FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 8

- 1 4 7 2 6

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 7

- 0 0 1 6 7

- C R

- D H B

- W L B

- 1

- 1

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e

,

v e r s u s

J A C O B A S H E R P L O W R I G H T

,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f G e o r g i a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( S e p t e m b e r 1 6

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e T J O F L A T

, C A R N E S a n d W I L S O N

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :

J a c o b A s h e r P l o w r i g h t i s o n e o f a g r o u p o f y o u n g m e n w h o c o m m i t t e d as t r i n g o f c a r j a c k i n g s

, a r m e d r o b b e r i e s

, a n d f i r e a r m s o f

f e n s e s i n a n d a r o u n d

A u g u s t a

, G e o r g i a

. I n t h e f i r s t r o b b e r y

, P l o w r i g h t t h r e a t e n e d a s t o r e c l e r k w i t h a

p i s t o l

. I n t h e s e c o n d i n c i d e n t

, h e s h o t a n o t h e r s t o r e c l e r k t h r e e t i m e s a n d i n f l i c t e d

s e v e r e i n j u r i e s

.

P l o w r i g h t a n d t h e g o v e r n m e n t e n t e r e d i n t o a n a g r e e m e n t

. A s p a r t o f t h a t

a g r e e m e n t

, h e p l e a d e d g u i l t y t o b r a n d i s h i n g a f i r e a r m d u r i n g a c r i m e o f v i o l e n c e

,

i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 4 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i )

, a n d d i s c h a r g i n g a f i r e a r m d u r i n g

a n o t h e r c r i m e o f v i o l e n c e

, i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 4 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i i )

. I n

e x c h a n g e

, t h e g o v e r n m e n t d i s m i s s e d e i g h t c o u n t s c h a r g i n g h i m w i t h o t h e r c r i m e s

.

T h e a g r e e m e n t a l s o i n c l u d e d t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s p r o m i s e t h a t i t w o u l d “ n o t o b j e c t ”

t o P l o w r i g h t r e c e i v i n g a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n f o r a c c e p t a n c e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y u n d e r

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 3 E 1

. 1

. T h a t p r o m i s e w a s o f n o r e a l s i g n i f i c a n c e b e c a u s e t h e

c o n s e c u t i v e m i n i m u m s e n t e n c e s m a n d a t e d b y § 9 2 4 ( c ) m a d e P l o w r i g h t i n e l i g i b l e

f o r a n y s u c h r e d u c t i o n

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 K 2

. 4 ( b ) & c m t

. n

. 5 ( “ t h e g u i d e l i n e 1

s e n t e n c e i s t h e m i n i m u m t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t r e q u i r e d b y s t a t u t e ” )

. P l o w r i g h t

w a s s e n t e n c e d t o 3 2 y e a r s i n p r i s o n

.

P l o w r i g h t a p p e a l s h i s c o n v i c t i o n s a n d s e n t e n c e

, c o n t e n d i n g t h a t h i s g u i l t y

I n fac t, the only

way Plowright’s se ntence could have been r educe d below the statutory 1

minimum would have be en for the g overnme nt to file a substantial assistance motion under

either U .S.S.G. § 5K1.1 (befor e sente ncing ) or F ed. R. Crim. P. 35 (after se ntencing ). The

g overnme nt did not do so, nor did it ever promise that it would.

2p l e a w a s n o t k n o w i n g a n d v o l u n t a r y b e c a u s e h e w a s m i s l e d i n t o b e l i e v i n g h e

w o u l d b e e l i g i b l e f

o r a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n i f h e a c c e p t e d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

. B e c a u s e

a n y s u c h e r r o r d i d n o t a f f e c t P l o w r i g h t ’ s s u b s t a n t i a l r i g h t s

, w e a f f i r m

.

D u e p r o c e s s r e q u i r e s t h a t a g u i l t y p l e a b e m a d e “ k n o w i n g l y a n d

v o l u n t a r i l y

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. M o r i a r t y

, 4 2 9 F

. 3 d 1 0 1 2

, 1 0 1 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 )

.

