgis, the circuit …


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Categories: bail, recusal, rehabilitation

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Sunday, March 4th, 2012

Rehab? No, No, No.

United States v. Gilliard, No. 11-1088 (2d Cir. February 16, 2012) (Wesley, Lohier, CJJ, Rosenthal, DJ)

Tapia v. United States, 131 S.Ct. 2382 (2011), held that the district court cannot impose or lengthen a prison sentence based on the defendant’s rehabilitative needs. Here, the circuit joins the national trend of reading Tapia narrowly.

Troy Gilliard, sentenced before Tapia came down, faced a 57 to 71 month range for heroin trafficking; both the defendant and the government sought a within-guideline sentence, and probation recommended 65 months, also within the range. In imposing sentence, the court mentioned Gilliard’s criminal history, the seriousness of the offense, the need for specific deterrence, and also mentioned Gillard’s rehabilitative needs – he had both substance abuse and medical issues – while in custody, noting that it was “important” that he be “sentenced in such a way that you are able to address those problems.” Taking into …


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Categories: procedural reasonableness, rehabilitation, Uncategorized

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