Opinion ID: 157329
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Remorse as a Factor Meriting a Downward Departure

Text: 12 Factors which may merit a departure are either encouraged, discouraged, or not mentioned in the Sentencing Guidelines. See id. at 95-96, 116 S.Ct. 2035. The Supreme Court in Koon discussed the process by which the non-forbidden factors should be evaluated when making a departure decision:If the special factor is an encouraged factor, the court is authorized to depart if the applicable Guideline does not already take it into account. If the special factor is a discouraged factor, or an encouraged factor already taken into account by the applicable Guideline, the court should depart only if the factor is present to an exceptional degree or in some other way makes the case different from the ordinary case where the factor is present. If a factor is unmentioned in the Guidelines, the court must, after considering the structure and theory of both relevant individual guidelines and the Guidelines taken as a whole, decide whether it is sufficient to take the case out of the Guideline's heartland. 13 Koon, 518 U.S. at 96, 116 S.Ct. 2035 (citations omitted). 14 In this case, Fagan's base offense level was decreased by three levels because he accepted responsibility for his offenses. 4 The government argues that even if remorse is a permissible factor, Fagan is not entitled to an additional downward departure because remorse is an element of acceptance of responsibility. Several circuits have specifically held that a moral element is implicit in acceptance of responsibility and is satisfied by the defendant's expression of contrition and remorse. See, e.g., United States v. Bonanno, 146 F.3d 502, 513 (7th Cir.1998) (affirming district court's decision not to grant a downward adjustment for acceptance of responsibility because defendant had not expressed remorse); United States v. Gallant, 136 F.3d 1246, 1248 (9th Cir.) (same), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 2387, 141 L.Ed.2d 752 (1998); United States v. Dyce, 91 F.3d 1462, 1469-70 (D.C.Cir.1996) (holding that the Commission contemplated a moral element to acceptance of responsibility which is satisfied if the offender exhibits remorse); United States v. Defeo, 36 F.3d 272, 277 (2d Cir.1994) (holding that a sentencing court may deny the reduction for acceptance of responsibility when the offender's continued criminal conduct indicates a lack of sincere remorse); United States v. Brewer, 899 F.2d 503, 509 (6th Cir.1990) (holding remorse is an element of acceptance of responsibility); see also Michael M. O'Hear, Remorse, Cooperation, and Acceptance of Responsibility: The Structure, Implementation, and Reform of Section 3E1.1 of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, 91 Nw. U.L.Rev. 1507, 1523-24 (1997). 15 The commentary to Section 3E1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines also indicates the Commission intended remorse to be a component of acceptance of responsibility. See U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 3E1.1 cmt. 2 (1997) (This adjustment is not intended to apply to a defendant who puts the government to its burden of proof at trial by denying the essential factual elements of guilt, is convicted, and only then admits guilt and expresses remorse. (emphasis added)). This court has also intimated that remorse is a component of acceptance of responsibility. See, e.g., Spedalieri, 910 F.2d at 712 (adumbrating that contrition is necessary to receive a downward departure for acceptance of responsibility). 16 We find the reasoning of these cases persuasive and hold that remorse is a factor taken into account by the Sentencing Guidelines under acceptance of responsibility. If a factor is already taken into account by the Sentencing Guidelines, it is a permissible factor for departure if it is present to some exceptional degree. See United States v. Collins, 122 F.3d 1297, 1303 (10th Cir.1997); cf. United States v. Carter, 122 F.3d 469, 475-76 (7th Cir.1997) (finding no error in district court's ruling that, although defendant's remorse had been recognized when his sentence was reduced for acceptance of responsibility, it could have departed further if it had found his remorse to be exceptional). Because remorse is not a prohibited factor, but a factor already considered in the Sentencing Guidelines, a sentencing court may depart downward if it finds that remorse is present to an exceptional degree.