Opinion ID: 592949
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: coercion and duress departure

Text: 12 A district court's discretionary refusal to depart from the Guidelines is not reviewable on appeal. United States v. Morales, 898 F.2d 99, 103 (9th Cir.1990). If the court indicates, however, that it did not have the discretion under the Guidelines to depart, we review the decision de novo. United States v. Reyes-Alvarado, 963 F.2d 1184, 1189 (9th Cir.1992). In this case, the district court stated that it interpreted section 5K2.12 to require external compulsion, rather than internal motivations, in order to downward depart. Apparently, under the circumstances of this case, the district court indicated that section 5K2.12 was inapplicable, thus, we review de novo. 13 Section 5K2.12 authorizes a downward departure [i]f the defendant committed the offense because of serious coercion, blackmail or duress.... Ordinarily coercion will be sufficiently serious to warrant departure only when it involves a threat of physical injury, substantial damage to property or similar injury resulting from the unlawful action of a third party or from a natural emergency. U.S.S.G. § 5K2.12 (emphasis added). The plain language of this section requires that the threat come from a third person or a natural emergency. Neither was the source of Daughetee's alleged coercion and duress. Additionally, section 5K2.13 forecloses the defendant from asserting diminished capacity in order to mitigate the penalty for his actions in this case. See U.S.S.G. § 5K2.13; see also United States v. Borrayo, 898 F.2d 91, 94 (9th Cir.1989). Daughetee cited no legal authority, nor could we find any, to support his contention that section 5K2.12 would extend to coercion or duress imposed upon the defendant from forces within himself. The district court correctly determined that section 5K2.12 was inappropriate in these circumstances to authorize a downward departure. 14 Daughetee's sentence is vacated and this case is remanded to the district court for resentencing. 15 VACATED AND REMANDED for resentencing.