United States v. Woodberry

672 F. Supp. 2d 761, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 100513, 2009 WL 3615085
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Mississippi
DecidedOctober 27, 2009
DocketCriminal Action 5:07cr00025-DCB-JCS
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 672 F. Supp. 2d 761 (United States v. Woodberry) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Woodberry, 672 F. Supp. 2d 761, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 100513, 2009 WL 3615085 (S.D. Miss. 2009).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

DAVID BRAMLETTE, District Judge.

Pursuant to a sua sponte Order, a criminal and civil contempt hearing concerning *763 Attorney Latrice Westbrooks (“West-brooks”) was held in Natchez, Mississippi, on August 26, 2009. Having carefully considered the witnesses’ testimonies and the evidence presented in light of all applicable law, the Court finds and orders as follows:

I. Background and Procedural History

The original action that gave rise to the contempt hearing was Westbrooks’ failure to appear on behalf of her client Vinson Woodberry (“Woodberry” or “defendant”) at a sentencing hearing on June 16, 2009, and failure to attend the rescheduled sentencing on July 2, 2009. On June 24, 2009, the Court appointed the Honorable Dennis Joiner (“Joiner”), Federal Public Defender, or any assistant public defender to review the file of the defendant due to the absence of Westbrooks at the June 16, 2009, sentencing. Westbrooks was the defendant’s attorney of record at all times prior to June 24, 2009.

The circumstances relevant to this Order date back to April 2, 2008. Originally, a Trial Order was entered on April 2, 2008, setting the case of United States v. Vinson Woodberry for trial on June 3, 2008. On May 30, 2008, a continuance was requested by the defense and an agreed order was entered stating that the defense requested additional time to prepare for trial. The trial was reset for August 5, 2008. On July 30, 2008, a second continuance was requested by the defense and an agreed order was entered stating that the defense needed additional time to prepare for trial and the trial was reset for October 6, 2008. On September 26, 2008, a third continuance was requested by the defense stating that the defense attorney’s office had been flooded and an agreed order was entered resetting the trial for December 8, 2008. On December 1, 2008, a fourth motion for continuance was filed by the defense stating that the defense needed additional time to prepare for trial due to the damaged office. The trial was then reset for January 28, 2009. On January 21, 2009, the defendant requested a change of plea hearing, which was set for February 3, 2009. The change of plea took place on February 3, 2009, and Westbrooks was present. Woodberry pled guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base (“crack”) in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

At the change of plea hearing, a sentencing date was set for April 21, 2009. On March 9, 2009, the sentencing date was reset to May 19, 2009. On May 1, 2009, the defense filed a motion for continuance of sentencing due to defense counsel being on medical restrictions. A continuance was granted on May 14, 2009, and sentencing was reset for June 16, 2009. On Friday, June 12, 2009, the defense filed a motion at 6:21 p.m. requesting that the sentencing set for June 16, 2009, be continued and reset. On Monday, June 15, 2009, Debra Jackson, the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, contacted Westbrooks by telephone and advised her that the motion was not received until that morning and that the sentencing was not going to be continued and would remain set for June 16, 2009, at 3:30 p.m. Westbrooks advised that she would not appear in court. In total, the Court accommodated Westbrooks by granting at least five (5) continuances sought by her on behalf of her client.

Due to Westbrooks’ absence on June 16, 2009, the Court reset the defendant’s sentencing to July 2, 2009. On June 24, 2009, the Court issued an Order stating “at said sentencing Latrice Westbrooks should be prepared to explain to the Court why she should not be held in contempt for failing to appear on the 16th day of June, 2009. Honorable Dennis Joiner, Federal Public Defender, or any assistant public defender is hereby appointed to review the file and make such reports to the Court as may be requested.” Despite the Order and the *764 accommodations already granted to West-brooks and her client by the Court, West-brooks failed to appear at the sentencing hearing on July 2, 2009. At the sentencing on July 2, 2009, the defendant was represented by the Honorable Abby Brumley of the Federal Public Defender’s office. The defendant was sentenced to a 57-month sentence for a conviction of one count of distribution of cocaine base (“crack”) in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

In addition to her failure to appear at the sentencing hearings, Westbrooks also failed to appear at a meeting on February 24, 2009, with Kevin Wright, Probation Officer, to discuss the Pre-Sentence Report prepared for the defendant. More significantly, she lodged no objections to the Pre-Sentence Report on behalf of her client and, consequently, Woodberry faced guideline calculations without the benefit of acceptance of responsibility or the safety valve provision of the guidelines. As a result, he faced a Level 30 with a Sentencing Range of 97 to 121 months. After the June 24, 2009, Order appointing Public Defender Joiner to review the defendant’s file, Joiner contacted Westbrooks concerning the defendant. He offered his assistance, which was accepted, but Westbrooks informed Joiner that she had more pressing matters to attend, that the defendant would be in jail for a long time, and that she would not be at the sentencing on July 2, 2009. (R. at 61-63). Thereafter, the Public Defender and his staff represented Woodberry, filing objections to the PreSentence Report on his behalf. The objections summarily resulted in the defendant receiving both acceptance of responsibility and the safety valve reduction which reduced the Guideline Sentencing Range from 97 to 121 months to 57 to 71 months. As said, the defendant received a 57-month sentence.

On July 21, 2009, the Court held a hearing in Jackson, Mississippi, giving West-brooks notice of a contempt hearing to be held in Natchez, Mississippi, on August 26, 2009, allowing her a reasonable time to prepare a defense. The Court explained that the contempt hearing would involve both civil and criminal contempt of court issues for her failure to appear in court in Natchez, Mississippi, for Woodberry’s sentencing hearings-June 16, 2009, and July 2, 2009-as well as for her suspected lack of adequate representation of the defendant. The Court also stated that if sufficient evidence was presented at the hearing to hold Westbrooks in criminal contempt, the Court might assign the matter to another judge for final disposition.

The Court issued an Order on July 29, 2009, stating the specific issues that Ms. Westbrooks should be prepared to address at the contempt hearing. Those issues were:

1. Why did Westbrooks fail to appear in court on June 16, 2009, for Wood-berry’s sentencing hearing?
a. Why did Westbrooks fail to provide notice of her alleged inability to appear until Friday, June 12, 2009?
2. Why did Westbrooks fail to appear in court on July 2, 2009, for Woodberry’s sentencing hearing?
3. How many times did Westbrooks consult with Woodberry about this case?
a. How long did each meeting last?
b.

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Related

United States v. Vinson Woodberry
405 F. App'x 840 (Fifth Circuit, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
672 F. Supp. 2d 761, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 100513, 2009 WL 3615085, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-woodberry-mssd-2009.