Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Defendant Knowingly and Voluntarily Waived Right to Appeal

United States v. Coston, No. 12-4622-cr (2d Cir. Dec. 10, 2013) (Katzmann, Winter, and Calabresi), available here Nothing new here: This per curiam decision merely holds that the defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to appeal and that his appeal waiver is therefore enforceable. In his plea agreement, the defendant promised not to appeal any … Read more

Magistrate Judge’s Denial of Post-Trial Motions Not Reviewable on Appeal

UNITED STATES V. LAURIA (PAPPAS), NO. 13-269-cr (2D CIR. DEC. 10, 2013) (LIVINGSTON, CARNEY, AND KOELTL) (SUMMARY ORDER), AVAILABLE HERE The Court in this summary order rejected for lack of jurisdiction a defendant’s appeal from a magistrate judge’s order denying various post-trial motions.  The Court noted that a magistrate judge’s general authority is derived from 18 U.S.C. § … Read more

Refusal to Quash Grand Jury Subpoenas Directed at Third Parties Is Not Immediately Appealable

United States v. Punn, No. 13-2780-cr (2d Cir. Dec. 6, 2013) (Pooler, Lynch, and Droney), available here Today’s summary comes courtesy of Francisco Celedonio, a noted criminal defense attorney and member of the Federal Defenders’ Board of Directors: Punn holds that an order denying a motion to quash grand jury subpoenas directed at third parties (on … Read more

Conspiracy Charges Barred by Statute of Limitations

United States v. Grimm, et al., Nos. 12-4310-cr; 12-4365-cr; 12-4371-cr (2d Cir. Dec. 9, 2013) (Kearse, Jacobs, and Straub), available here As we previously reported (at this link), on November 26, 2013, the Court issued a one-page order reversing the conspiracy convictions of Peter Grimm, Dominick Carollo, and Steven Goldberg. The order stated that an opinion … Read more

Tactical Decision Not to Object to Condition of Supervised Release Waives Review of the Condition on Appeal

UNITED STATES V. PINNEY, NO. 12-3954-cr (2D CIR. DEC. 9, 2013) (KEARSE, JACOBS, AND STRAUB) (SUMMARY ORDER), AVAILABLE HERE The Court in this summary order rejected the defendant’s constitutional challenge to a condition of his supervised release.  The defendant agreed to the condition being added to the terms of his release and waived his rights to a hearing and assistance … Read more

Involuntary Confession Erroneously Admitted at Conspiracy Trial Warrants New Trials for All Three Co-Defendants

UNITED STATES V. TAYLOR, ET. AL., NOS. 11-2201(L), 11-2426(CON), 11-2639(CON) (2D CIR. DEC. 4, 2013) (KEARSE, JACOBS, AND CARNEY), AVAILABLE HERE This published decision vacated three defendants’ convictions for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery of a Manhattan pharmacy in 2008 and brandishing of a firearm. The Court remanded for new trials after determining that interrogating … Read more

2011 Sentence for 1968 Pan Am Hijacking Was Not Reviewable on Appeal

UNITED STATES V. SOLTREN, NO. 12-4755-cr (2D CIR. DEC. 2, 2013) (KEARSE, JACOBS, AND PARKER) (AMENDED SUMMARY ORDER), AVAILABLE HERE On appeal a second time from the imposition of sentence, this defendant challenged the district court’s decision to impose fifteen years’ custody with the possibility of parole after five years as procedurally and substantively unreasonable pursuant to Booker.  He pleaded … Read more

District Court Properly Denied Motion to Suppress

United States v. Cardona, No. 12-4612-cr (2d Cir. Dec. 3, 2013) (Kearse, Jacobs, and Parker) (second amended summary order), available here Convicted after trial of cocaine trafficking, the defendant argued on appeal that the district court should have suppressed various pieces of evidence because his arrest and the ensuing search of his vehicle lacked probable cause. … Read more

Circuit Reverses Conspiracy Convictions One Week After Oral Argument

United States v. Grimm, et al., Nos. 12-4310-cr; 12-4365-cr; 12-4371-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 26, 2013) (Kearse, Jacobs, Straub) (unpublished one-page order) In a one-page order dated November 26, 2013, just one week after hearing oral argument, the Court reversed the conspiracy convictions of Steven Goldberg, Peter Grimm, and Dominick Carollo. The three men had been … Read more