Source: http://openjurist.org/382/f3d/387/united-states-v-carey
Timestamp: 2013-12-07 14:22:13
Document Index: 187143580

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1344', '§ 6', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 6']

382 F3d 387 United States v. Carey | OpenJurist
382 F. 3d 387 - United States v. Carey	Home382 f3d 387 united states v. carey
382 F3d 387 United States v. Carey 382 F.3d 387
UNITED STATES of America,v.Jean Marie CAREY, Appellant.
No. 03-3780.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Gary L. Lancaster, J. Thomas Livingston, (Argued), Assistant Federal Public Defender, Shelley Start, Federal Public Defender, Lisa B. Freeland, Acting Federal Public Defender, Pittsburgh, for Appellant Jean Marie Carey.
Christine A. Sanner, (Argued), Assistant United States Attorney, Mary Beth Buchanan, United States Attorney, Pittsburgh, for Appellee United States of America.
Before NYGAARD, MCKEE and WEIS, Circuit Judges.
Defendant complains that a downward departure for cooperation with the government was improperly limited because she was given no notice in advance that the sentencing judge had doubts about her credibility. Because she failed to present any reason that the result would have been different had she challenged the judge's impression, we will affirm the judgment.
Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1) and was sentenced to 24-months incarceration. Following the denial of her motion to reopen the sentencing record, defendant appealed. She contends that she was denied due process and advance notice of the sentencing judge's intention to determine a fact adverse to her entitlement to a downward departure. See U.S.S.G. § 6A1.3.1
As part of her plea agreement, the defendant agreed to provide assistance to the government in the prosecution of her co-defendant, Jack Ogden. She testified against him at his trial, but the jury acquitted. Judge Lancaster presided over the two-day trial, as well as the defendant's sentencing which occurred two weeks later. Following the Ogden trial, the government filed a § 5K1.1 motion for a downward departure stating that "[Carey] gave truthful responses to all questions put to her and has otherwise cooperated fully and completely within the meaning of her plea agreement and § 5K1.1. . . ."
The Guideline calculation yielded a range of 30-37 months' incarceration. After counsel's argument at the sentencing hearing, Judge Lancaster commented on the defendant's extensive criminal history, filled as it was "with theft and fraud offenses so great that she is in the same category as career offenders for sentencing purposes." He noted that he had intended "to give the maximum penalty of 37 months."
The judge did, however, agree to consider the government's motion for a sentence reduction for the defendant's assistance during the Ogden trial. In determining the downward departure, the judge noted that he was taking the accuracy of her testimony in the Ogden case into account. "In all candor in my view I do not believe she was truthful during the testimony. I believe she embellished the criminality of her co-defendant in order to get this downward departure. She attributed conduct to him even the government didn't. . . ." After allowing a 10-month credit for pretrial incarceration, the judge granted an additional three month reduction pursuant to the § 5K1.1 motion.
Defense counsel then asked the court to reconsider the sentence based on the defendant's good behavior during the preceding year. The judge responded, "I have given thought to the sentence. I don't do this lightly. I understand what I am doing. I understand two years in the federal penitentiary is rough. I think she needs to be in a structured environment for a while."
Following the sentencing hearing, the defendant moved to reopen the record, asserting that the court's failure to put her on notice that the truthfulness of her testimony was a disputed sentencing factor foreclosed her opportunity to respond. The District Court denied the motion, noting that it had granted a departure that took "into consideration, among other things, the defendant's own testimony. Defendant should not be surprised or feel ambushed because the court undertook the evaluation required by § 5K1.1."
On appeal, defendant cites Sentencing Guideline § 6A1.3, which states that a court should not rely on a factor important to a sentencing determination without first alerting the parties that the factor is in dispute and granting the right to challenge any adverse finding. She also claims that this lack of notice denied her Due Process under the Fifth Amendment.
Generally speaking, we do not have jurisdiction to hear a defendant's claim that a downward departure was inadequate. United States v. Minutoli, 374 F.3d 236 (3d Cir.2004) (no jurisdiction "where a District Court allegedly made a mistake of fact when, in the exercise of its discretion, it refused" to depart downward); United States v. Khalil, 132 F.3d 897 (3d Cir.1997) (no jurisdiction where there has been some exercise of the court's discretion in departing downward); United States v. Denardi, 892 F.2d 269 (3d Cir.1989)(same).2 However, in this case, the defendant alleges a violation of the Constitution, a rule of criminal procedure,