Filed: Oct. 25, 2005
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FILED FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS _ ELEVENTH CIRCUIT OCTOBER 25, 2005 No. 05-10365 THOMAS K. KAHN Non-Argument Calendar CLERK _ D. C. Docket No. 04-00120-CR-CG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus SHAWN L. CHAVIS, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama _ (October 25, 2005) Before TJOFLAT, HULL and WILSON, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Shawn L.
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FILED FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS _ ELEVENTH CIRCUIT OCTOBER 25, 2005 No. 05-10365 THOMAS K. KAHN Non-Argument Calendar CLERK _ D. C. Docket No. 04-00120-CR-CG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus SHAWN L. CHAVIS, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama _ (October 25, 2005) Before TJOFLAT, HULL and WILSON, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Shawn L. C..
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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FILED
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
________________________ ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
OCTOBER 25, 2005
No. 05-10365 THOMAS K. KAHN
Non-Argument Calendar CLERK
________________________
D. C. Docket No. 04-00120-CR-CG
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
SHAWN L. CHAVIS,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Alabama
_________________________
(October 25, 2005)
Before TJOFLAT, HULL and WILSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Shawn L. Chavis pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to the crime of
possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §
841(a)(1). The district court accepted his plea, adjudged him guilty of the offense,
and imposed sentence. Chavis now appeals his conviction. He contends that the
district court, in entertaining his guilty plea, failed to give him the warnings
required by Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(3), (4) & (5); thus, his plea was not knowing
and voluntary. He contends alternatively that his attorney, in advising him to sign
the plea agreement, was ineffective.1
In response, the Government asks that we dismiss Chavis’s appeal because,
as part of the plea agreement, he waived his right to appeal. The plea agreement
does contain a waiver, but the waiver relates only to Chavis’s right to appeal any
sentence the court imposed. Nothing in the agreement indicates that Chavis
waived his right to appeal his conviction. Consequently, this appeal, which goes to
the heart of the plea of guilty, is not waived. See United States v. Bushert,
997
F.2d 1343, 1347 (11th Cir. 1993).
Where a defendant, in tendering a plea of guilty, does not object to the
court’s Rule 11 colloquy with him, he may obtain the vacation of his plea on
appeal only if he shows plain error. United States v. Vonn,
535 U.S. 55, 59, 122
1
We do not address Chavis’s ineffective assistance claim. If Chavis has good reason to
believe that his attorney’s performance was constitutionally deficient, he may pursue his claim in
a proceeding brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, where the facts underlying the claim may be fully
established.
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S. Ct. 1043, 1046,
152 L. Ed. 2d 90 (2002). Accordingly, he must establish (1) that
an error occurred, (2) that is plain, and (3) that affects substantial rights. United
States v. Olano,
507 U.S. 725, 731-32,
113 S. Ct. 1770, 1776,
123 L. Ed. 2d 508
(1993). If he does this, we may exercise our discretion and correct the error (by
granting relief) if it “seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of
the judicial proceedings.”
Id. at 732, 113 S. Ct. 15 1776 (internal quotations and
citation omitted).
Before the district court accepts a guilty plea, it must address the defendant
in open court and ensure that the three core concerns of Rule 11 have been met:
“(1) the guilty plea must be free from coercion; (2) the defendant must understand
the nature of the charges; and (3) the defendant must know and understand the
consequences of his guilty plea.” Lejarde-Rada,
319 F.3d 1289 (internal
quotations and citation omitted). According to Rule 11, if, in a plea agreement, the
government promises not to prosecute additional charges, the court has the option
of accepting the agreement, rejecting it, or deferring a decision until after it has
read the presentence investigation report. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(A), (3)(A). If
the court accepts the plea agreement, it must inform the defendant that the
government’s promises will be included in the court’s final judgment. Fed. R.
Crim. P. (c)(4). If the court rejects the plea agreement, it must do so in the manner
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dictated by Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(5) by informing the parties that it rejects the
agreement, advising the defendant that the court is not required to follow the
agreement, giving the defendant an opportunity to withdraw his plea, and advising
the defendant that, if the plea is not withdrawn, the court’s disposition may not be
as favorable as that of the plea agreement. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(5). Additionally,
the government may promise to “recommend, or agree not to oppose the
defendant’s request, that a particular sentence or sentencing range is appropriate. .
.” Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(B). If the government so promises, the court must
advise the defendant that he does not have a right to withdraw the plea if the court
does not follow the recommendation in the agreement. Fed. R. Crim. P.
11(c)(3)(B).
In this case, the district court, during the plea colloquy, omitted some of the
statements required by Rule 11(c)(3), (4), and (5) because those statements were
either not applicable to Chavis’s plea agreement, or already were included in the
plea agreement. We do not fault the court for having done so; hence, we find no
basis for vacating Chavis’s guilty plea and his conviction.
AFFIRMED.
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