United States v. Chandler
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
In No. 06-30178, Defendant Mitchell Chandler appeals the district court’s denial of a motion to withdraw his guilty plea to a charge of second-degree murder, and he appeals his sentence. In No. 06-30415, Defendant brings an interlocutory appeal of the district court’s denial of a motion to dismiss the indictment for attempted escape. We affirm.
2. The district court did not err in imposing an obstruction-of-justice enhancement pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1. Defendant admits that he slipped out of his belly chain, kicked out the window of the transport van, and was half-way out of the van when ordered at gunpoint to stop. The district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that Defendant’s actions constituted an attempted escape. See United States v. Kimbrew, 406 F.3d 1149, 1151 (9th Cir. 2005) (reviewing for abuse of discretion).
Nor did the district court err in denying an adjustment for acceptance of responsibility pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1. because nothing in the record compels the conclusion that Defendant’s case is “extraordinary.” See U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 cmt. n. 4.; United States v. Hopper, 27 F.3d 378, 381-82 (9th Cir. 1994) (reviewing for clear error). A defendant who attempts to escape is clearly not accepting responsibility for his crime. Chandler’s attempted escape is inconsistent with his earlier guilty plea.
Defendant’s final argument, that he is entitled to the one-point acceptance of responsibility adjustment whether or not he receives the two-point adjustment, contravenes the plain text of U.S.S.G. § 3El.l(b).
3. The government did not breach the obligation in the plea agreement to recommend that Chandler be given an acceptance of responsibility adjustment by commenting upon an obstruction of justice enhancement and its effect on the adjust-
4. The separate prosecution of Defendant for attempted escape under 18 U.S.C. § 751(a) violates neither the Double Jeopardy Clause nor “fundamental fairness.”
AFFIRMED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
. See U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 Background Notes (stating that a defendant who has accepted responsibility is one who "has accepted responsibility in a way that ensures the certainty of his just punishment in a timely manner, thereby appropriately meriting an additional reduction”); see also U.S.S.G. § lB1.3(a)(l)(B) (stating that, in determining the application of the Guidelines, a district judge may consider relevant conduct by the defendant "in the course of attempting to avoid detection or responsibility for that offense”).
. At oral argument, Defendant's counsel withdrew his earlier collateral estoppel argument.
Concurring in Part
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I agree with the majority on all points save one. I would hold that the government breached its obligation in the plea agreement to recommend an adjustment for acceptance of responsibility and, therefore, would remand for resentencing in case No. 06-30178.
In my view, this case is controlled by United States v. Mondragon, 228 F.3d 978 (9th Cir. 2000), and United States v. Camarillo-Tello, 236 F.3d 1024 (9th Cir.
Defendant’s attempted escape altered the legal standard that Defendant had to meet to merit an acceptance-of-responsibility adjustment, but it created no absolute legal bar to receiving the adjustment. See U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 cmt. n. 4 (“Conduct resulting in an [obstruction of justice] enhancement ... ordinarily indicates that the defendant has not accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct. There may, however, be extraordinary cases in which adjustments under both §§ 3C1.1 and 3E1.1 may apply.” (emphasis added)). Furthermore, Defendant’s attempted escape in no way altered the government’s unconditional obligation to make the recommendation. “A plea agreement is a contract.” Mondragon, 228 F.3d at 980. The government was free to negotiate for a conditional promise, see United States v. Trapp, 257 F.3d 1053, 1056 (9th Cir. 2001) (finding no breach due to the conditional nature of the government’s promise in a plea agreement), or to withdraw from the plea agreement in the face of changed circumstances, cf. United States v. Hawley, 93 F.3d 682, 693 (10th Cir. 1996) (“If at a later date the government discovers facts [undercutting the basis for the plea agreement], it has the ethical obligation to withdraw from the plea agreement and advise the defendant so that he or she may prepare for trial or renegotiate. It is certainly not proper for the government to wait until the sentencing hearing [and] then breach the terms of the plea agreement. ...”). The government did neither in this case. At all events, the government did not expressly rely on the change in circumstances to back away from its promise.
For these reasons, I respectfully dissent from the majority’s conclusion that the government did not breach the plea agreement.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Mitchell James CHANDLER, Defendant-Appellant United States of America v. Mitchell James Chandler
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published