Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Yuanchung Lee

Ignore If You Have Something Better to Do

by

United States v. Hilario, Docket No. 05-3972-cr (2d Cir. May 24, 2006) (Sotomayor, Wesley, Hall) (per curiam): This Blog is puzzled once more by the Court’s decision to issue a published decision rather than a summary order in this case (while giving seemingly more deserving appeals the ol’ back-of-the-hand summary order treatment). Here, the Court … Read more

Sentence Vacated Where Record Suggests that District Court May Not Have “Considered” the Section 3553(a) Factors

by

United States v. Toohey, Docket No. 05-4688-cr (2d Cir. May 17, 2006) (Winter, Cabranes, Raggi): In light of the Circuit’s extremely lax standard for determining whether a sentencing court has fulfilled its obligation to “consider” the Section 3553(a) factors in imposing sentence as required by Booker, see, e.g., United States v. Fernandez, 443 F.3d 19, … Read more

Plea Vacated for Lack of Factual Basis Where Defendant, Charged with Cocaine Conspiracy, Allocuted Solely to Marijuana Conspiracy

by

United States v. Adams, Docket No. 04-5391-cr (2d Cir. May 10, 2006) (Cardamone, McLaughlin, Pooler): This opinion does not break new ground, but is a good reminder that while the substantive distribution offense under the drug laws, e.g., 21 U.S.C. § 841(a), does not (as the law currently stands) require proof that the defendant knew … Read more

Co-Defendant Disparity as Basis for Non-Guidelines Sentence Lives Another Day

by

United States v. Flores, Docket No. 05-2385-cr (2d Cir. May 3, 2006) (Kearse, Raggi, Restani (by desig’n)): This opinion affirms Flores’s conviction for conspiring to import heroin and his 210-month sentence, discussing along the way (1) the standards for tolling the statute of limitations under 18 U.S.C. § 3290 based on the defendant’s “fl[ight] from … Read more

Maximum Sentence upon Revocation of Probation Is Same as Maximum for Original, Underlying Offense

by

United States v. Goffi, Docket No. 05-3329-cr (2d Cir. May 4, 2006) (Kearse, Sack, Stanceu (by desig’n)): The Circuit finally holds what most have long assumed — that the maximum sentence upon revocation of probation (as opposed to supervised release) is the maximum for the original, underlying offense. Surprisingly, this was technically an open question … Read more

Constructive Possession of Firearm Suffices to Disqualify Defendant from Safety-Valve Relief

by

United States v. Barraza, Docket No. 05-1454-cr (2d Cir. May 2, 2006) (Walker, Leval, Sotomayor): It’s hard to believe that this isn’t a settled issue in the Circuit, but apparently it’s not. In this opinion, the Court rules that for purposes of determining whether a defendant qualifies for safety-valve relief under § 5C1.2, as well … Read more

DOJ Reverses Course: Government Agrees that Notice Is Required before Court Can Exceed Guidelines Range (whether via Departure or via 3553(a) Factors)

by

We recently received a copy of a letter written by the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, addressed to the Clerk of the First Circuit, in which the Government adopts the position — directly contrary to its earlier view — that Fed. R. Crim. P. 32 requires prior notice to the parties if a … Read more