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UNITED STATES v. ROSE (2021)

United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.2021-02-25No. No. 20-1669

Summary

Holding. The district court's order denying Rose's motion for compassionate release was affirmed because, apart from the Brooker issue already addressed, the court committed no reversible error in exercising its discretion to deny the motion on the merits.

Gregory Rose appealed the district court's denial of his motion for compassionate release and sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i). The district court had rejected his motion on two grounds: first, that only the Bureau of Prisons could determine whether extraordinary and compelling reasons existed under the Sentencing Guidelines policy statement, and second, that even if the court could consider the motion on its merits, Rose had not demonstrated entitlement to release.

The appellate court found that its prior decision in United States v. Brooker had already rejected the first ground, holding that the First Step Act of 2018 gave district courts broad discretion to consider compassionate release motions brought by prisoners without being bound by the outdated Sentencing Guidelines policy statement. The government conceded this error. Regarding the district court's alternative holding on the merits, the appellate court examined whether the lower court had misunderstood its own authority and found no clear reversible error or ambiguity requiring remand. The court noted that the district court's written decision acknowledged Rose's sentence might be too long and expressly left the motion open without prejudice to future filings.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether Sentencing Guidelines policy statement § 1B1.13 limits district court discretion in compassionate release cases
  • Whether the First Step Act of 2018 freed district courts to consider full range of extraordinary and compelling reasons for sentence reduction
  • Whether district court understood its authority to reduce sentences below guideline ranges on compassionate release motions

Procedural posture

Rose appealed the district court's September 2019 denial of his motion for sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i).

Authorities cited

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Opinion

SUMMARY ORDER

Defendant-Appellant Gregory Michael Rose appeals from the district courts order denying his September 2019 motion under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) “for an order reducing his 90-year sentence to time served.” Special Appx 1. The district courts decision rested on two alternative grounds: First, it concluded—based on the policy statement of the United States Sentencing Commission in U.S.S.G. § 1B1.13—that only the Bureau of Prisons had the authority to decide whether Roses proffered reasons for compassionate release qualified as “extraordinary and compelling” under § 3582. Id. at 12–13, 17. Second, it ruled that, if notwithstanding § 1B1.13 it could consider the merits of Roses motion, it would nonetheless determine that he was not entitled to immediate release.

The district courts first ground for decision has now been rejected by our Court. United States v. Brooker, 976 F.3d 228 (2d Cir. 2020). In Brooker, we concluded that the First Step Act of 2018 made U.S.S.G. § 1B1.13 no longer “fully applicable” to district courts’ consideration of applications for release of prisoners under § 3582(c)(1). Id. at 235. We held, rather, that with respect to applications brought by prisoners rather than by the Bureau of Prisons, “the First Step Act freed district courts to consider the full slate of extraordinary and compelling reasons that an imprisoned person might bring before them in motions for compassionate release.” Id. at 237. Further, “[n]either Application Note 1(D), nor anything else in the now-outdated version of Guideline § 1B1.13, limits the district courts discretion.” Id.

In light of Brooker, the government now concedes that the district courts conclusion about § 1B1.13 was erroneous. Brooker also renders moot much of the argument in Roses opening brief, which took on the § 1B1.13 issue. Rose also, however, challenges the district courts alternative holding and urges that we remand for the courts further consideration of his motion.

As to this holding, Rose argues that the district court mistakenly perceived its authority as too limited even apart from Brooker. To begin, he asserts that the district court erroneously thought that, even if it were not bound by the policy statement in the Sentencing Guidelines, it lacked the authority to reduce his sentence below what the applicable guideline range would be if Rose were sentenced now, after the reduction of relevant mandatory minimum sentences. Further, he contends that the district court misunderstood its § 3582 prerogative and thought it could not grant a motion to reduce the length of Roses sentence without ordering Roses immediate release. For its part, the government counters that the text of the district courts decision reflects that the court understood its authority and determined only, in the exercise of its discretion, that Roses motion did not present an extraordinary or compelling reason for immediate release.

When a decision is ambiguous as to whether a sentencing judge understood a relevant aspect of sentencing law, we may remand for clarification or for resentencing. E.g., United States v. Brown, 935 F.3d 43, 47 (2d Cir. 2019). After due consideration in Roses case, however, we are not convinced that in May 2020 the experienced district judge misperceived his broad authority to order a suitable sentence reduction on a motion under § 3582(c)(1). See Brooker, 976 F.3d at 237; see also 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) (on a showing of “extraordinary and compelling reasons,” district courts “may reduce the term of imprisonment ․ and may impose a term of probation or supervised release”). We affirm the courts order because—except with regard to the element that has since been addressed by Brooker—we perceive in its decision no reversible error or ambiguity requiring remand.

In its written decision, the district court expressed concern, still, that Roses approximately 90-year sentence is “too long.” Special Appx 27. It provided—appropriately—that its denial of the motion was “without prejudice” to a future motion by Rose for sentence reduction. Id. We expect that such a motion may be forthcoming. On such a motion, the district court must consider the § 3553(a) factors; it may look to, but is not bound by, the mandatory minimums that the defendant would face if being sentenced for the first time under revised guidelines or statutes; it will again consider Roses record while in prison. Its decision, however, will still be committed to its reasoned discretion exercised under the standards imposed by § 3582(c)(1).

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The order of the district court is AFFIRMED.