United States v. Cantrell

888 F. Supp. 1055, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12333, 1995 WL 361687
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedJune 7, 1995
DocketCR-N-95-2-DWH
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 888 F. Supp. 1055 (United States v. Cantrell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Cantrell, 888 F. Supp. 1055, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12333, 1995 WL 361687 (D. Nev. 1995).

Opinion

ORDER

HAGEN, District Judge:

Defendant Joseph Ray Cantrell, a nineteen-year-old Native American, was convicted by a jury of assault with a dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(e), 1151, and 1153(a) (# 38). He and his cousin had spent the better part of an afternoon drinking 7% alcohol malt liquor from 24-ounce cans. A drunken quarrel over a trivial matter ensued between them. It evolved into a fight. Cantrell used a large twin- *1056 bladed knife; his cousin used his fists. Cantrell inflicted multiple stab wounds 1 on his younger, larger cousin. He received a black eye in return and left for home, where the tribal police later found and arrested him.

Upon conclusion of the trial, the court ordered Cantrell’s pretrial release continued pending sentencing (#40), which is scheduled on August 30, 1995. The government moves the court to reconsider the order granting presentence release (# 41), and Cantrell opposes (#43). 2

Release or detention of a defendant pending sentencing is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 3143(a). Subsection (1) of § 3143(a) generally mandates detention of a defendant who is subject to imprisonment upon sentencing, “unless the judicial officer finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person is not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community if released.” In this case, the court found by clear and convincing evidence Cantrell would not be flight risk or danger to others. Specifically, he has no record of violent crime, and the participants, he and his cousin, both had elevated blood alcohol levels at the time of the fight. Thus, it is likely this violent crime was an isolated incident. Cantrell has lived with his grandmother nearly all his life and has been on release to her custody without incident. Pretrial Services has recommended that he be continued on his present release pending sentencing. Therefore, the court ordered Cantrell’s release continued.

However, as the government points out, subsection (2) of § 3143(a) requires additional findings by the court in order to release a defendant who has been found guilty of, inter alia, a violent crime. Cantrell was found guilty of a violent crime — assault with a dangerous weapon; hence, the additional requirements of § 3143(a)(2) must be met. Specifically, the court must find either “there is a substantial likelihood that a motion for acquittal or new trial will be granted” or “an attorney for the Government has recommended that no sentence of imprisonment be imposed on the person.” 18 U.S.C. § 3143(a)(2)(A)(i).

Because the court did not apply subsection (2) in ordering Cantrell released prior to sentencing, the court must now reconsider its order. With regard to Cantrell, the court can make neither of the findings necessary to overcome the presumption of detention. Cantrell has not made a motion for acquittal or new trial, nor does he submit any possible grounds for such a motion in his opposing papers. Likewise, the government has not recommended that no sentence of imprisonment be imposed on Cantrell. Thus, under § 3143(a), Cantrell is required to be detained pending sentencing.

Although Cantrell apparently concedes the above, he argues he should remain on release pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3145(c), which provides that, on appeal from a release or detention order,

A person subject to detention pursuant to section 3143(a)(2) ..., and who meets the conditions of release set forth in section 3143(a)(1) ..., may be ordered released, under appropriate conditions, by the judicial officer, if it is clearly shown that there are exceptional reasons why such person’s detention would not be appropriate.

On its face, the above provision would appear to allow only appellate courts to make the determination whether “exceptional reasons” make detention inappropriate. However, as Cantrell points out, many courts have decided, either expressly or implicitly, that the district court may make such a determination in the first instance. E.g., United States v. Jones, 979 F.2d 804, 806 (10th Cir.1992); United States v. Herrerar-Soto, 961 F.2d 645, 647 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. DiSomama, 951 F.2d 494, 496 (2d Cir.1991); United States v. Carr, 947 F.2d 1239, 1240 (5th Cir.1991); see also United States v. Mostrom, 11 F.3d 93, 95 (8th Cir.1993). The primary reason for this interpretation is that the “exceptional reasons” provision of § 3145(c) was added to the Bail Reform Act *1057 as “an avenue of relief from the mandatory-detention provisions” and that Congress gave no intention that this avenue of relief should be limited to reviewing courts. See, e.g., Herrera-Soto, 961 F.2d at 647. Nor does it seem logical that Congress intended to limit factfinding associated with presentence release to the appellate court. Id.

In contrast, one district court rejected the decisions of the circuits that have decided a district court may determine whether “exceptional reasons” exist. United States v. Salome, 870 F.Supp. 648 (W.D.Pa.1994). In Salome, the court found “that the jurisdiction established by § 3145(c) is appellate jurisdiction, not original jurisdiction to act independently.” Id. at 652. The court based its conclusion on the plain language of § 3145(c), the overall structure of § 3145, and the absence of any “exceptional reasons” provision in § 3143. Id. Further, citing Fed.R.App.P. 9(b), the court rejected the suggestion that district courts must make the factual findings required to determine whether “exceptional reasons” exist because appellate courts are not positioned to make such findings. Id. at 652-53.

The Ninth Circuit has apparently not decided this issue. However, in dicta in a published order rejecting suggestions to rehear a matter en banc,

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Bluebook (online)
888 F. Supp. 1055, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12333, 1995 WL 361687, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-cantrell-nvd-1995.