Opinion ID: 767081
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Factual Findings re Obstruction of Justice

Text: 48 The district court imposed a two-level increase in Daas's base offense level based on its finding that Daas perjured himself during his testimony at trial. Four days after the sentencing hearing and the imposition of judgment, the district court issued written findings to support the obstruction of justice enhancement. 49 According to Daas, the district court erred in multiple respects when it imposed the obstruction of justice enhancement under U.S.S.G. S 3C1.1. First, the district court allegedly refused to allow counsel to argue in opposition to imposition of the enhancement. Second, the district court erred by failing to make specific findings until five days later when, outside the presence of the defendant and counsel, it issued written findings to support imposing the enhancement. 15 50 These contentions fail.
51 A district court's interpretation of the Sentencing Guidelines is reviewed de novo. See United States v. Merino, 190 F.3d 956, 958 (9th Cir. 1999). Factual findings in support of a sentencing enhancement are reviewed for clear error. See United States v. Garcia-Guizar, 160 F.3d 511, 524 (9th Cir. 1998). Application of the guidelines to the facts of a particular case is reviewed for abuse of discretion. See id.
52 An adjustment must be imposed under U.S.S.G. S 3C1.1 if the district judge determines that the defendant, with willful intent, gave false testimony concerning a material matter. See United States v. Monzon-Valenzuela, 186 F.3d 1181, 1183 (9th Cir. 1999). If the defendant objects, the district court must review the evidence and make findings to support the enhancement. See id. 53 The district court did not err in imposing the obstruction of justice enhancement. Daas submitted written argument concerning the propriety of imposing the enhancement. 16 Moreover, at the sentencing hearing he argued that the enhancement was unwarranted. The fact that the district court judge eventually cut off his argument on this point does not violate due process. The district court made the required findings in written form, and Daas has failed to explain to this court why those findings were in error. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(c)(3)(D) (requiring generally that court make findings on all controverted matters, with no specific requirement that those findings be made at the sentencing hearing). Moreover, the defendant's right to allocution permits himto speak so that he may influence whether the district court chooses the lower, middle or higher end of the guideline range, not so that he can argue the legal merits of a particular guideline. See United States v. Medrano, 5 F.3d 1214, 1219 (9th Cir. 1993). 54 Consequently, the district court properly imposed an enhancement for obstruction of justice.