Opinion ID: 2798921
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The August 6, 2013 teleconference

Text: On August 6, 2013, the government’s attorney and Ushery’s counsel, but not Ushery, participated in a teleconference with the district court. The court called for the conference “to determine how [to] proceed going forward.” Ushery’s counsel informed the court that he had filed the motion for rearraignment “because there were concerns” about the court’s deadline for doing so, but that Ushery had not yet made a decision. In discussing whether to push the trial date back a week, the court asked if Ushery needed the additional time “to try to work out final details of a plea agreement.” Ushery’s counsel responded affirmatively: “The resolution is a plea or a trial. Well, I can represent [that Ushery] doesn’t want to go to trial, but he’s concerned about signing. I said you have to make a decision. If I have a little more time, I can get it resolved.” In response, the court asked if Ushery’s counsel thought “it would help to have a hearing with [Ushery] to discuss that with him.” Counsel said yes. The court accordingly set a “tentative plea date” for August 14, 2013, and moved the trial date to August 26, 2013. It also stated that “if the defendant pleads guilty on [August 14], he will be entitled to all points for acceptance of responsibility. Any pleas after that date will jeopardize that.”