Opinion ID: 200033
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: failure to continue the sentencing hearing

Text: 8 Defendant contends that he was denied due process because the district court failed to continue the sentencing hearing, even though the Presentence Report (PSR) and the addendum were not timely delivered to counsel. Rule 32(b)(6)(A) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure requires the probation officer to furnish the PSR to defendant not less than thirty-five days before the sentencing hearing, unless defendant waives this minimum period; there is no record of defendant having waived. 1 Here, the PSR was delivered approximately fourteen days before the hearing. Rule 32(b)(6)(B) requires that the parties within fourteen days after receiving the PSR communicate any objections to each other in writing. 2 Here, the government submitted its objections to the PSR approximately one week before the hearing, and it failed to deliver a copy to defendant until the commencement of the hearing. Finally, Rule 32(b)(6)(C) requires the probation officer to submit the PSR with an addendum setting forth unresolved objections not later than seven days before the hearing. 3 Here, defendant did not receive the addendum until four days before the hearing and appears not to have received the government's objections to the PSR until immediately before the hearing. 9 We ordinarily review the district court's failure to continue the sentencing hearing for abuse of discretion. See United States v. Marrero-Ortíz, 160 F.3d 768, 777 (1st Cir.1998). Defense counsel, after complaining about the late receipt of the government's objection, did not claim surprise and voiced no objection to the court's going forward with sentencing, much less move for a continuance. See id. (stating that untimely receipt of the addendum to the PSR although in violation of Rule 32(b)(6)(C) is insufficient standing alone to establish undue surprise). To the contrary, counsel acceded to the court's wish to proceed and gave no indication of lack of preparation. 10 While we perceive no abuse of discretion in the court's proceeding with the sentencing hearing in these circumstances, we do not mean to minimize the importance of the time limits specified in Rule 32 or turn a blind eye to the indifference to them shown by the government and the probation officer in this case. Those time limits are no mere technicalities; they are integral to the fair and orderly process of imposing sentence. They are mandatory and we expect compliance with them. 11 Defendant also contends that the failure to continue the hearing and afford him more time to respond to the addendum violated his due-process rights. Absent plain error, an issue not presented to the district court cannot be raised for the first time on appeal. United States v. Chaklader, 987 F.2d 75, 76 (1st Cir.1993). Even if there were error in the proceedings, the error claimed by defendant certainly did not seriously affect[] the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 736, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993)(internal quotations omitted). 12 Defendant argues that had he timely received the addendum, he would have been prepared at sentencing to discuss the disagreement between the government and the probation officer regarding the appropriate enhancement for his leadership role. In its objections, the government argued for a four-level enhancement for his role in the offense. Rejecting this argument, the addendum stated that a four-level enhancement would be inappropriate because there were only four participants, not five as required by Sentencing Guideline § 3B1.1(a). U.S. SENTENCING GUIDELINES MANUAL § 3B1.1(A). At sentencing, as discussed below, the court applied a four-level enhancement but it did so based not on the number of participants but on defendant's otherwise extensive conduct, a theory not addressed by the government or the addendum. Since the arguments in the addendum turned out to be irrelevant to the court's application of the enhancement, defendant's failure to receive it earlier did not adversely affect counsel's ability to prepare. Hence, the delay did not affect the sentencing proceeding's fairness, integrity or public reputation. 13