Opinion ID: 608921
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Carlos' Pretrial Motions

Text: 17 Carlos argues the trial court erred in denying his pretrial motions as untimely filed. Carlos had timely filed several pretrial motions, including a motion to suppress a statement and to suppress physical evidence seized at his house. After arraignment and prior to the hearing on his pretrial motions, Carlos indicated he wished to cooperate with the government, and the government agreed to talk with him. 4 The government told Carlos that any concession in his prosecution was contingent on Carlos being truthful. As part of the deal, the government also required Carlos to withdraw his pretrial motions with prejudice. A recorded hearing was held at which Carlos withdrew his motions with prejudice, and a transcript was made of the hearing. 18 Despite the warning that he would not receive any concessions unless he were truthful, Carlos lied several times at debriefing. The government informed Carlos in writing that he would receive no concessions in his prosecution. Carlos then resubmitted his pretrial motions and also submitted additional motions. The district court denied leave to file all the motions as untimely. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 12(f). Carlos filed an interlocutory appeal to this court, and this court issued a temporary stay of the trial. After examining the record and pleadings, this court lifted the temporary stay. United States v. Villanueva-Hernandez, No. 92-2165 (8th Cir. May 27, 1992). 19 It is well settled that a defendant may waive constitutional rights as part of a plea bargaining agreement. Newton v. Rumery, 480 U.S. 386, 393, 107 S.Ct. 1187, 1192, 94 L.Ed.2d 405 (1987). Courts have upheld the waiver of the statutory right to appeal as part of a plea agreement. See, e.g., United States v. Melancon, 972 F.2d 566, 567 (5th Cir.1992). It is only necessary that the waivers be informed and voluntary. Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742, 748, 90 S.Ct. 1463, 1469, 25 L.Ed.2d 747 (1970); Melancon, 972 F.2d at 567. 20 In this case, it was after he had waived his pretrial motions that Carlos lied, destroying the possibility of implementing an agreement. However, the failure to implement an agreement was the direct result of Carlos' lying; the failure was not due to any action or fault of the government. The government kept its part of the bargain: it debriefed Carlos and would have made concessions in his prosecution if Carlos had simply been truthful at debriefing. 21 This court has found valid an agreement in which the government agreed, in part, not to contest an offense level reduction for acceptance of responsibility on the condition that the defendant not obstruct justice before sentencing. United States v. Rutan, 956 F.2d 827 (8th Cir.1992). The defendant was charged with attempt to escape before sentencing, and the government did contest the reduction. This court stated the government had reserved the right to object to the reduction, and thus had not breached its agreement. Id. at 830. Here, the government expressly reserved the right to refuse concessions in Carlos' prosecution. We fail to see why Carlos' withdrawal of his motions should be rescinded when Carlos affirmatively acted in a manner that he knew would destroy the possibility of concessions. 22 Carlos argues, however, that any waiver of his right to file pretrial motions was not informed. He claims his original motions were filed in a timely manner, and he understood the motions to be temporarily on hold pending completion of the agreement. 5 This claim is disingenuous. The record of the hearing reveals the court and the government both explicitly stated that Carlos was withdrawing his motions with prejudice, and Carlos agreed. Additionally, Ismael had withdrawn his motions without prejudice at the same hearing. The court and the government clearly contrasted Carlos' withdrawal with prejudice with Ismael's withdrawal without prejudice, stating that only Ismael had the right to raise the motions again if he did go to trial. The following dialogue took place at the hearing: 23 THE COURT: [Counsel for Carlos] you wish to waive your motions and formally withdraw your motions, and waive hearing on them at this time? 24 [COUNSEL FOR CARLOS]: Yes we do your Honor. 25 THE COURT: Alright. 26 [COUNSEL FOR ISMAEL]: Well your Honor, as to my client, we're not withdrawing our motions but we're waiving the hearing at this time, subject to the deal not going through, raise them at a later date.... [I]n the event that [the government decides] not to cut my client loose, that I can raise the Motion to Suppress at a later time. 27 THE COURT: ... I'll grant [counsel for Ismael] leave to reraise [the pretrial motions] in front of the District Judge should the time come.... I'm going to say that you are withdrawing them without prejudice, to re-raise them, and I am granting you leave right now, to re-raise them at the time of trial should that be required.... 28 . . . . . 29 [THE GOVERNMENT]: And I understand that what the Court's saying here, but I think it's got to be clear that Carlos Villanueva's motions are being withdrawn with prejudice. 30 THE COURT: Yes. That's my understanding. Is that correct [Counsel for Carlos]? 31 [COUNSEL FOR CARLOS]: Yes your Honor. 32 Hearing Tr. 4-6 (Apr. 17, 1992). 33 The record is unambiguous. Carlos voluntarily and knowingly agreed to withdraw his pretrial motions with prejudice, and the court made it clear that Carlos would not be able to raise the motions again if he did proceed to trial. Cf. Rutan, 956 F.2d at 130 (finding waiver of right to appeal knowing and voluntary; court explained defendant would not be able to appeal sentence). We affirm the district court's denial of leave to file Carlos' pretrial motions as untimely. In addition, because Carlos' motion to suppress was untimely filed, the trial court correctly relied on the amount of marijuana seized from his house to establish Carlos' base offense level and correctly enhanced his offense level for possession of the firearms during the offense.