Opinion ID: 184895
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Review of the 1998 Term of Imprisonment

Text: 18 Before addressing the merits of Townsend's arguments, we first consider the government's claim that Townsend is simply challenging the amount of downward departure he received in 1998, which the government argues is unreviewable under 18 U.S.C. § 3742. That section provides in relevant part that a defendant may appeal a sentence if the sentence 19 (1) was imposed in violation of law; 20 (2) was imposed as a result of an incorrect application of the sentencing guidelines; or 21 (3) is greater than the sentence specified in the applicable guideline range ...; or 22 (4) was imposed for an offense for which there is no sentencing guideline and is plainly unreasonable. 23 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a). In the government's view, because Townsend's 1998 sentence of 240 months on the non-924(c) counts represents a downward departure from the 330 months originally imposed on those counts in 1989, Townsend should have no right to complain that he is entitled to retain the more generous departure imposed on those counts in 1994. 24 The government focuses on § 3742(a)(3), which provides that a defendant may seek review of upward departures, but does not provide for review of downward departures at the defendant's behest. Certainly it is correct that where a defendant simply disagrees with the district court's judgment regarding the amount of downward departure which is warranted, review is unavailable. See, e.g., United States v. Hazel, 928 F.2d 420, 423 (D.C.Cir.1991). However, that is not Townsend's argument. Townsend is not simply disagreeing with the district court's view of what departure was proper, but is arguing that the court lacked authority to reconsider the departure it granted on those counts in 1994, and that the sentence which resulted from so doing was in violation of the Double Jeopardy Clause. Where, as here, a defendant claims that his sentence was imposed in violation of law, the sentence is reviewable under § 3742(a)(1). The fact that the specific illegality here claimed involves the amount of downward departure he received does not render § 3742 (a)(1) inapplicable. Cf. United States v. La Guardia, 902 F.2d 1010, 1012 (1st Cir.1990). To conclude otherwise would insulate from review the extent of a downward departure even if the resulting sentence was plainly unlawful or the amount of departure was influenced by unlawful considerations. See United States v. Burnett, 66 F.3d 137, 139 (7th Cir.1995). Therefore, we conclude that this issue is properly before us.