Court Opinion

ID: 9498978
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:34:24.879018+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:59:12.473716
License: Public Domain

LAY, Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. In this case, the district court applied the post-Booker sentencing approach our court prescribed in United States v. Haack, 403 F.3d 997 (8th Cir.2005), and reached the reasonable conclusion that Medearis should be sentenced to five years’ probation.
Section 3553(a) requires a district court to “impose a sentence no greater than necessary to account for the nature and seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s history and characteristics, as well as to provide just punishment, to protect the public, and to avoid unwanted sentencing disparities.” United States v. Tabor, 439 F.3d 826, 831 (8th Cir.2006). “Sentences varying from the guidelines range ... are reasonable so long as the judge offers appropriate justification under the factors specified in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).” United States v. Lazenby, 439 F.3d 928, 932 (8th Cir.2006) (citation and quotations omitted).
At the sentencing hearing, Medearis presented evidence that he tested negatively for drug use since his arraignment, maintained a job, joined a church, and grew closer to his family. He also provided the court with a number of letters from friends and family members corroborating the turnaround of his life. The district court noted that Medearis’ crimes were “serious” and observed that if this was the only factor to consider, Medearis should be sentenced in the guidelines range. However, in considering the other § 3553(a) factors, the district court concluded incarceration was not required to deter Me-dearis from committing subsequent crimes or to protect the public. In the written “Statement of Reasons,” the district court observed the decision to depart from the guidelines was based on the “lack of a need to deter defendant from re-offending, his personal characteristics, his strong *922community and family support, and the lack of a need to protect the public.”
The district court followed precisely the procedure required by our court. After calculating Medearis’ advisory guideline range to be 46 to 57 months’ imprisonment, the court then considered “all other factors set forth in § 3553(a) to determine whether to impose the sentence under the guidelines or a non-guidelines sentence.” Haack, 403 F.3d at 1003. A district court bears the obligation to depart from the guidelines range when a review of the § 3553(a) factors compels a different sentence. Our court’s obligation is to give the district court’s determination the same amount of deference whether the resulting sentence is greater than, or less than, the guidelines range.
Sentencing courts have the unique ability to appraise the evidence and personally assess a defendant. A reversal of the district court’s reasonable sentence in this case encroaches upon the district court’s discretion to do so.
I would affirm Medearis’ sentence.