Opinion ID: 541981
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: FED.R.CRIM.P. 32(c)(3)(D)

Text: 43 Finally, the defendants argue that the district court violated rule 32(c)(3)(D) when imposing their sentences. 11 Rule 32(c)(3)(D), which protects a defendant's due process right to a fair sentence, requires the trial court to make written findings as to all challenges to the factual accuracy of the presentence report or a written determination that the disputed information will not be relied on in sentencing. United States v. Stout, 882 F.2d 270, 272 (7th Cir.1989); United States v. Brown, 870 F.2d 1354, 1361 (7th Cir.1989); Perez, 858 F.2d at 1276. According to the defendants, the court was thus required either to make a finding regarding allegations in the government's version of the offense pertaining to acts of witness intimidation and retaliation committed by other El Rukns or to state that it was not relying on this information in sentencing. 44 Rule 32(c)(3)(D) is triggered by allegations of factual inaccuracies in the presentence report. Perez, 858 F.2d at 1276; Brown, 785 F.2d at 591-92; United States v. Eschweiler, 782 F.2d 1385, 1388 (7th Cir.1986). The defendants' challenge, however, is not of this nature. The defendants objected at the hearing to the inclusion of information relating to these other shootings on grounds that since the other shootings were not the subject of the indictment and did not come up at trial, the information was superfluous and prejudicial. (Sentencing Tr. at 5). On appeal, the defendants claim that the district court relied on this information to impose excessive sentences. It is thus clear that the defendants' dispute does not pertain to any factual inaccuracy but goes to what the defendants claim is the improper use of this information in sentencing. This is essentially their unsuccessful due process argument, see supra Part II.B.1., recast as an alleged rule 32(c)(3)(D) violation. Because the defendants' allegations do not constitute the type of challenge that brings the rule into play, see, e.g., United States v. Jones, 856 F.2d 146, 148-49 (11th Cir.1988), we must conclude that no rule 32(c)(3)(D) violation occurred.