Opinion ID: 196929
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Plea Withdrawal Motions by the Remaining Defendants

Text: 21 We now turn to the claims advanced by the remaining defendants. Under the well-established framework for evaluating plea-withdrawal motions, the district court considers all the circumstances, with particular attention to four prominent factors: 22 (1) the plausibility of the reasons prompting the requested change of plea; (2) the timing of the defendant's motion; (3) the existence or nonexistence of an assertion of innocence; and (4) whether, when viewed in the light of emergent circumstances, the defendant's plea appropriately may be characterized as involuntary, in derogation of the requirements imposed by Fed.R.Crim.P. 11, or otherwise legally suspect. 23 United States v. Parrilla-Tirado, 22 F.3d 368, 371 (1st Cir.1994) (footnote omitted). If the defendant carries the burden of persuasion on these four criteria, the district court may still decline to allow the plea to be withdrawn if it would unfairly prejudice the government. United States v. Doyle, 981 F.2d 591, 594 (1st Cir.1992). Moreover, absent a demonstrable abuse of discretion, we will not reverse a district court decision granting or denying a request to withdraw a guilty plea filed before sentencing. United States v. Martinez-Molina, 64 F.3d 719, 732 (1st Cir.1995).
24 The most prominent single factor--whether these pleas were knowing, voluntary, and intelligent, within the meaning of Criminal Rule 11(d), United States v. Cotal-Crespo, 47 F.3d 1, 3 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 94, 133 L.Ed.2d 49 (1995)--does not favor these appellants. We have found no abuse of discretion in disallowing plea withdrawal motions where Rule 11 safeguards were scrupulously followed by the district court. See, e.g., United States v. Austin, 948 F.2d 783, 787 (1st Cir.1991). These appellants uniformly have failed to identify any defect in their Rule 11 plea colloquies. Rather, appellants contend that their pleas were rendered involuntary by their attorneys' recommendations to accept the plea bargains offered by the government on the morning trial was scheduled to begin. Their contentions are meritless. 25 Special Rule 11 requirements have been designed to minimize the significant risk that involuntary guilty pleas may be tendered in response to package plea bargain offers from the government. See Martinez-Molina, 64 F.3d at 732-34. The Rule 11 hearing transcripts in this case disclose that each appellant repeatedly informed the district court that his guilty plea had not been coerced by anyone, thereby substantiating the threshold voluntariness determination for Rule 11(d) purposes. United States v. Martinez-Martinez, 69 F.3d 1215, 1223 (1st Cir.1995) (inquiring whether anyone has coerced the plea satisfies Rule 11), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 1343, 134 L.Ed.2d 492 (1996); compare Martinez-Molina, 64 F.3d at 733-34 (inquiry restricted to prosecutorial coercion insufficient). Consequently, without more, their general allegations of coercion, based on the imminence of trial or conflict-free defense counsel's enthusiasm for the negotiated plea bargain, are insufficient to establish an abuse of discretion. Austin, 948 F.2d at 786-87 (noting that court has discretion to refuse withdrawal of eleventh hour plea).
26 The delays in filing their Rule 32(e) motions likewise handicap appellants' challenges. See Appendix A. Even a request filed prior to sentencing, United States v. Isom, 85 F.3d 831, 838-39 (1st Cir.1996), must meet the challenge that the longer a defendant waits before moving to withdraw his plea, the more potency his motion must have in order to gain favorable consideration. Parrilla-Tirado, 22 F.3d at 373. These appellants, on the other hand, offer neither plausible grounds for withdrawing their pleas, nor explanations for their extended delays in filing Rule 32(e) motions. See Doyle, 981 F.2d at 595 (the timing of a defendant's attempted plea withdrawal is highly probative of motive); United States v. Ramos, 810 F.2d 308, 312 (1st Cir.1987) (contemplating change of heart within days of plea). Thus, the district court soundly concluded that their belated plea-withdrawal motions substantially weakened appellants' claims that their guilty pleas resulted from confusion or coercion.
27 Their belated claims of innocence likewise fail to tilt the balance. The district judge is better positioned to determine whether claims of innocence are credible. See Parrilla-Tirado, 22 F.3d at 371. Defendants freely admitted their guilt during the flawless Rule 11 proceedings conducted below, and the subsequent Rule 32(e) hearing record evinces only weak and implausible assertions of innocence. 3 The district court need not credit bare protestations of legal innocence. Isom, 85 F.3d at 839. 4 28 Once again we emphasize: there is no absolute right to withdraw a guilty plea, Austin, 948 F.2d at 786; the decision is left to the sound discretion of the trial court. Parrilla-Tirado, 22 F.3d at 371 (noting that district judges possess special insight into the dynamics of their cases). Thus, the totality of the circumstances fully supports the rulings that these appellants presented no fair and just reason to vacate their pleas. No more was required. Isom, 85 F.3d at 839 (failure to show good cause for withdrawal obviates prejudice-to-government inquiry).