Opinion ID: 2978646
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Carpenter’s medical condition

Text: Carpenter also claims that the district court did not adequately consider his poor health and, therefore, his sentence should be reduced under either 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2)(D) or U.S.S.G. § 5H1.4. Section 3553(a)(2)(D) provides that a district court must consider “the need for the sentence imposed--to provide the defendant with needed . . . medical care.” Similarly, U.S.S.G. § 5H1.4 allows a district court to depart for “extraordinary physical impairment.” Carpenter argues that his 108-month sentence, given his health, is effectively a life sentence and his family is better equipped than is the BOP to address his medical needs. Carpenter does have medical problems. He underwent a kidney transplant in January 1985; suffers from high blood pressure, Hepatitis C, and cataracts; and developed skin cancer several years ago. At the sentencing hearing, however, the district court acknowledged Carpenter’s poor health and concluded that the BOP’s facilities are equipped to treat him. Once the court considered Carpenter’s health conditions, it had discretion to vary or depart from the Guidelines range because of those conditions and decided not to do so. See United States v. Clark, 469 F.3d 568, 571 (6th Cir. 2006) (affirming district court’s rejection of defendant’s argument that his health conditions warranted a below-Guidelines sentence); United States v. Bostic, 371 F.3d 865, 873-74 (6th Cir. 2004) (applying plain-error standard to district court’s decision to depart for medical infirmity and -9- No. 07-4496 United States of America v. James P. Carpenter age). As an initial matter, we note that a district judge’s decision denying a downward departure from the Sentencing Guidelines is not reviewable, provided that the judge understood his discretion to depart downward. United States v. Puckett, 422 F.3d 340, 345 (6th Cir. 2005). Here, because the judge understood his discretion, his decision not to depart is not reviewable. Of course, Carpenter also argues that the district court should have varied from the Guidelines range under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2)(D). The district court did not abuse its discretion. Carpenter was only fifty-seven years old when he was sentenced, and while he does have health problems, he has offered no evidence that the BOP is unable to provide adequate medical care. Thus, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion by not reducing Carpenter’s sentence due to his medical conditions and conclude that Carpenter’s sentence is reasonable.