T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T UN I T E D S T AT E S OF AME R I C A, P l ai nt i ff

- A pp el l ee , v. B R A N D O N C H E L E E , A K A C he W ung L ee , A K A In Y up K i m , A K A D on g W an C hoe , A K A I n Y oung K i m , A K A S a ng H oon K i m , A K A C hun G i l M a , A K A C hul S ang L ee , D e f

e n d a n t - A p p e lla n t. N o. 10- 50271 D . C . N o. 8: 07 -c r- 00 20 7-A G -1 ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e C e n tr a l D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia A ndr e w J . G ui l f

or d, D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d D e c e m be r6, 2011

P a s a d e n a , C a lif

o rn ia B efo re: B . F L E T C H E R , S IL V E R M A N , an d W A R D L A W , C i rcu i tJu d g es. B r a ndon C he L e e appe a l s hi s c onvi c t i on a nd s e nt e nc e . W e ha ve j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r2 8 U . S. C. § 1 2 9 1 . W e a f f i rm. 

# FI LED JAN 05 2 012 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSP age 2 of 7

T hi s c as e i nv ol ves abank fr aud and chec k-ki t i ng sc hem e. A j ury c on vi ct ed L e e of m a i l f r aud i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . § 1341, pr oduc i ng f a l s e i de nt i f

i c a t i on d o cu m en t s i n v i o l at i o n o f 1 8 U . S . C . § 1 0 2 8 (a)(1 ), p o ssessi n g fi v e o r m o re fal se i de nt i f i c a t i on doc um e nt s i n vi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 1028( a ) ( 3) , a nd pos s e s s i ng do cum ent -m aki ng i m pl em ent s i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 1 02 8(a) (5). T he di stri ct courtse nt ence d L ee t o 2 40 m on ths i m pri sonm entand o rder ed hi m t o p ay r e s titu tio n o f

ap p r o x im a te ly$ 4 .9 m illio n . I L e e c la im s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt v io la te d h is S ix th A m e n d m e n t r ig h t to c o u n s e l wh e n th e c o u rtd e n i e d h i s m o t i o n s t o s u b s t i tu t e c o u n s e l . We r e v i e w a d is tr ic t c o u rt’s d e n ia l o f am o tio n to s u b s titu te c o u n s e l f o rab u s e o f

d is c r e tio n . U ni te d State s v . R i v e r a- C or ona , 6 1 8 F .3 d 9 7 6 , 9 7 8 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 1 0 ) . A t as ta tu s c o n f

e r e n c e s ix w e e k s b e f

o r e tr ia l, L e e r e q u e s te d an e w a tto rn e y . L ee d i d n o tsp eci fy th ath e w an t ed t o ret ai n n ew co u n sel rath er th an recei v e n ew l yappo i nt ed coun se l . B utL ee cont ends thathe w as no tas si st ed by an i nt erpret erat th e st atu s co n feren ce, an d th atw e sh o u l d th u s co n stru e h i s am b i g u o u s req u estas a re qu es tfor s ub st i tut i on of re t ai ned cou nsel . “ [A ] defe nd antw ho can aff ord t o h i re c ouns e l m a y ha ve the c ouns e l of hi s c hoi c e unl e s s ac ontr a ryr e s ul ti s c om pe l l e d byP age 3 of 7

p u rp o s e s in h e r e n t in th e f a ir , e f f ic ie n t a n do r d e r lya d m in is tr a tio n o f ju s tic e .” R i v e r a- C or ona , 6 1 8 F .3 d a t 9 7 9 ( q u o ta tio n a n d c ita tio n o m itte d ) . I n r e s pons e t o L e e ’ s r e que s t , the di s tr i c tc ourte xc l ude d the gove rnm e nt r e pr e s e nt a t i ve s a nd que s t i one d L e e a nd hi s appoi nt e d c ouns e l t o de t e rm i ne the source and ext entof any c on fl i ct . T he re cord i s am bi gu ou s a s t o w hether an i nt erpret eras si st ed L ee du ri ng the col l oq uy. N everthel es s, the transcr i ptm akes c le a rth a t L e e u n d e r s to o d th e c o u rt’s q u e s tio n s . L e e a ls o c o m m u n ic a te d h is concern thathi s pri or and currentdefe nse c ou nsel fa i l ed t o chal l enge the se ar ch w a rr a n t th a t y ie ld e d m o s t o f th e e v id e n c e a g a in s t h im . T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt f

o u n d th a t it w a s n o t in th e in te r e s t o f ju s tic e f o rL e e to ob t ai n a new l aw ye r. W e a gree . T ri al had b ee n con t i nu ed for a l m osttw o years fr om the ori gi nal tri al dat e. R epl ac i ng coun se l w ou l d h ave r equi re d ano ther s ubs t a nt i a l c ont i nua nc e . F ourdi f f e r e nta tt orne y s ha d a l r e a dyr e pr e s e nt e d L e e , a nd e a c h tim e L e e s u b s titu te d n e w c o u n s e l, th e n e w a tto rn e yr e q u e s te d ac o n tin u a n c e to r e v ie w th e e x te n s iv e d is c o v e ry . T o ju s tif y th e ap p o in tm e n t o f

