COMPASSIONAT E RE L E ASE IN T HE POST - F IRST ST E P - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

COMPASSIONAT E RE L E ASE

IN T HE POST

• F

IRST ST E P ACT AND COVID- 19 E RA

Go a ls o f this Pre se nta tio n

1. E xpla in the b a sic s o f c o mpa ssio na te re le a se . 2. Dig into the spe c ific pro c e dura l a nd sub sta ntive c rite ria to o b ta in re lie f, a nd wa lk thro ug h so me sa mple s a lo ng the pro c e ss. 3. Go o ve r so me distric t spe c ific pro c e dure s fo r ha ndling c o mpa ssio na te re le a se c a se s. 4. F e e l c o nfide nt in ta c kling a c o mpa ssio na te re le a se c a se o n yo ur o wn.

T HE BASI CS

Wha t is c o mpa ssio na te re le a se ?

F irst T hing s F irst

Se c tio n 603 o f the F irst Ste p Ac t a me nds 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c )(1)(A), Pe rmitting a de fe nda nt, fo r the first time , to se e k c o mpa ssio na te dire c tly with the distric t a fte r e xha usting a dministra tive re me die s.

 F

• r the

Co urt to g ra nt re lie f, it sho uld c o nside r the 18 U.S.C. §3553(a ) fa c to rs, to the e xte nt tha t the y a re a pplic a b le , a nd find tha t:

1. E xtra o rdina ry a nd c o mpe lling re a so ns wa rra nt suc h a re duc tio n;

and

2. Suc h a re duc tio n is c o nsiste nt with the Se nte nc ing Co mmissio n’ s po lic y sta te me nt in USSG §1B1.13.

Yo u Ca n Pa ss Go a nd Co lle c t $200

A distric t c o urt ma y r

e duc e a de fe nda nt's o the rwise -fina l se nte nc e if it finds

tha t “e xtra o rdina ry a nd c o mpe lling re a so ns wa rra nt suc h a se nte nc e re duc tio n.” 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c )(1)(A)(i).

• 1. T

ypic a l re lie f so ug ht is re le a se fro m c usto dy.

• 2. Co mpa ssio na te re le a se is no t limite d to imme dia te re le a se , a nd inc lude s a

re duc tio n in se nte nc e .

 Se e Unite d State s v. Shmuc kle r, 2019 WL

6257959, a t *2 n.5 (E .D.Va . No v. 22, 2019) (“T he BOP use s the te rms ‘ c o mpa ssio na te re le a se ’ a nd ‘ re duc tio n in se nte nc e ’ inte rc ha ng e a b ly, a nd the Co urt will do the sa me ”) (c ita tio n o mitte d).

Wha t Co mpa ssio na te Re le a se is No t.

 COVID- L

itigation: “Ge ne ra l c o nc e rns a b o ut po ssib le e xpo sure to COVI

D-19 do no t me e t the c rite ria fo r e xtra o rdina ry a nd c o mpe lling re a so ns.” Se e Unite d State s v. E b e rhart, 2020 WL 1450745, a t *2 (N.D. Ca l. Ma r. 25, 2020).

 Home Is Whe r

e the He ar t Is: T

he BOP de sig na te s the pla c e o f de fe nda nt’ s impriso nme nt. T hus, the Co urt do e s no t ha ve a utho rity to dic ta te pla c e me nts to the BOP. Se e 18 U.S.C. §3621(b ); Unite d State s v. Co sb y, 180 F e d. App'x 13 (10th Cir. 2006).

 Bond Pe nding Appe al: Alwa ys re q uire s a sho wing tha t, “the a ppe a l is no t

fo r the purpo se o f de la y a nd ra ise s a sub sta ntia l q ue stio n o f la w o r fa c t tha t like ly to re sult” in re ve rsa l o r a le sse r se nte nc e tha n b e ing se rve d. 18 U.S.C. §3143(b )(2).

JUMPI NG T HROUGH T HE HOOPS

E xha ustio n 101

Whe n Ca n I F ile a Mo tio n?

 T

he de fe nda nt ha s fully e xha uste d a ll a dministra tive rig hts to a ppe a l a fa ilure o f the Bure a u

• f Priso ns to b ring a mo tio n o n

the de fe nda nt’ s b e ha lf.

 30 da y a fte r the re c e ipt o f

suc h a re q ue st b y the wa rde n o f the de fe nda nt’ s fa c ility.

WHI CHE VE R I S E ARL I E R!

• r

afte r

T his is E xha usting !

1. F ile a F

• rma l Administra tive Re me dy

re q ue st. (BP-9 F

• rm).

2. F ile a n a ppe a l to the Re g io na l Dire c to r. (BP-10 F

• rm).

3. F ile a n a ppe a l to the Ge ne ra l Co unse l. (BP-11).

De a r Wa rde n!