A n d F e d

. R

. C r i m

. P

. 1 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) r e q u i r e s t h e c o u r t t o m a k e s u r e t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t

u n d e r s t a n d s t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f h i s p l e a

, i n c l u d i n g “ a n y m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m

p e n a l t y ” h e w i l l f

a c e

. P l o w r i g h t f

a c e d a m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m p r i s o n t e r m o f 7

y e a r s o n t h e f

i r s t § 9 2 4 ( c ) c o u n t f

o r b r a n d i s h i n g a f

i r e a r m

, a n d a c o n s e c u t i v e

m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m t e r m o f 2 5 y e a r s o n t h e s e c o n d c o u n t

, f o r a t o t a l o f 3 2 y e a r s

.

S e e 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 4 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i ) & ( c ) ( 1 ) ( C ) ( i )

. H e w a s i n f o r m e d o f t h i s f

a c t a t

l e a s t f i v e t i m e s : w h e n t h e g o v e r n m e n t f i l e d i t s c e r t i f

i c a t i o n o f p e n a l t y a l o n g w i t h

t h e i n d i c t m e n t ; i n t h e p l e a a g r e e m e n t ; a t t h e p l e a c o l l o q u y ; i n t h e p r e s e n t e n c e

r e p o r t ; a n d a g a i n a t s e n t e n c i n g

. D e s p i t e t h e s e c l e a r w a r n i n g s

, i t i s c o n c e i v a b l e t h a t

t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s p r o m i s e t o “ n o t o b j e c t ” t o a s e n t e n c e r e d u c t i o n

, c o u p l e d w i t h t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s r e m a r k a t t h e R u l e 1 1 h e a r i n g t h a t P l o w r i g h t w o u l d “ l o s e [ h i s ]

a c c e p t a n c e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y c r e d i t ” i f h e w e r e n o t c o m p l e t e l y t r u t h f u l w i t h h i s

p r o b a t i o n o f

f i c e r

, m a y h a v e l e d P l o w r i g h t t o b e l i e v e t h e r e w a s a p o s s i b i l i t y o f a

r e d u c e d s e n t e n c e

. I f s o

, h o w e v e r

, t h a t m i s c o n c e p t i o n w a s c l e a r e d u p b y t h e

3p r e s e n t e n c e r e p o r t

, w h i c h s p e c i f i c a l l y s a i d t h a t a n a d

j u s t m e n t f

o r a c c e p t a n c e o f

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y “ c a n n o t b e a p p l i e d

. ” P l o w r i g h t

, w h o w a s r e p r e s e n t e d b y c o u n s e l

t h r o u g h o u t t h e p r o c e s s

, d i d n o t o b j e c t a t t h a t p o i n t a n d d i d n o t s e e k t o w i t h d r a w h i s

p l e a

. N o r d i d h e o b

j e c t o r m a k e a n y m o t i o n w h e n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a t s e n t e n c i n g

f a i l e d t o a f

f o r d h i m a n a c c e p t a n c e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y r e d u c t i o n

.

W h e r e a d e f

e n d a n t f a i l e d t o o b

j e c t i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o a n a l l e g e d v i o l a t i o n

o f R u l e 1 1 ’ s p l e a r e q u i r e m e n t s

, w e r e v i e w o n l y f o r p l a i n e r r o r

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

.

B r o w n

, 5 8 6 F

. 3 d 1 3 4 2

, 1 3 4 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 9 )

. “ T o e s t a b l i s h p l a i n e r r o r

, a

d e f e n d a n t m u s t s h o w t h e r e i s ( 1 ) e r r o r

, ( 2 ) t h a t i s p l a i n

, a n d ( 3 ) t h a t a f f e c t s

s u b s t a n t i a l r i g h t s

. ” M o r i a r t y

, 4 2 9 F

. 3 d a t 1 0 1 9

. T o s h o w h i s s u b s t a n t i a l r i g h t s

w e r e a f f e c t e d

, P l o w r i g h t m u s t d e m o n s t r a t e a r e a s o n a b l e p r o b a b i l i t y t h a t

, b u t f o r

t h e a l l e g e d e r r o r

, h e w o u l d n o t h a v e p l e a d e d g u i l t y

. S e e B r o w n

, 5 8 6 F

. 3 d a t 1 3 4 5

.

