Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Third time’s a charm? Case sent back to the district court to decide if a 924(c) conviction based on an attempt to commit Hobbs Act Robbery should be vacated.

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In 2004, Lawrence Savoca was convicted for using a gun during an attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Since Johnson was decided in 2016, he has been trying to get this 924(c) conviction vacated in lengthy litigation involving three trips to the Second Circuit. First, the Circuit granted his request to file a successive habeas … Read more

Defendants may not use a purported motion to correct a sentence under Rule 35 to circumvent an appeal waiver.

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The Circuit held today, in United States v. Rakhmatov, No. 21-151(L) (2d Cir. Nov. 17, 2022), that “when a challenge to a prison sentence purportedly under [Fed. R. Crim. P.] 35(a) does not fall within the narrow scope of Rule 35(a), an appeal waiver can bar consideration of the motion.” Rakhmatov pleaded guilty to conspiracy … Read more

Supreme Court to Clarify the Scope of Aggravated Identity Theft

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In case you missed it, the Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in Dubin v. United States, No. 22-10, which presents the question whether a person commits aggravated identity theft any time he or she mentions or otherwise recites someone else’s name while committing a predicate offense. David Dubin was convicted of Medicaid fraud. As the … Read more

Conviction Affirmed on Ground Not Initially Briefed by the Government and First Raised by Court at Oral Argument

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In United States v. Graham, No. 20-832 (2d Cir. Oct. 14. 2022) (Park, joined by Walker; Pérez concurring separately in the judgment), the defendant was convicted after trial of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud. On appeal, she argued, inter alia, that her lawyer rendered ineffective assistance of counsel per Missouri v. Frye by … Read more

BIDEN’S MARIJUANA PARDONS MISS THE MARK FOR NONCITIZEN DEFENDANTS

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The White House announced yesterday that President Biden would grant “full, complete, and unconditional” pardons to U.S. citizens and lawful residents previously convicted of simple possession of marijuana under 21 U.S.C. § 844(a) and D.C. Code 48-904.01(d)(1).  The move is intended to “help relieve the collateral consequences arising from these convictions,” and will doubtless help … Read more

Court must provide habeas petitioner with notice and an opportunity to respond before sua sponte dismissing the petition on procedural grounds

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In Ethridge v. Bell, 2d Cir. No. 20-1685-pr (Sep. 20, 2022), a Panel of the Court (Lynch, Bianco, and Nardini), in an opinion by Judge Bianco, ruled that the district court erred when it sua sponte dismissed Ethridge’s § 2254 petition, challenging his New York drug and weapons conviction on the ground that state courts … Read more

A sealed sentencing conducted by videoconference, which was not accessible to the public, does not implicate Rule 53’s ban on broadcasting judicial proceedings

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In United States v. Sealed Defendant One, 2d Cir. No. 21-118 (Sep. 21, 2022), a Panel of the Court (Newman, Chin, and Sullivan), in an opinion by Judge Sullivan, principally ruled that a sealed sentencing proceeding, which occurred via Skype videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, did not violate Rule 53’s bar on the “broadcasting” of … Read more

Three Interesting Cert. Petitions

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Our friends at Scotusblog.com recently discussed three pending cert. petitions that present important and interesting criminal issues. Because these issues may arise in your practice, I note them again here so that you can preserve them for review: Shaw v. United States, No. 22-118. Issues:  (1) Whether the jury clauses of Article III and the … Read more

A prior conviction under N.Y. Penal Law § 130.50(3) (1965) categorically “relates to” the sexual abuse of a minor, justifying the sentencing enhancements (for child pornography offenses) of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(b)(1) and (b)(2) — which aren’t unconstitutionally vague. United States v. Ragonese, No. 20-3371-cr, __F.4th__ , 2022 WL 3903437 (2d Cir. Aug. 31, 2022) (Sack, Lynch, and Bianco, Circuit Judges).

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 The sentencing enhancements of 18 U.S.C.§ 2252A(b)(1) and (b)(2) This case concerns the recidivist sentencing enhancements of the child pornography statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2252A. For offenses involving “possession” of child pornography, the penalty is 0 to 10 years’ imprisonment. For “receipt,” there’s a 5-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. But, if the defendant has a … Read more

In a motion for Compassionate Release, “a district court does not have discretion to consider new evidence . . . attacking the validity of the underlying conviction” in weighing “the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors.” United States v. Amato (Victor Orena), No. 21-2747, __ F.4th ____ (2d Cir. June 15, amended Aug. 31, 2022) (per curiam) (C.J.J.’s Pooler, Sack, and Nathan).

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(The opinion in this case was originally issued on June 15 2022, and published at 37 F.4th 58, but was withdrawn and “this amended opinion [was issued] in its place”). See ECF No. 85, Opinion of Aug. 31, 2022  (“Op.”)  at 3 n.1. Appellant Victor Orena appealed the district court’s denial of his motion to … Read more