United States v. Christopher Taylor
United States v. Christopher Taylor
Opinion
UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 20-7217
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
CHRISTOPHER JERMAINE TAYLOR, a/k/a Phoenix, a/k/a C-Murda,
Defendant - Appellant.
No. 20-7673
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
CHRISTOPHER JERMAINE TAYLOR, a/k/a Phoenix, a/k/a C-Murda,
Defendant - Appellant.
No. 20-7750
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee, v.
CHRISTOPHER JERMAINE TAYLOR, a/k/a Phoenix, a/k/a C-Murda,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, at Huntington. Robert C. Chambers, District Judge. (3:15-cr-00009-1)
Submitted: April 16, 2021 Decided: May 10, 2021
Before AGEE and QUATTLEBAUM, Circuit Judges, and TRAXLER, Senior Circuit Judge.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Christopher Jermaine Taylor, Appellant Pro Se.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
2 PER CURIAM:
Christopher Jermaine Taylor appeals the district court’s orders denying his motions
for compassionate release under
18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), as amended by the First Step
Act of 2018,
Pub. L. No. 115-391, § 603(b)(1),
132 Stat. 5194, 5239, and denying his
motion for reconsideration. After reviewing the record, we conclude that the district court
did not abuse its discretion in denying Taylor’s compassionate release motions. See United
States v. Kibble, __F.3d__, __, No. 20-7009,
2021 WL 1216543, at *2 (4th Cir. Apr. 1,
2021) (stating standard of review). Further, we discern no reversible error in the district
court’s denial of Taylor’s reconsideration motion.
On appeal, Taylor also contends that the district judge should have recused himself.
Because Taylor did not move the district court for recusal, we review his claim only for
plain error. See United States v. Minard,
856 F.3d 555, 557(8th Cir. 2017) (stating
standard of review). Taylor fails to establish that recusal was required. See Belue v.
Leventhal,
640 F.3d 567, 572-74(4th Cir. 2011) (discussing valid bases for bias or
partiality motion); United States v. Lentz,
524 F.3d 501, 530(4th Cir. 2008) (“The presiding
judge is not required to recuse himself simply because of unsupported, irrational or highly
tenuous speculation.” (internal quotation marks and ellipsis omitted)).
Accordingly, we grant Taylor’s motion to extend the filing time for a supplemental
informal brief and affirm for the reasons stated by the district court. United States v.
Taylor, No. 3:15-cr-00009-1 (S.D.W. Va. Aug. 10, 2020, Nov. 3, 2020, & Nov. 18, 2020).
We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately
3 presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional
process.
AFFIRMED
4
Reference
- Status
- Unpublished