Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Court Reverses Conviction for “Assault by Voicemail” but Upholds Charge of Willfully Oppressing a Person in Connection with Revenue Laws

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United States v. Temple, Docket No. 05-0165-cr(L); 05-0679(XAP) (2d Cir. May 1, 2006) (Miner, Wesley, Rakoff) Eva Temple, an IRS employee, was charged with disruptive behavior in two separate incidents. In the first, two New York City Police Detectives came to arrest her at her place of work, and, as they did, she verbally abused … Read more

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

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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)

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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