United States v. Kenneth J. Baldwin

956 F.2d 643, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 1515, 1992 WL 19470
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedFebruary 7, 1992
Docket89-2173
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 956 F.2d 643 (United States v. Kenneth J. Baldwin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Kenneth J. Baldwin, 956 F.2d 643, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 1515, 1992 WL 19470 (7th Cir. 1992).

Opinion

KANNE, Circuit Judge.

On January 10, 1989, a federal grand jury returned a two count indictment against appellant Kenneth J. Baldwin charging him with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (count one) and assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111 (count two). On March 6, 1989, pursuant to a written plea agreement, Baldwin pleaded guilty to the possession with intent to distribute count and the government agreed to dismiss count two. On May 26, 1989, the district court sentenced Baldwin to 92 months imprisonment. This appeal followed.

On November 29, 1988, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a confidential informant placed a telephone call to Baldwin. In that call the confidential informant offered, together with “his friend,” to purchase four ounces of cocaine. Baldwin agreed to sell cocaine to the informant. The informant then agreed to give Baldwin a ride to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to make the exchange. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the confidential informant and “his friend,” Drug Enforcement Agent Ray Melick, picked up Baldwin. On the way to the restaurant, Baldwin told them that his “source” had a large supply of cocaine available and that Agent Melick could purchase it at a future time.

Upon arriving at McDonald’s, Baldwin placed a telephone call, arranging to have the cocaine delivered to him. Shortly thereafter, a blue van drove into the parking lot and Baldwin met with the driver. When Baldwin returned, he offered to exchange four ounces of cocaine with Agent Melick for $3,100. After the agent showed Baldwin the money, Baldwin, the van driver, and Agent Melick completed the exchange. Baldwin promptly reentered the van, which then left the restaurant parking lot.

Between November 29,1988 and January 5, 1989, Agent Melick met with Baldwin on several occasions to negotiate the purchase of a kilogram of cocaine. On January 4, 1989, Baldwin agreed to sell Agent Melick a kilogram of cocaine on the following day in exchange for $20,000. Baldwin told the agent that the exchange would take place in the area of 38th and Roosevelt Drive in Milwaukee. On January 5, 1989, Agent Melick drove Baldwin to that location. When they arrived, Baldwin left the car, and indicated that he was going to meet with the supplier. Baldwin returned a short time later and, in an attempt to steal the agent’s money, attacked him with a meat cleaver. During the ensuing struggle, Agent Melick disarmed Baldwin and fired a shot at him. The bullet merely pierced Baldwin’s jacket and he escaped. Agent Melick was uninjured.

The next day, Baldwin was arrested at his residence. After receiving the Miranda warnings, Baldwin told Agent Mel-ick that he “did not mean it personally” and that he merely “wanted to put the knife to [Melick’s] neck to take his money.”

*645 The district judge sentenced Baldwin based upon information contained in the pre-sentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office. The presentence report recommended that Baldwin’s base offense level be set at 26. To arrive at that result, the probation officer added the four ounces of cocaine which Baldwin actually delivered to Special Agent Melick on November 29, 1988 to the kilogram which he offered to deliver on January 5, 1989. Baldwin also received a two-level enhancement based on his use of a dangerous weapon pursuant to Guideline § 2Dl.l(b)(l). See United States Sentencing Commission, Guidelines Manual, (1991). For his acceptance of responsibility, under Guideline § 3E1.1, Baldwin’s offense level was decreased by two levels. The probation officer further found that Baldwin’s criminal history category was III; thus, Baldwin’s sentencing guideline range was found to be between 78 and 97 months imprisonment. At Baldwin’s sentencing hearing, the district court adopted the presentence report and sentenced him to 92 months imprisonment.

Baldwin argues that this case should be remanded for resentencing because he received ineffective assistance of counsel at his sentencing hearing. He argues that his trial counsel, Michael Chernin, failed to argue and present evidence that Baldwin should not be held accountable under the Sentencing Guidelines for the kilogram of cocaine offered to Agent Melick and for the use of a dangerous weapon. Baldwin also finds fault with his counsel’s failure to challenge the report by calling Baldwin as a witness.

A defendant raising an ineffective assistance of counsel claim must meet a heavy burden. United States v. Slaughter, 900 F.2d 1119, 1124 (7th Cir.1990); Harris v. Reed, 894 F.2d 871, 877 (7th Cir.1990). We review a claim that a defendant received ineffective assistance of counsel under the two-part test established by Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1983); Slaughter, 900 F.2d at 1124. To succeed, a defendant must demonstrate that his counsel’s performance was both constitutionally deficient and that the deficiency prejudiced the outcome of the proceeding. Slaughter, 900 F.2d at 1124; Harris, 894 F.2d at 877. Moreover, a defendant raising an ineffective assistance of counsel challenge must “overcome a ‘strong presumption that counsel’s conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance.’ ” Slaughter, 900 F.2d at 1124 (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065).

A review of the record of Baldwin’s sentencing hearing demonstrates that his counsel was not constitutionally ineffective. At the initial phase of the sentencing hearing, Baldwin’s counsel objected to the inclusion of the kilogram as “relevant conduct.” On Baldwin’s behalf his attorney also argued that Baldwin never intended to actually deliver the cocaine to Agent Mel-ick. The district court then discussed Baldwin’s presentence report with two probation officers. Defense counsel asked for a recess. After the recess, Baldwin’s counsel withdrew his “factual objections” to the presentence report, but informed the court that he would “continue with the legal arguments as to relevant conduct.” The district court adopted the statements of fact in the presentence report and adjourned the hearing. When the hearing was reconvened several weeks later, the district court found that Baldwin intended to sell a kilogram of cocaine to Agent Melick, and agreed with the recommendation in the pre-sentence report that the kilogram should be included in the calculation of Baldwin’s sentence. The inclusion of the kilogram of cocaine in determining Baldwin’s sentence was done despite the objection of Baldwin’s counsel.

Baldwin next argues that his attorney should have examined Agent Melick more thoroughly and should have called Baldwin as a witness. Baldwin, however, admitted that the presentence report’s conclusion that he attempted to sell one kilogram of cocaine to Agent Melick was correct.

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Bluebook (online)
956 F.2d 643, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 1515, 1992 WL 19470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-kenneth-j-baldwin-ca7-1992.