Opinion ID: 767081
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Downward Departure for Sentencing Disparity

Text: 41 Daas contends that the district court erred by refusing to entertain his request for a downward departure based on the disparity in his sentence and the sentences received by the Bilkoos and Singh. The district court's ruling on this request was as follows: 42 You make two arguments on downward departure. One argument is based upon your contention that there's a disparity in sentencing of the defendants. Your request for a downward departure on that ground is denied. See [United States v.] Enriquez Munoz, 906 F.2d at 1359 and 60 (9th Cir. 1989)]. The issue's submitted. 43 This contention has merit.
44 The district court's interpretation and application of the Sentencing Guidelines is reviewed de novo. See United States v. Merino, 190 F.3d 956, 958 (9th Cir. 1999).
45 In the case relied upon by the district court, EnriquezMunoz, this court held that an upward departure to equalize disparate sentences was impermissible under the Sentencing Guidelines. Id. at 1360. Six years later, the United States Supreme Court in Koon v. United States, 518 U.S. 81, 109 (1996) held that, unless the guidelines specifically prohibit downward departure on a particular ground, the sentencing court must determine whether the facts of the case warrant departure on that ground. Downward departure to equalize sentencing disparity is a proper ground for departure under the appropriate circumstances. See 28 U.S.C.S 991(b)(1)(B); U.S.S.G. Ch. 1, Pt. A, p.s. 3. (Congress sought reasonable uniformity in sentencing by narrowing the wide disparity in sentences imposed for similar criminal offenses committed by similar offenders.). Indeed, a central goal of the Sentencing Guidelines is to eliminate sentencing disparity. See Koon, 518 U.S. at 113 (The goal of the Sentencing Guidelines is, of course, to reduce unjustified disparities and so reach towards the evenhandedness and neutrality that are the distinguishing marks of any principled system of justice.). 46 Here, the record indicates that the district court believed incorrectly that it lacked the authority to depart downward based on sentencing disparity. Because the district court actually had this authority but mistakenly failed to exercise it to determine whether the facts here warranted departure, this court remands for findings as to whether a downward departure is appropriate. 47