Filed: Oct. 10, 2000
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 99-50475 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus LYDIA KENNEDY RITA, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. 97-CR-160-3-SS - October 5, 2000 Before DAVIS, JONES, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Lydia Kennedy Rita appeals her sentence following her guilty-plea conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abe
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 99-50475 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus LYDIA KENNEDY RITA, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. 97-CR-160-3-SS - October 5, 2000 Before DAVIS, JONES, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Lydia Kennedy Rita appeals her sentence following her guilty-plea conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abet..
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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 99-50475
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
LYDIA KENNEDY RITA,
Defendant-Appellant.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Texas
USDC No. 97-CR-160-3-SS
--------------------
October 5, 2000
Before DAVIS, JONES, and DeMOSS, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Lydia Kennedy Rita appeals her sentence following her
guilty-plea conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and
aiding and abetting. Rita argues that the district court’s
assessment of a two-level adjustment for obstruction of justice
was not supported by the record. She contends that the
obstruction of justice adjustment was a de facto upward departure
from the Sentencing Guidelines. Rita also argues that her Sixth
Amendment and Fifth Amendment due process rights were violated
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined
that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent
except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.
R. 47.5.4.
No. 99-50475
-2-
because the district court failed to hold hearings on Rita’s
postconviction motions based on ineffective-assistance-of-
counsel.
As part of her written plea agreement with the Government,
Rita agreed to waive her right to appeal her sentence. Rita
reserved the rights to appeal any upward departure by the
district court from its guideline calculation or to raise claims
of ineffective-assistance-of-counsel or prosecutorial misconduct.
At her rearraignment hearing, the district court personally
addressed Rita and admonished her regarding her waiver of appeal;
Rita stated that she understood the waiver. Thus, the record
shows that Rita knowingly and voluntarily waived her right to
appeal her sentence. See United States v. Robinson,
187 F.3d
516, 517-18 (5th Cir. 1999). Rita’s argument that the
obstruction of justice adjustment was a de facto upward departure
is foreclosed by this court’s opinion in United States v. Gaitan,
171 F.3d 222, 224 (5th Cir. 1999).
Rita’s argument concerning the district court’s failure to
hold hearings on her postconviction motions is also without
merit. Rita did not request hearings on her motions, and she
does not argue on appeal that her guilty plea was involuntarily
made or that she received ineffective-assistance-of-counsel in
that regard. If Rita wishes to pursue her ineffective-assistance
claim, she should do so in collateral proceedings. See United
States v. Medina,
118 F.3d 371, 373 (5th Cir. 1997).
APPEAL DISMISSED.