n e w c o u n s e l, L e e m u s t e s tab lis h g o o d c au s e . W e c ons i de rthr e e f

a c t or s : ( 1) the t i m e l i ne s s of the m ot i on a nd the e xt e ntof r e s ul t i ng i nc onve ni e nc e orde l a y ; ( 2) the a de qua c yof the c ourt ’ s i nqui ryi nt o the defe nd ant ’ s c om pl ai nt ; and (3) w hether the confl i ctbetw ee n the defendantand h erP age 4 of 7

att orney w as so grea tthati tre sul t ed i n a t ot al l ac k o f c om m un i ca t i on prevent i ng an a d e q u a te d e f

e n s e . U ni ted Stat es v. Mendez- Sa nchez , 56 3 F . 3d 93 5, 94 2 (9th C i r. 20 09 ). W e c on cl ud e thatthe di stri ctcourtdi d n otabuse i t s di sc re t i on . T he re cord s how s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtha d as uf f i c i e ntba s i s t o m a ke a n i nf orm e d de c i s i on a nd tha tthe r e a r e no s tr i ki ng s i gns of s e r i ous c onf

l i c ttha ts how s a n e xt e ns i ve or irr e c o n c ilab le c o n f

lic t b e tw e e n L e e a n d ap p o in te d c o u n s e l. Se e id. a t 9 4 3

– 4 4 . L ee al so chal l enges the di stri ctcourt ’ s deni al of hi s r equestfor new coun se l o n th e fi rstd ay o f tri al . L ee co n ced es th ath i s req u estw as n o tt i m el y. W e m u st st i l l , h o w ev er, b al an ce th e i n co n v en i en ce resu l t i n g fro m an u n t i m el y req u est a g a in s t th e d e f

e n d a n t’s c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h t to a d e q u a te c o u n s e l. See U ni ted Stat es v. A del zo-G on zalez , 2 6 8 F .3 d 7 7 2 , 7 8 0 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . B e f o r e L e e m a d e h is unt i m e l y r e que s tf

orane w a tt orne y , the di s tr i c tc ourtha d j us tunde rt a ke n a col l oq uy w i th L ee and app oi nt ed coun se l abou ta m ot i on t o sup pres s thatL ee fi l ed p ro se . Im m ed i at el y aft er th e co l l o q u y, th e d i stri ctco u rtrej ect ed L ee’ s p ro se m ot i on t o s uppr e s s . L e e the n r e que s t e d ne w c ouns e l t o he l p hi m f i l e as uppr e s s i on m ot i on. W e c onc l ude tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtdi d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on i n de ny i ng it . T h e c o u rt w as w ell aw ar e o f L ee ’s d isag re em en t w ith ap p o in ted co u n se l’ s re fusa l t o fi l e am ot i on t o sup pres s. D es pi t e thi s di sa gree m ent , there i s no evi dence thatconfl i ctbetw ee n L ee and app oi nt ed coun se l prevent ed L ee fr om re ce i vi ng anL e e a ls o a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n b yd e n y in g h is 1 m ot i on t o c ont i nue tr i a l w i thouts um m a r i z i ng i n the r e c or d i t s r e a s ons f orthe d en i al . W e rev i ew a d i stri ctco u rt ’ s d en i al o f a m o t i o n fo r a co n t i n u an ce fo r ab u se o f d is c r e tio n , e v e n w h e n th e m o tio n im p lic a te s ad e f e n d a n t’s r ig h t to c o u n s e l. U n ite d S ta te s v . G a rr e tt , 179 F . 3d 1143, 1144–47 ( 9th C i r . 1999) ( e n ba nc ) . L i ke the di s tr i c tc ourti n G a rr e tt , the di s tr i c tc ourthe r e s how e d L e e “ pa t i e nc e a nd c o n s id e r a tio n ” w h e n c o n s id e r in g h is v a r io u s m o tio n s a n d d id n o t ab u s e its d is c r e tio n . I

d. a t1147. Fa r e tta v . Ca lifo rn ia , 42 2 U . S . 80 6 (19 75 ). 2 P age 5 of 7 a d e q u a te d e f

e n s e . Se e U

ni te d State s v . Mc C le ndon , 78 2 F . 2d 78 5, 78 9 (9th C i r. 19 86 ). 1 II N e xt , L e e a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtvi ol a t e d hi s S i xth A m e ndm e ntr i ght t o c ouns e l by notpr ovi di ng hi m w i th Fa r e tta w a rn in g s b e f o r e h e a r g u e d in 2 su p p o rto f h i s pro se m o tio n to s u p p r e s s . A d e f e n d a n t m aye x e r c is e h is r ig h t to s e lf - r e p r e s e n ta tio n if

