Topic
Every decision we've filed under Criminal.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Christian Archer's motion for compassionate release, finding he failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for a sentence reduction. The court granted counsel's motion to withdraw and left Archer subject to his original sentence.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion for leave to withdraw filed by appointed counsel. The court dismissed the appeal because the record was not sufficiently developed to evaluate claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release, ruling that the lower court properly weighed statutory sentencing factors. The appellate court held that the defendant's criminal history and non-compliance with medical instructions justified maintaining his sentence despite his chronic kidney disease.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed consecutive sentences for federal escape and supervised release revocation, finding the district court did not abuse its discretion in weighing sentencing factors. The court also granted counsel's motion to withdraw after an independent review found no non-frivolous issues for appeal.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the guilty plea conviction and sentence of Vernell Woodard. The court found an adequate factual basis for the plea and determined no reversible plain error occurred regarding the district court's procedures.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed Julius Augillard's 70-month sentence for felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting his challenges to the sentencing guidelines' application of the realistic probability test and the firearm enhancement. However, the court vacated the judgment in part because the district court failed to orally pronounce a discretionary supervised release condition that was later added to the written judgment.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed an 18-month prison sentence imposed after revoking Macy Renee Patterson's supervised release. The court held the sentence was substantively reasonable because the district court properly weighed sentencing factors without clear error.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed Vernell Woodard's conviction and sentence for firearm brandishing and aiding and abetting a crime of violence. The court held that any failure by the district court to warn Woodard about restitution authority was harmless error because he could not show he would have rejected his plea had he received the warning.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 48-month above-guidelines sentence for a defendant who facilitated a straw purchase of a firearm that was subsequently used to kill a police officer. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting the standard sentencing guidelines for straw purchasers due to the severe consequences of the defendant's conduct.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a sentence for bank fraud conspiracy where the district court applied vulnerable victim enhancements. The appellate court found the lower court's determination that older bank customers were unusually vulnerable was not clearly erroneous.