Opinion ID: 2767021
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ban on alcohol

Text: We previously upheld a complete ban on the consumption of alcohol when such a condition was supported by evidence in the record. United States v. Schave, 186 F.3d 839, 842 (7th Cir. 1999) (“[T]he district court here had specific evidence of [the defendant’s] prior alcohol abuse, including a prior diagnosis of alcoholism, upon which to reply in imposing the alcohol restriction.”). But that is not Cary’s argument. In this case, Cary argues that the prohibition against alcohol should be vacated because it was not pronounced by the court at Cary’s sentencing hearing and was imposed only in the written judgment. Cary argues that “when an inconsistency exists between a judge’s oral and the later written sentence, the sentence 8 No. 14-1961 pronounced from the bench controls.” United States v. Perry, 743 F.3d 238, 242 (7th Cir. 2014) (citation and internal quotations omitted). The government responds by referencing record evidence where Cary’s own testimony makes clear that he has a debilitating problem with alcohol abuse. Gov’t Br. 18. However, we need not delve further into those details, nor do we need to decide whether the evidence in the record was sufficient for the district court to prohibit Cary’s consumption of any alcohol because Cary withdrew his challenge to this condition at oral argument. Oral Arg. Tr. 3:17 (“We’re conceding the alcohol, judge.”). Because a “verbal admission by [] counsel at oral argument is a binding judicial admission, the same as any other formal concession made during the course of proceedings,” we will affirm the special condition that prohibits Cary from consuming alcohol. McCaskill v. SCI Mgmt. Corp., 298 F.3d 677, 680 (7th Cir. 2002).