d o n e k n o w in g ly , in te llig e n tly , v o lu n ta r ily , a n d u n e q u iv o c a lly . Mendez- Sa nchez , 563 F . 3d a t945. A ddi t i ona l l y , “ [ a ] di s tr i c tj udge m a ya l l ow ‘h yb r id r e p r e s e n ta tio n ,’ in w h ic h th e a c c u s e d a s s u m e s s o m e o f th e la w y e r 's funct i on s, [buti ] f the defendantas sum es any of the ‘ core funct i on s’ of the l aw ye r” th e d e f e n d a n t m u s t k n o w in g ly , in te llig e n tly , a n d v o lu n ta r ilyw a iv e c o u n s e l. U n ite d S ta te s v . T

u rn b u ll , 8 8 8 F .2 d 6 3 6 , 6 3 8 ( 9 th C ir . 1 9 8 9 ) .P age 6 of 7

T he di s tr i c tc ourtdi d notvi ol a t e L e e ’ s r i ghte i the rt o s e l f - r e pr e s e nt a t i on or t o c ouns e l . L e e ne ve rune qui voc a l l ya s s e rt e d hi s r i ghtt o s e l f - r e pr e s e nt a t i on, s o he w a s ne ve re nt i t l e d t o Far e t ta w arn in g s. A n d th e d istrict co u rt d idn o t v io late L ee ’s r i ghtt o c ouns e l by i m pos i ng hybr i d r e pr e s e nt a t i on. L e e r e l i e s upon U ni ted Stat es v. Ki m m el , 672 F . 2d 720 ( 9th C i r . 1982) a nd U n ite d Sta te s v . D a v is , 269 F . 3d 514 ( 5 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) , b u t b o th c a s e s a r e d is tin g u is h ab le b e c au s e th e d e f e n d a n ts in b o th c a s e s w e r e e x te n s iv e lyin v o lv e d in p r e s e n tin g th e d e f e n s e c a s e a t tr ia l. III N e xt , L e e r a i s e s ac l a i m of i ne f f e c t i ve a s s i s t a nc e of

c ouns e l . C l a i m s of in e f f e c tiv e a s s is ta n c e o f

c o u n s e l a r e g e n e r a llyin ap p r o p r ia te o n d ir e c t ap p e a l, a lth o u g h th e r e a r e e x c e p tio n s . A del zo-G on zalez , 268 F . 3d a t776 n. 1. N one of the r e le v a n t e x c e p tio n s ap p lyh e r e . IV L ee al so ch al l en g es th e su ffi ci en cy o f th e ev i d en ce. H e arg u es th atb ecau se the gove rnm e ntdi d notpr e s e ntf i nge rpr i ntorD N A e vi de nc e , w i tne s s t e s t i m ony , or doc um e nt s t o s how tha tL e e ow ne d orr e nt e d the apa rtm e ntw he r e the gove rnm e nt di sc ov er ed m ostof the evi dence attri al , the j ury ver di ctw as base d o n m er e s us pi c i on ors pe c ul a t i on. L e e a l s o c l a i m s tha tthe gove rnm e ntpr e s e nt e d no e vi de nc e ort e s t i m ony tha the i nt e nt i ona l l yc om m i tt e d f r aud.P age 7 of 7

W h e n L e e w a s a rr e s te d , g o v e rn m e n t a g e n ts f o u n d id e n tif

ic a tio n d o c u m e n ts a nd A T M c a r ds on hi s pe r s on tha tthe yl a t e rl i nke d t o doc um e nt s f ound a tthe apartm ent , as w el l as a keythatthey l at erused t o ent erthe apartm ent . O ther d o c u m e n ts f

o u n d a t th e ap a rtm e n t b o r e L e e ’s p ic tu r e o rw e r e c o n n e c te d to tran sa ctio n s w h er e b an ksu rv eill an ce v id eo s s h o w ed L ee ’s in v o lv em en t. L ee ’s dr i ve r ’ s l i c e ns e a nd pa s s portw e r e a l s o f ound a tthe apa rtm e nt . V i e w e d i n the l i ght m os tf a vor abl e t o the gove rnm e nt , the c i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e l i nki ng L e e t o the e v id e n c e is s u f

f ic ie n t. U n ite d S ta te s v . N

e v ils , 59 8 F . 3d 11 58 , 11 63 –6 4 (9th C i r. 20 10 ) ( en banc). F urther, the evi dence attri al i s s uffi ci entfor the j ury t o d raw r e a s o n ab le in f

e r e n c e s to f

in d th a t L e e in te n tio n a llyp a rtic ip a te d in as c h e m e to d e f r au d . Se e U

ni te d State s v . Santos , 5 2 7 F .3 d 1 0 0 3 , 1 0 0 9 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) . AF F I RME D.