Opinion ID: 171033
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cudjoe's Alleged Breach of the Plea Agreement

Text: As an initial matter, we must determine Cudjoe's reasonable understanding of the plea agreement. The e-mail, incorporated into the plea agreement, states the government will not object to a thirty-year sentence providing everything stays factually accurate with [Cudjoe]. After reviewing the record as a whole, we conclude that the parties understood staying factually accurate to mean Cudjoe would not make any factually inaccurate statements in his objections to the PSR or at sentencing. If Cudjoe lived up to his end of the bargain, the government, in turn, would stand mute on Cudjoe's request for a sentence of thirty years. Nothing in the plea agreement prohibited Cudjoe from making legal arguments in opposition to the sentencing enhancements sought by the government. We base this conclusion on the plea agreement and the parties' statements during the plea colloquy and at sentencing. The plea agreement expressly gives Cudjoe the right to advocate for, and present evidence relevant to, [] guideline adjustments and sentencing factors. Thus, the agreement contemplated that Cudjoe could file objections to the PSR. The government would be released from its obligation to stand mute only if Cudjoe made factually inaccurate statements or was untruthful. During the plea colloquy, Wells explained this understanding: if Cudjoe denies what the truth is the government would be free to argue for a sentence in excess of thirty years. Again, during sentencing Wells described his understanding that the agreement was based on Cudjoe not lying about the facts. When taken together, it is clear that the parties contemplated Cudjoe could object to the PSR, but was prohibited from making factually inaccurate statements or arguments. The government asserts it was permitted to advocate for a sentence in excess of thirty years because Cudjoe, by objecting to the PSR, made factually inaccurate statements. Notably, however, the government does not identify in its brief any particular statement on the part of Cudjoe that it asserts to be false. The government's argument is foreclosed by United States v. Guzman, 318 F.3d 1191, 1196 (10th Cir.2003). In that case, the government affirmatively recommended a sentence at the upper end of the guideline range and sought an obstruction of justice enhancement contrary to its promises in the plea agreement to recommend a sentence at the low end of the guideline range and not to seek an obstruction of justice enhancement. Id. It took these positions claiming the defendant had previously breached the Plea Agreement, thus vitiating the [a]greement. Id. We held: Under the law of this Circuit, if the pleadings reveal a factual dispute on the issue of breach of a plea agreement, the district court must hold a hearing to resolve the factual issues. In other words, the government may not unilaterally declare a breach of a plea agreement; a court must hold a hearing and make a finding that the defendant breached the agreement before the government is released from its obligations under the agreement. Id. (quotation, citation, and alterations omitted). Where there is no factual dispute, no hearing is necessary and the court may determine the issue of breach as a matter of law. United States v. Calabrese, 645 F.2d 1379, 1390 (10th Cir.1981). What may not occur, however, is for the question of a defendant's breach ... to be finally determined unilaterally by the government. Id. In this case, the government's argument is entirely premised on Cudjoe's alleged breach of the plea agreement. The government never raised this alleged breach before the district court. Not surprisingly, the district court never determined Cudjoe breached the plea agreement. Thus, even if Cudjoe breached the plea agreement, until the district court so ruled, the government was not released from its promise. Therefore, we must determine if the government breached the plea agreement by (1) advocating for the sentencing enhancements; or (2) asking the court to sentence Cudjoe in a manner that will protect society from him in any and all future events.