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U.S. v. Cabrera, No. 06cr10343-NG (D.Mass.) (567 F.Supp.2d 271) (July 25, 2008) (Judge Nancy Gertner)

Article • July 1, 2008 • from P&J July, 2008

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Cabrera, No. 06cr10343-NG (D.Mass.) (567 F.Supp.2d 271) (July 25, 2008) (Judge Nancy Gertner) by As recounted by Judge Gertner at the beginning of her Sentencing Memorandum in this drug case: “Oscar Cabrera was, at most, a delivery man caught in a government sting. He hardly fits the profile …

U.S. v. De Varon, No. 96-5421 (11th Cir.) (175 F.3d 930) (May 14, 1999) (Judge Stanley Marcus)

Article • May 1, 1999 • from P&J May, 1999

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. De Varon, No. 96-5421 (11th Cir.) (175 F.3d 930) (May 14, 1999) (Judge Stanley Marcus) by Here the Court established two principles to determine whether a mitigating role adjustment under USSG § 3B1.2 is proper - namely, the defendant's role in the relevant conduct and the defendant's role …

U.S. v. DeRoover, No. CR 98 965 (JBW) (E.D.N.Y.) (36 F.Supp.2d 531) (February 16, 1999) (Judge Jack B. Weinstein)

Article • May 1, 1999 • from P&J May, 1999

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. DeRoover, No. CR 98 965 (JBW) (E.D.N.Y.) (36 F.Supp.2d 531) (February 16, 1999) (Judge Jack B. Weinstein) by This decision by Judge Weinstein is a good example of the extremes to which the courts must go if they wish to escape the rigidity of the "sentence-by-the-numbers" Guidelines and …

U.S. v. Isaza-Zapata, No. 97-5443 (3rd Cir.) (148 F.3d 236) (June 8, 1998) (Judge Marjorie O. Rendell)

Article • August 1, 1998 • from P&J August, 1998

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Isaza-Zapata, No. 97-5443 (3rd Cir.) (148 F.3d 236) (June 8, 1998) (Judge Marjorie O. Rendell) by Here the Third Circuit rejected the Seventh Circuit's rule that a drug courier is not entitled to a minor role adjustment because "when a drug courier is held accountable only for the …

U.S. v. Rodriguez De Varon, No. 96-5421 (11th Cir.) (136 F.3d 740) (March 3, 1998) (Judge John C. Godbold)

Article • April 1, 1998 • from P&J April, 1998

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Rodriguez De Varon, No. 96-5421 (11th Cir.) (136 F.3d 740) (March 3, 1998) (Judge John C. Godbold) by This case involves another judge who showed blind allegiance to the principle that justice demands eking out the maximum possible penalty, this time even if unsupported by his own prior …

U.S. v. Mendoza, No. 96-50137 (9th Cir.) (121 F.3d 510) (August 6, 1997) (Judge Jr. William C. Canby)

Article • September 1, 1997 • from P&J September, 1997

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Mendoza, No. 96-50137 (9th Cir.) (121 F.3d 510) (August 6, 1997) (Judge Jr. William C. Canby) by Court held that a proper grounds for departure is the defendant's lack of control over, or knowledge of, the purity of the methamphetamine that he delivered; and the failure of the …

U.S. v. Chatman, No. 96-3515 (8th Cir.) (119 F.3d 1335) (July 17, 1997) (Judge Paul A. Magnuson)

Article • September 1, 1997 • from P&J September, 1997

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Chatman, No. 96-3515 (8th Cir.) (119 F.3d 1335) (July 17, 1997) (Judge Paul A. Magnuson) by In this case the Court held that a defendant who pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine was properly denied a "minor partricipant" sentence reduction, based in part on the …

U.S. v. Shonubi, No. CR 92-0007 (E.D.N.Y.) (962 F.Supp. 370) (May 20, 1997) (Judge Jack B. Weinstein)

Article • June 1, 1997 • from P&J June, 1997

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Shonubi, No. CR 92-0007 (E.D.N.Y.) (962 F.Supp. 370) (May 20, 1997) (Judge Jack B. Weinstein) by The long saga of Charles Shonubi's sentencing travails appears to be over. After four previous published decisions (which mainly evidenced an intense struggle between Judge Weinstein and the Second Circuit about how …

U.S. v. Veloza, No. 95-4407 (11th Cir.) (83 F.3d 380) (May 21, 1996) (Judge Rosemary Barkett)

Article • June 1, 1996 • from P&J June, 1996

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Veloza, No. 95-4407 (11th Cir.) (83 F.3d 380) (May 21, 1996) (Judge Rosemary Barkett) by Court firmly held that "the fact that a courier plays an essential role in an importation scheme does not alone necessarily preclude him from receiving a reduction for a minor role." (Id., at …

Nichols v. U.S., No. 94-2104 (7th Cir.) (75 F.3d 1137) (January 26, 1996) (Judge John L. Coffey)

Article • March 1, 1996 • from P&J March, 1996

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

Nichols v. U.S., No. 94-2104 (7th Cir.) (75 F.3d 1137) (January 26, 1996) (Judge John L. Coffey) by In this case [at headnotes 9-10], the court emphatically rejects the argument that a drug courier is necessarily entitled to a sentence reduction under § 3B1.2 for being a minor participant. It …

U.S. v. Burnett, No. 95-1716 (7th Cir.) (66 F.3d 137) (September 14, 1995) (Judge Frank H. Easterbrook)

Article • October 1, 1995

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Burnett, No. 95-1716 (7th Cir.) (66 F.3d 137) (September 14, 1995) (Judge Frank H. Easterbrook) by Case held that when a courier is held accountable for only the amount he carries, he plays a significant rather than a minor role in that offense. "Henchmen and factotums therefore do …

U.S. v. Lampkins, No. 94-1748 (7th Cir.) (47 F.3d 175) (January 18, 1995) (Judge Richard D. Cudahy)

Article • January 1, 1995

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Drug Courier or "Mule" status

U.S. v. Lampkins, No. 94-1748 (7th Cir.) (47 F.3d 175) (January 18, 1995) (Judge Richard D. Cudahy) by Here the Court affirmed the lower court's decision not to grant a mitigating circumstance downward departure based on minimal or minor role because, although the defendant was only a drug courier, he …