Filed: Nov. 19, 2008
Latest Update: Feb. 12, 2020
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 08-4040 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. LARRY DUNLAP FRAZIER, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, at Charlotte. Robert J. Conrad, Jr., Chief District Judge. (3:06-cr-00087-RJC-l) Submitted: October 22, 2008 Decided: November 19, 2008 Before NIEMEYER, MOTZ, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Louis
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 08-4040 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. LARRY DUNLAP FRAZIER, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, at Charlotte. Robert J. Conrad, Jr., Chief District Judge. (3:06-cr-00087-RJC-l) Submitted: October 22, 2008 Decided: November 19, 2008 Before NIEMEYER, MOTZ, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Louis C..
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 08-4040
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
LARRY DUNLAP FRAZIER,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western
District of North Carolina, at Charlotte. Robert J. Conrad, Jr.,
Chief District Judge. (3:06-cr-00087-RJC-l)
Submitted: October 22, 2008 Decided: November 19, 2008
Before NIEMEYER, MOTZ, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Louis C. Allen, Federal Public Defender, William C. Ingram, First
Assistant Federal Public Defender, Greensboro, North Carolina, for
Appellant. Gretchen C. F. Shappert, United States Attorney, Adam
Morris, Assistant United States Attorney, Charlotte, North
Carolina, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Larry Dunlap Frazier was convicted pursuant to a written
plea agreement of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to
distribute cocaine and cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C.A.
§§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1), and 846 (West 1999 & Supp. 2008). In his
plea agreement and at the Rule 11 hearing, Frazier agreed that 3.5
kilograms of cocaine were attributable to him, that he understood
he could be sentenced to between five and forty years in prison,
that the court could consider relevant conduct in fashioning a
sentence, and that any estimate of sentence from any source
including defense counsel was a prediction rather than a promise.
The court found Frazier’s plea voluntarily and knowingly made.
Frazier was sentenced to 188 months in prison, the bottom of the
applicable advisory guidelines range.
Frazier appeals, contending that the district court
abused its discretion in denying his motions seeking withdrawal of
retained counsel and appointment of new counsel.1 Finding no
error, we affirm.
Whether a motion for substitution of counsel should be
granted is within a trial court’s discretion. United States v.
Corporan-Cuevas,
35 F.3d 953, 956 (4th Cir. 1994). An indigent
defendant has no right to a particular attorney and can demand new
1
Frazier is represented on appeal by replacement, appointed
counsel.
2
counsel only for good cause. See United States v. Gallop,
838 F.2d
105, 108 (4th Cir. 1988). Further, a defendant does not have an
absolute right to substitution of counsel. United States v.
Mullen,
32 F.3d 891, 895 (4th Cir. 1994). In evaluating whether
the trial court abused its discretion in denying a motion to
withdraw, this court must consider: (1) the timeliness of the
motion; (2) the adequacy of the court’s inquiry; and (3) whether
the attorney/client conflict was so great that it resulted in total
lack of communication, preventing an adequate defense.2 United
States v. Reevey,
364 F.3d 151, 156-57 (4th Cir. 2004).
We conclude that the district court did not abuse its
discretion in denying Frazier’s motions seeking retained counsel’s
withdrawal and appointment of new counsel. We first consider the
timeliness factor. While Frazier filed at least three motions
seeking appointment of new counsel, the earliest of these motions
was not filed until eight months after entry of his guilty plea.
The complaints about counsel coincided with Frazier’s desire to be
released on bond after pleading guilty but prior to sentencing and
counsel’s failure to vigorously argue for bond. Counsel cannot be
faulted for failing to file such frivolous a motion. Further,
Frazier’s complaints about counsel’s conduct before the guilty plea
were untimely, as they certainly were known to Frazier at the time
2
This court applies the same test when reviewing both motions
to withdraw as counsel and motions for substitution of counsel.
See United States v. Johnson,
114 F.3d 435, 442 (4th Cir. 1997).
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of the plea. Frazier’s general complaints about lack of
communication with counsel during the period between the guilty
plea and sentencing were, however, timely.
Our next consideration is the adequacy of the district
court’s inquiry into the motion for new counsel. The district
court considered and rejected the motions in two orders and again
after lengthy consideration at sentencing. The court thoroughly
examined Frazier’s reasons for desiring new counsel. In addition
to complaints that counsel coerced his guilty plea, promised him a
shorter sentence, and failed to communicate with him before
sentencing, Frazier argued that counsel made a racially insensitive
comment. The court accepted counsel’s explanation that Frazier
refused to see him when he sought to visit Frazier, so he was
forced to lay out his sentencing strategy by letter. The court was
troubled by the racially insensitive comment, which counsel
essentially acknowledged, but found it did not cause a total
breakdown in the attorney/client relationship. The court found
Frazier’s contentions about his guilty plea foreclosed by the plea
agreement and the Rule 11 hearing. Thus, we conclude that the
district court conducted a thorough inquiry in arriving at this
decision to deny the motion for substitution.
Our third inquiry focuses on whether the conflict between
counsel and client was so great that the resulting lack of
communication prevented an adequate defense.
Johnson, 114 F.3d at
4
443. To the extent Frazier disagrees with counsel’s trial strategy
and tactics, such a disagreement does not constitute a breakdown in
communications sufficient to warrant new appointed counsel.
Id. at
443-44. The record does not reflect that the conflict between
Frazier and counsel resulted in a “total lack of communication.”
Against these considerations, we must weigh the district
court’s “interest in the orderly administration of justice.”
Reevey, 364 F.3d at 157. Here, the district court ensured that the
sentencing proceeded, but that Frazier had every opportunity to
raise issues with the court and that competent and prepared counsel
was at hand. Counsel in fact, raised several issues with the
court. The court also considered many previously-filed objections
to the presentence report. Therefore, the district court
meticulously protected Frazier’s rights in imposing sentence, and
Frazier does not challenge the reasoning behind his sentence on
appeal. We conclude that the district court did not abuse its
discretion in denying Frazier’s motions seeking withdrawal of
counsel and appointment of new counsel.
Accordingly, we affirm Frazier’s conviction and sentence.
Because Frazier is represented by counsel, we deny his motion to
file a pro se, supplemental brief. We dispense with oral argument
because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in
5
the materials before the court and argument would not aid the
decisional process.
AFFIRMED
6