Court Opinion

ID: 9412815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-01 18:01:32.077184+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:41:39.171620
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-60636         Document: 00516840933             Page: 1      Date Filed: 08/01/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________                              United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit

                                                                                       FILED
                                       No. 22-60636
                                                                                  August 1, 2023
                                     Summary Calendar
                                     ____________                                 Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                       Clerk
   United States of America,

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Anthony Watson,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                        for the Southern District of Mississippi
                                USDC No. 3:16-CR-41-2
                      ______________________________

   Before Higginbotham, Stewart, and Southwick, Circuit
   Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Anthony Watson, federal prisoner # 18319-043, appeals the denial of
   his 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) motion for compassionate release.
   Renewing claims raised in the district court, Watson argues that a sentence
   reduction is in order because he suffers from several medical conditions that
   make him susceptible to contracting severe COVID-19 and his lack of a
          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-60636     Document: 00516840933           Page: 2   Date Filed: 08/01/2023

                                    No. 22-60636

   pattern of violent behavior suggests that he is not a continued risk of danger
   to the community.
          To the extent Watson’s arguments challenge the district court’s
   assessment of the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, his arguments amount to no
   more than a disagreement with the district court’s balancing of these factors,
   which is insufficient to show an abuse of discretion. See United States v.
   Chambliss, 948 F.3d 691, 694 (5th Cir. 2020). Because the district court did
   not abuse its discretion by denying relief based on its balancing of the
   Section 3553(a) factors, we need not consider Watson’s arguments regarding
   extraordinary and compelling circumstances. See United States v. Jackson, 27
   F.4th 1088, 1092–93 & n.8 (5th Cir. 2022); Ward v. United States, 11 F.4th
   354, 360–62 (5th Cir. 2021).
          AFFIRMED.

                                         2