 T

he re q ue st to the Wa rde n sho uld b e in writing a nd “sha ll a t a minimum” c o nta in the fo llo wing info rma tio n:

1. T he e xtra o rdina ry o r c o mpe lling c irc umsta nc e s tha t the inma te b e lie ve s wa rra nt c o nside ra tio n. 2. Pro po se d re le a se pla ns, inc luding whe re the inma te will re side , ho w the inma te will suppo rt himse lf/ he rse lf, a nd, if the b a sis fo r the re q ue st invo lve s the inma te 's he a lth, info rma tio n o n whe re the inma te will re c e ive me dic a l tre a tme nt, a nd ho w the inma te will pa y fo r suc h tre a tme nt.

And Whe n the Wa rde n Sa ys No …

 Whe n a n inma te ’ s re q ue st is de nie d b y the Wa rde n, the inma te will re c e ive

writte n no tic e a nd a sta te me nt o f re a so ns fo r the de nia l.

 T

he inma te ma y a ppe a l the de nia l thro ug h the Administra tive Re me dy Pro c e dure .

Do We Re a lly Ha ve to E xha ust?

 “[T

]he va st ma jo rity o f c o urts to ha ve c o nside re d the issue ha ve c o nc lude d tha t a fa ilure to sa tisfy 18 U.S.C. §3582(c )(1)(A)’ s filing re q uire me nts b a rs de fe nda nts fro m filing mo tio ns fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se , a nd tha t the judic ia ry ha s no po we r to c ra ft a n e xc e ptio n to the se re q uire me nts fo r de fe nda nts se e king re le a se during the COVI D-19 pa nde mic .”

 Unite d State s v. Danie ls, 2020 WL

1938973, a t *3 (N.D. Ala . Apr. 22, 2020); se e also Unite d State s v. Harris, 2020 WL 1969951, a t *1 (M.D. F la . Apr. 24, 2020);

 Unite d State s v. Raia, 954 F

.3d 594 (3d Cir. Apr. 2, 2020).

 De nying a mo tio n fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se b a se d o n the COVI

D-19 pa nde mic b e c a use the inma te ha d no t c o mplie d with the sta tute a nd e xha uste d a dministra tive re me die s.

 But se e Unite d State s v. Hane y, __ F. Supp. 3d __, 2020 WL 1821988, a t *3-4

(S.D. N.Y. Apr. 13, 2020) (e xa mining c o ng re ssio na l inte nt a nd c o nc luding e xha ustio n re q uire me nt in §3582(c )(1)(A) is wa iva b le unde r the uniq ue c irc umsta nc e s o f the COVI D-19 pa nde mic ).

Onc e administr ative r e me die s have be e n e xhauste d, we c an file a motion for r e duc tion of se nte nc e be for e the se nte nc ing judge .

GE T T I NG T O T HE HE ART OF I T

Wha t do e s it re a lly ta ke to g e t c o mpa ssio na te re le a se ?

Putting the E xtra in E xtra o rdina ry

“E xtraordinary and c ompe lling c irc umstanc e s” is not de fine d by statute .

L e t’ s Se e Wha t the Co mmissio n Ha s T

• Sa y…

USSG §1B1.13 se ts o ut c rite ria q ua lifying a s e xtra o rdina ry a nd c o mpe lling re a so ns.

(A) “Me dic a l Conditions of the De fe nda nt,”: inc luding sub pa ra g ra phs fo r te rmina l illne ss

a nd fo r o the r se rio us c o nditio ns tha t sub sta ntia lly diminish the de fe nda nt’ s a b ility to pro vide se lf-c a re within the institutio n;

(B) “Ag e of the De fe nda nt,”: fo r tho se 65 a nd o lde r with se rio us de te rio ra tio n re la te d to

a g ing who ha ve c o mple te d a t le a st 10 ye a rs o r 75 pe rc e nt o f the te rm o f impriso nme nt;

(C) “F a mily Cir c umsta nc e s,”: whe re a c hild’ s c a re g ive r die s o r b e c o me s inc a pa c ita te d o r

a spo use b e c o me s inc a pa c ita te d witho ut a n a lte rna tive c a re g ive r; a nd

(D) “Othe r Re a sons”: a s de fine d b y the BOP.

No thing a L ittle Ble a c h Ca n’ t Cure !

Wha t Are So me E xa mple s o f Me dic a l Co nditio ns in the COVI D-19 E ra ? :

 Se rio us me dic a l c o nditio ns tha t c o uld re sult in the m ha ving se ve re illne ss

we re the y to c o ntra c t COVI D-19.

 https:/ / www.c dc .g o v/ c o ro na virus/ 2019-nc o v/ ne e d-e xtra -

pre c a utio ns/ pe o ple -a t-hig he r-risk.html

Co mmissio n I mpo ssib le

T he c urre nt Guide line s c o mme nta ry wa s a do pte d o n the pre mise tha t the BOP, no t fe de ra l distric t c o urts, wa s the so le a rb ite r o f whe n Co mpa ssio na te re le a se is a va ila b le .

