Opinion ID: 735400
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Denial of Evidentiary Hearing at Sentencing

Text: 25 Slevin's final argument is that Judge Leisure erred by not holding a full evidentiary hearing on the amount of damages suffered by Slevin's victims. We reject this contention. The district court is not required, by either the Due Process Clause or the federal Sentencing Guidelines, to hold a full-blown evidentiary hearing in resolving sentencing disputes. See, e.g., United States v. Olvera, 954 F.2d 788, 792 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 505 U.S. 1211, 112 S.Ct. 3011, 120 L.Ed.2d 885 (1992); United States v. Prescott, 920 F.2d 139, 143-44 (2d Cir.1990). All that is required is that the court afford the defendant some opportunity to rebut the Government's allegations. United States v. Eisen, 974 F.2d 246, 269 (2d Cir.1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 998, 113 S.Ct. 1619, 123 L.Ed.2d 178 (1993); cf. United States v. Fatico, 579 F.2d 707, 713 (2d Cir.1978) (noting that precedents require only that reliability of evidence be ensured through cross-examination or otherwise). Decisions as to what types of procedure are needed lie within the discretion of the sentencing court and are reviewed for abuse of discretion. See, e.g., Prescott, 920 F.2d at 144. 26 The record here reflects that the district court did not abuse its discretion. Slevin had been allowed to cross-examine damages witnesses fully at trial. At the sentencing stage, he was allowed to submit written argument to the court on the amount of loss and to argue the issue orally. Given these indicia of reliability, the use of estimates and hearsay by the government did not require a full-blown evidentiary hearing. See U.S.S.G. § 2F1.1, Application Note 8 (losses need not be determined with precision); U.S.S.G. § 6A1.3(a) (reliable evidence on disputed factors can be considered without regard to its admissibility under the rules of evidence applicable at trial). Nothing offered by Slevin suggests that the district court erred in accepting the damages estimates with which it was presented or that it abused its discretion in declining to hold an evidentiary hearing on the damages issue.