Opinion ID: 782361
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Denial of Bennett's Motion to Withdraw His Guilty Plea

Text: 17 Bennett's first claim is that the district court erred by denying the motion to withdraw his guilty plea, a decision which we review for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Merriweather, 294 F.3d 930, 931 (7th Cir.2002). Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(d)(2)(B) provides that a defendant may withdraw a plea of guilty after the court accepts the plea, but prior to sentencing, if the defendant can show a fair and just reason for requesting the withdrawal. Fed. R.Crim. Pro. 11(d)(2)(B) (2003). 1 Representations made at a Rule 11 plea colloquy are given a presumption of verity, United States v. Schuh, 289 F.3d 968, 975 (7th Cir.2002), and the defendant bears the burden of demonstrating a fair and just reason to permit withdrawal of the guilty plea, United States v. Milquette, 214 F.3d 859, 861 (7th Cir.2000). After a thorough Rule 11 colloquy, however, the defendant faces an uphill battle; and we review the district court's factual findings as to whether the defendant demonstrated a fair and just reason for clear error. United States v. Hodges, 259 F.3d 655, 661 (7th Cir.2001). 18 Bennett claims that his guilty plea should be withdrawn because it was not voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently made, and because he is actually innocent. The voluntariness of his plea, however, was examined on two separate occasions by the district court. First, the court explicitly inquired into the voluntariness of Bennett's plea at the original Rule 11 plea colloquy, asking specifically whether Bennett had fully read and understood the charge and the plea agreement. Bennett said that he had. The court asked whether he had fully discussed his trial rights and the possible sentencing range with his attorney. Bennett said that he had. The district court further inquired of Bennett's level of satisfaction with Pilolla's representation, and Bennett replied that he was satisfied. Finally, but not least importantly, the district court specifically asked Bennett whether he had been threatened, coerced, or received any promises inducing him to plead guilty. Bennett replied that his plea was entirely voluntary. Moreover, Bennett did not alert the federal marshals to any possible threats made against him by Landaw that morning. 19 Second, the district court did not end its inquiry with the results of the Rule 11 plea colloquy. Upon learning of the condition in Landaw's plea agreement and after Bennett filed his motion to withdraw, the district court ordered a full evidentiary hearing, which took place over two days (albeit in part because Bennett became ill the first day), and concluded that Bennett's guilty plea had been voluntarily made and properly accepted by the court. The testimony of Ellis, Hesler, Pilolla, and Landaw demonstrated that Bennett was fully aware of the condition in Landaw's agreement, that he accepted responsibility for his guilt and understood all aspects of pleading guilty, and that no one physically threatened or coerced Bennett to induce a guilty plea. We find no error in the district court's determination that the testimony of Ellis, Hesler, Pilolla, and Landaw was more credible than Bennett's. 20 Bennett also asked the district court to consider that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and that this condition prevented him from exercising his own judgment on the morning of the plea colloquy. Bennett claims that he felt too much pressure to plead guilty because everyone around him (Landaw, Ellis, Hesler, Pilolla) was telling him to do so, and that Landaw's actions on the morning of the colloquy made him fear for his safety. The district court rejected this claim, and we see no reason to disagree. 21 First, the district court noted that Bennett is relatively intelligent and enjoys the battle he is waging here. Second, Bennett filed several pro se motions and briefs and performed most of the examinations during the two-day evidentiary hearing with limited involvement or assistance from his court-appointed, stand-by counsel. Third, the district court established Bennett's mental competency at the Rule 11 plea colloquy, noting that Bennett did not give rote answers to the court's inquiries that morning. Fourth, Bennett deliberately met with Landaw's attorneys twice outside of the presence of Pilolla prior to pleading guilty. We agree that these events demonstrate Bennett was not suffering from a mental impairment that would have made his guilty plea involuntary. 22 Finally, Bennett claims that he is actually innocent of the charges but provides only an assertion, supported by testimony from Pilolla, that Bennett had rejected plea deals similar to the one he ultimately accepted. The district court afforded Bennett a full evidentiary hearing, which further demonstrated that Bennett's plea was not coerced and certainly did not provide any evidence of actual innocence. Pilolla's testimony concerning Bennett's prior rejection of similar plea agreements does nothing to establish Bennett's innocence. The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Bennett's motion to withdraw his plea.