Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03430/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03430-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
United States of America
Appellee
Jeffrey D. Welker
Appellant

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 03-3430

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the District 

* of Nebraska.

Jeffrey D. Welker, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: May 14, 2004

Filed: July 27, 2004

___________

Before MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, FAGG, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Jeffrey Welker appeals to this court, challenging his criminal sentence imposed

by the district court below as too severe. His counsel filed a brief and moved to

withdraw pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967). 

Mr. Welker was indicted for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent

to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing

methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. With the assistance of counsel,

Mr. Welker agreed to plead guilty to the indictment. At the close of the plea hearing,

the district court deferred its decision whether to accept Mr. Welker’s plea until the

Appellate Case: 03-3430 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/27/2004 Entry ID: 1792538 
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sentencing hearing. At the sentencing hearing, Mr. Welker moved to withdraw his

guilty plea, alleging that he had been misled by his attorney as to what sentence he

would receive. The court denied the motion and sentenced Mr. Welker to the

statutory minimum of 120 months imprisonment, and 5 years supervised release. 

After independent review under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75 (1988), this court

requested briefing on the issue whether Mr. Welker should have been allowed to

withdraw his plea in light of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(d)(1), which

allows a defendant to withdraw his guilty plea for any reason before the court accepts

the plea. The government conceded error on this issue, recognizing that the district

court should have permitted Mr. Welker to withdraw his guilty plea. Given the

government’s concession and the plain meaning of the applicable rule, the district

court’s judgment is reversed and the case is remanded for further proceedings. See

Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(d)(1); United States v. Head, 340 F.3d 628, 629-30 (8th Cir.

2003) (district court had no discretion to deny defendant’s motion to withdraw guilty

plea where plea had not yet been accepted). Mr. Welker may withdraw his guilty plea

if he so chooses.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 03-3430 Page: 2 Date Filed: 07/27/2004 Entry ID: 1792538