 T

he Commission is Not Almig hty: At le a st o ne distric t c o urt ha s c o nc lude d tha t

this po lic y sta te me nt (whic h it c ha ra c te rize s a s ‘ o ld’ no w tha t the F irst Ste p Ac t ha s b e e n e na c te d) “pro vide s he lpful g uida nc e ,” b ut “do e s no t c o nstra in the c o urt's inde pe nde nt a sse ssme nt” o f a mo tio n.

 Se e Unite d State s v. F

• x, 2019 WL

3046086, a t *2 (D. Me . July 11, 2019).

 T

he Commission isn’t e ve n a Commission: T

he Co mmissio n c urre ntly c a nno t c ha ng e the c o mme nta ry fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se due to a la c k o f a q uo rum.

Who Put the Dire c to r in Cha rg e !?

Unde r §1B1.13 n.1(D), Se c tio n 4 o f the BOP’ s pro g ra m sta te me nt se ts o ut diffe re nt c rite ria fo r a g e -re la te d c o nside ra tio n. https:/ / www.b o p.g o v/ po lic y/ pro g sta t/ 5050_050_E N.pdf

BUT WAIT !

T he F irst Ste p Ac t’ s c ha ng e s to c o mpa ssio na te re le a se wa s to put distric t c o urts in the po sitio n tha t the BOP Dire c to r fo rme rly o c c upie d.

Yo u Be the Judg e o f T ha t, Judg e

 F

e de r a l judg e s now ha ve the powe r to or de r r e duc tions of se nte nc e s e ve n in the fa c e

• f

the BOP Dir e c tor 's vie ws tha t a pr isone r 's c ir c umsta nc e s a r e not e xtr a or dina r y a nd c ompe lling .

 Unite d State s v. L

aBo nte ,* 520 U.S. 751, 757 (1997) (ho lding tha t c o mme nta ry “a t

• dds with [a sta tute 's] pla in la ng ua g e . . . must g ive wa y” to the sta tute ); Unite d

State s v. Jo hnso n, 694 F .3d 1192, 1195 n.10 (11th Cir. 2012) (sa me ); Unite d State s v. Co lo n, 707 F .3d 1255, 1261 (11th Cir. 2013) (“Co ng re ss c a n o ve rride a ny g uide line o r po lic y sta te me nt b y sta tute .”).

 So me e xa mple s ma y b e :

 Sta c ke d §924(c ) se nte nc e s.  Inva lid a te d d rug ma nd a to ry minimum.  Ge t c re a tive (b ut no t to o c re a tive ).

* Re spo nd e nt Ge o rg e L a Bo nte , no kno wn re la tio n to Ad a m L a b o nte , who spe lls his la st na me with a lo we rc a se “b .

PPP – Pe ppe r, Pla n, Pro te c t

 Pe ppe r E

vide nc e : Arg ue the §3553(a ) fa c to rs, inc luding c o nside ring Pe ppe r

• v. Unite d State s, e vide nc e re la ting to po st-o ffe nse re ha b ilita tio n. Se e 562

U.S. 476 (2011).

 Re le ase Plan: Yo u wa nt to te ll the c o urt whe re yo ur c lie nt will live , ho w the y

will b e suppo rte d, whe re the y will re c e ive me dic a l o r ho spic e c a re a nd ho w it will b e pa id fo r. T he b e tte r yo ur re le a se pla n, the b e tte r the c ha nc e s the Co urt will c o nside r g ra nting yo u re lie f.

 Pr

• te c ting the Community: Yo u wa nt to a ssure the Co urt “the de fe nda nt is

no t a da ng e r to the sa fe ty o f a ny o the r pe rso n o r to the c o mmunity, a s pro vide d in 18 U.S.C. §3142(g ).” USSG § 1B1.13(2).

And DON’T F ORGE T ABOUT SUPE RVISE D RE L E ASE !

L itig a ting A Co mpa ssio na te Re le a se I n T he Middle Distric t o f F lo rida

Co mpa ssio na te De fe a t

 T

he Middle Distric t o f F lo rida Omnib us Orde r, 8:19-mc -10-T

• 23,

a utho rize s the Offic e to re pre se nt a ny inma te who mig ht q ua lify fo r re lie f unde r Se c . 404 o f the F irst Ste p Ac t, o r a ny inma te who mo ve s pro se fo r re lie f unde r Se c . 404.*

 T

he Se c . 404 Omnib us Orde r, ho we ve r, do e s no t e xte nd to c a se s a rising unde r Se c . 603 o f the F irst Ste p Ac t.

