Hawk

United States v. Hawk

Good Law
63 F. App'x 308
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitApril 10, 2003No. 02-30139California325 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM ***

Travis Hawk appeals his twenty-seven month sentence that the district court imposed following his guilty plea to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We vacate the sentence and remand for resen-tencing.

‘We have jurisdiction to review a sentencing court’s refusal to depart downward as long as the refusal rested on the court’s conclusion that it possessed no discretion, and not on the belief that exercise of its discretion was unwarranted.” United States v. Cantu, 12 F.3d 1506, 1510 (9th Cir.1993). When “the record supports an inference that the sentencing court’s refusal to depart rested on the court’s conviction that it lacked the discretion to do so, we will treat the refusal as a product of the court’s interpretation of the guidelines, subject to appellate review.” United States v. Brown, 985 F.2d 478, 481 (9th Cir.1993).

The district court refused to exercise its discretion to grant Hawk a downward departure because the district court thought it was “precluded from considering” this departure due to Hawk’s voluntary drug use. The district court was mistaken.

“[Djrug abusers…

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