Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Forfeiture Is Limited to That Authorized by the Statute Listed in the Charged Count

United States v. Annabi, Nos. 12-4988-cr(L), 12-4990-cr(Con) (2d Cir. Mar. 25, 2014), available here This published decision holds that where the government fails to invoke an applicable forfeiture provision in the indictment, and fails to correct that error prior to entry of a final judgment, forfeiture must be limited to that authorized by the statute … Read more

Alford Plea Allowed Court To Conclude That Defendant Violated Supervised Release By Committing a New Crime

United States v. Glenn, No. 13-0231-cr (2d Cir. Mar. 12, 2014) (Jacobs, Livingston, and Lynch), available here Glenn appealed from an order of the District of Connecticut revoking his supervised release. The district court concluded that Glenn committed “another federal, state or local offense” in violation of the conditions of his supervised release, based solely … Read more

Term of Imprisonment May Not Run Concurrently With a Discharged Term of Imprisonment

United States v. Lucas, Nos. 12-4840-cr(L), 13-0743(Con), 13-1075(Con) (2d Cir. Mar. 17, 2014) (Parker, Lynch, and Droney) (per curiam), available here This published (and, therefore, precedential) decision reiterates what the Circuit had previously held only in non-precedential summary orders: that USSG 5G1.3(b) and 18 U.S.C. 3584 empower district courts to run sentences concurrently only to “undischarged” terms … Read more

Waiver in Plea Agreement Barred Collateral Attack on Sentence

Tellado v. United States, No. 11-3227-pr (2d Cir. Mar. 12, 2014) (Hall, Livingston, and Berman), available here This published decision affirms the denial of petitioner’s Section 2255 motion to vacate his sentence. The Court held that petitioner knowingly waived his right to collaterally attack his sentence and that the district court properly denied petitioner’s motion to … Read more

District Court Should Reconsider Consecutive Sentences for Aggravated Identity Theft

United States v. Chibuko, No. 12-0039-cr (2d Cir. Mar. 7, 2014) (Katzmann, Kearse, and Wesley) (per curiam), available here This published decision offers guidance on the procedures to be followed before a district court may impose consecutive sentences for multiple counts of aggravated identity theft, 18 U.S.C. 1028A. Chibuko was convicted at trial of various fraud … Read more

Divided Panel Reverses Judgment of Acquittal; Dissent Calls Ruling “Erroneous and Dangerous”

United States v. Anderson (Hakimi), No. 11-5364-cr (2d Cir. Mar. 4, 2014) (Hall, Carney, and Scheindlin), available here A jury convicted Roohid Hakimi of conspiracy and attempt to possess and distribute controlled substances. After the verdict, the district court (Judge Hurd) entered a judgment of acquittal, holding that the evidence was insufficient to establish guilt. This … Read more

Circuit Grants Rehearing and Vacates Three Convictions Tainted by Involuntary Confession and Ineffective Redactions Under Bruton

United States v. Taylor, Nos. 11-2201(L), 11-2426(CON), 11-2639(CON) (2d Cir. Mar. 4, 2014) (Kearse, Jacobs, and Carney), available here In this published decision, the Circuit granted the government’s petition for panel rehearing and withdrew its original opinion vacating the convictions of all three defendants. Unfortunately for the government, the Court, on rehearing, not only again vacated the defendants’ … Read more