 T

hus, o ur Offic e is no t a utho rize d to re pre se nt e ve ry c lie nt se e king Se c . 603 re lie f. *F

• r tho se who do n’ t kno w, Se c . 404 is re tro a c tive a pplic a tio n o f the

F a ir Se nte nc ing Ac t to o lde r c ra c k c a se s.

So Ho w Do Yo u Guys Ge t Ca se s? ? ?

E XPRE SS APPOINT ME NT S UNDE R Se c . 603:

 Any distric t c o urt judg e in the Middle Distric t o f F

lo rida c a n a ppo int the Offic e a s c o unse l to a ssist a c lie nt fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se c o nside ra tio n.

 I

N AL LOT HE R CASE S, WE MUSTSE E KAPPOI NT ME NT F ro m the distric t c o urt to spe c ific a lly a ppo int o ur o ffic e fo r Se c . 603 purpo se s.

 SE

E K T O E XPAND APPOI NT ME NT F OR OUR Se c . 404 Ca se s

 SE

E K T O E XPAND APPOI NT ME NT F OR CURRE NT / F ORME R CL I E NT S

 SE

E K T O E XPAND APPOI NT ME NT F OR RE F E RRAL S F ROM F AMM/ NADCL

F AMM – ily Ma tte rs

 F

a milie s Ag a inst Ma nda to ry Minimums (F AMM) se nt a le tte r via Co rrlinks to 40,000 fe de ra l priso ne rs e nc o ura g ing tho se mo st vulne ra b le to c o mplic a tio ns fro m COVI D-19 to a pply fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se .

 F

AMM is wo rking with o the r po lic y g ro ups, inc luding NACDLa nd the Wa shing to n L a wye rs Co mmitte e to re vie w a nd a ssist po te ntia l a pplic a nts.

 F

AAM is lo o king fo r vo lunte e rs!

 Ha wa h Cylla h hc ylla h@ fa mm.o rg  Julia na Ando nia n <ja ndo nia n@ fa mm.o rg

Ste p One : MAK E SURE YOU ARE APPOI NT E D!

 T

he a ssig ne d a tto rne y sho uld c o nfe r with the U.S. Atto rne y’ s Offic e a nd file a mo tio n to e xpa nd o r a ppo int c o unse l, e xpla ining tha t we ha ve a g o o d fa ith b e lie f the c lie nt me e ts the c rite ria fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se .

 As Pro Bo no Co unse l, yo u c a n like ly ta ke o n a c o mpa ssio na te re le a se c a se

witho ut se e king a CJA a ppo intme nt.

Ste p T wo : Ge t T ho se Re c e ipts!

I t is e sse ntia l to g e t yo ur do c ume nta ry e vide nc e in o rde r!

 We must de te rmine if the c a se is ripe fo r filing a de fe nse mo tio n, i.e .,

de te rmine if a dministra tive re me die s ha ve b e e n e xha uste d .

 We ne e d me dic a l re c o rds to suppo rt c o mpa ssio na te re le a se c la ims.  L

e tte rs o f suppo rt g o a lo ng wa y.

Ste p T hre e : Cho o se Yo ur Own Adve nture

 Option A: I

f it is de te rmine d a c lie nt ha s no t e xha uste d a dministra tive re me die s, yo u ma y e xe rc ise yo ur disc re tio n in a ssisting the c lie nt to e xha ust fully.

 Option B: I

t ma y b e de te rmine d a c lie nt ha s e xha uste d a dministra tive re me die s, b ut the c lie nt do e s no t me e t the c rite ria fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se .

 Option C: T

he c lie nt ha s e xha uste d a dministra tive re me die s a nd me e ts the c rite ria fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se .

Wa it a Minute !

 I

n a ny c a se in whic h it is de te rmine d

1. T he c lie nt ha s no t e xha uste d a dministra tive re me die s; o r 2. Do e s no t o b je c tive ly me e t the c rite ria fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se

Yo u ma y wa nt to think twic e a b o ut filing fo r c o mpa ssio na te re le a se .

Ste p F

• ur: F

ile Awa y!

 Onc e it is de te rmine d a dministra tive re me die s ha ve b e e n e xha uste d , a nd

the c lie nt pre se nts “e xtra o rdina ry a nd c o mpe lling re a so ns,” pre pa re a c o mpa ssio na te re le a se mo tio n to file with the distric t c o urt o n the c lie nt’ s b e ha lf.

 I

f a c o mpa ssio na te re le a se he a ring is sc he dule d, the prima ry re spo nsib ility fo r ha ndling the mo tio n will b e with the a ssig ne d a tto rne y.

L e t’ s L

• o k a t So me Sa mple s

Who is Re a dy to T a ke o n a Co mpa ssio na te Re le a se Ca se !?