I n B r o w n

, w e c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t f a i l e d t o s h o w h i s s u b s t a n t i a l r i g h t s

w e r e a f f e c t e d b y w r o n g i n f

o r m a t i o n h e h a d r e c e i v e d d u r i n g h i s p l e a h e a r i n g

,

b e c a u s e h e h a d n o t o b

j e c t e d a f t e r h i s p r e s e n t e n c e r e p o r t c o r r e c t e d t h a t

m i s i n f o r m a t i o n

. I d

. a t 1 3 4 6

. I n o t h e r w o r d s

, t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s s i l e n c e a f

t e r h e

l e a r n e d t h e t r u t h i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e e a r l i e r e r r o r d i d n o t a f f e c t h i s d e c i s i o n t o p l e a d

g u i l t y

.

E v e n i f h i s l a c k o f o b j e c t i o n t o t h e p r e s e n t e n c e r e p o r t w e r e n o t d i s p o s i t i v e

,

4P l o w r i g h t h a s o t h e r w i s e f a i l e d t o e s t a b l i s h a r e a s o n a b l e p r o b a b i l i t y t h a t h e w o u l d

n o t h a v e p l e a d e d g u i l t y h a d h e b e e n p r o p e r l y i n f o r m e d

. S e e B r o w n

, 5 8 6 F

. 3 d a t

1 3 4 5

. I n r e v i e w i n g w h e t h e r a R u l e 1 1 e r r o r a f f e c t e d a d e f

e n d a n t ’ s s u b s t a n t i a l

r i g h t s

, w e “ c o n s i d e r t h e w h o l e r e c o r d

. ” S e e i d

. N o t h i n g i n t h a t r e c o r d s u g g e s t s

P l o w r i g h t w o u l d h a v e t u r n e d d o w n t h e p l e a d e a l i f h e h a d k n o w n h e c o u l d n o t g e t

a t w o

- o r t h r e e

- p o i n t r e d u c t i o n f o r a c c e p t a n c e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

. T h e e v i d e n c e

a g a i n s t h i m

— w h i c h w o u l d h a v e i n c l u d e d t e s t i m o n y f r o m a t l e a s t t w o c o

d e f e n d a n t s t h a t P l o w r i g h t h a d p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e r o b b e r i e s a n d h a d a d m i t t e d

s h o o t i n g t h e s t o r e c l e r k ; s u r v e i l l a n c e v i d e o o f P l o w r i g h t s e l l i n g t h e s a m e g u n u s e d

i n t h e s h o o t i n g t o a n u n d e r c o v e r o f f i c e r s e v e r a l w e e k s l a t e r ; a n d t r a f f i c v i d e o o f

P l o w r i g h t l e a d i n g p o l i c e o n a h i g h

- s p e e d c h a s e t h r o u g h a r e s i d e n t i a l n e i g h b o r h o o d

a n d a s c h o o l p a r k i n g l o t

— w a s s u c h t h a t h e w o u l d h a v e b e e n i l l

- a d v i s e d t o t a k e h i s

c h a n c e s w i t h a j u r y

. P l o w r i g h t ’ s s e n t e n c e

, s e v e r e a s i t w a s

, c o u l d h a v e b e e n

w o r s e

. E v e n i f P l o w r i g h t w a s m i s i n f o r m e d

, b e c a u s e h i s s u b s t a n t i a l r i g h t s w e r e 2

Even without a § 3E1.1 r eduction, Plowrig ht did benefit fr om the plea de al in two 2

important way s. First, in retur n for his g uilty

plea to the two § 924( c) c ounts, the g overnme nt

dropped e ight other

counts. I f convic ted and se ntence d within applicable g uidelines on those

counts, Plowright would have re ceive d an additional conse cutive sente nce of 121 to 151 months.

See 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (1)( D)(ii) ( sentenc es under § 924(c) cannot r

un concur rently with any

other sente nce) . Second, it should be kept in mind that Pl owrig ht fac ed a sta tutory maxi mum

sentenc e of life in prison on eac h § 924(c) count. The district c ourt could have varie d upwar d

and imposed a more sever e sente nce tha n it did; had Pl owrig ht not acce pted re sponsibili ty and

expressed re morse for

his crime, the c ourt might we ll have done so. Cf. B rown, 586 F .3d at

1347 (district court g ave de fenda nt “the bene fit of his barg ain” by imposing only

the minimum

sentenc e) ( quotation marks and a lteration omitted).

5n o t h a r m e d t h e r e w a s n o p l a i n e r r o r

. S e e B r o w n

, 5 8 6 F

. 3 d a t 1 3 4 6

.

A F F I R M E D

.

6