Topic
Every decision we've filed under Compassionate Release.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order denying a motion for sentence reduction. The appellate court found no error in the lower court's application of the relevant legal factors.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Derek Dixon's motion for a sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2), ruling that the trial court properly exercised its discretion to reject the request despite a lowered guideline range. The appellate court found no abuse of discretion given the extreme violence of Dixon's crimes and his prior agreement that the maximum term was reasonable under § 3553(a).
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of Gregory Crosby's motion for compassionate release because he failed to adequately challenge the district court's finding that he did not exhaust administrative remedies. The court also held that the district court lacked jurisdiction to order a transfer to a residential re-entry facility.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion for sentence reduction, holding that Amendment 821 did not apply to a defendant whose original sentence included an upward departure based on specific conduct. The court found the district court properly weighed sentencing factors, concluding that the severity of the armed robbery and victim impact outweighed claims of rehabilitation.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a prisoner's third motion for compassionate release. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding the defendant remained a danger to the community and that sentencing factors weighed against release.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Harold Thornton's third motion for compassionate release, ruling that the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding Thornton dangerous to the community. The court held that Thornton's extensive violent history and ongoing threats to prison officials satisfied the statutory requirements to deny sentence reduction.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion for sentence reduction filed by a defendant convicted of armed bank robbery. The court held that the district court properly weighed sentencing factors and did not abuse its discretion in maintaining an upward variance based on the use of a weapon.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release because he was sentenced after the relevant sentencing guideline amendment took effect. The court also dismissed the defendant's appeal regarding a final forfeiture order, ruling that he lacked standing since his property rights were already settled by the preliminary forfeiture order.
The Fourth Circuit dismissed in part and affirmed in part the district court's order denying a federal prisoner's motions for relief. The court held that the prisoner failed to challenge the procedural dismissal of his habeas motion in his informal brief, precluding a certificate of appealability.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of Bernard Celestine's motions for sentence reduction and compassionate release while dismissing his appeal regarding a successive habeas claim. The court held that Celestine failed to challenge the procedural dismissal of his § 2255 motion in his informal brief, thereby failing to demonstrate the requisite substantial showing of a constitutional right denial.