Another thoughtful and thorough opinion finds statutory reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing sentence under § 3582(c)(1)(A)

As regular readers know, in lots of prior posts I have made much of a key provision of the FIRST STEP Act which now allows federal courts to directly reduce sentences under the (so-called compassionate release) statutory provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) without awaiting a motion by the Bureau of Prisons.  I consider this provision a big deal because I think, if applied appropriately and robustly, it could and should enable many hundreds (and perhaps many thousands) of federal prisoners to have excessive prison sentences reduced.

I have previously flagged here and here and here  and here some notable examples of judges finding notable reasons sufficient to reduce a sentence.  But I have not blogged lately about any recent § 3582(c)(1)(A) rulings because my Westlaw searches have largely turned up only denials rather than grants of these motions.  Thanks to a helpful reader, though, I learned of a notable recent grant in US v. Maumau,  No. 2:08-cr-00758-TC-11, 2020 WL 806121 (D. Utah Feb. 18, 2020) (also available for download below).  This decision, authored by District Tena Campbell, provides an extended, thoughtful review of recent compassionate release jurisprudence and the changes to § 3582(c)(1)(A) brought by the FIRST STEP Act. 

I recommend review of the Maumau ruling in full for anyone working on or thinking about these isssues.  Here are some excerpts from the opinion that help highlight its importance:

Having reviewed all of the above cases, this court joins the majority of other district courts that have addressed this issue in concluding that it has the discretion to provide Mr. Maumau with relief, even if his situation does not directly fall within the Sentencing Commission’s current policy statement. Under the First Step Act, it is for the court, not the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, to determine whether there is an “extraordinary and compelling reason” to reduce a sentence....

As part of the First Step Act, Congress eliminated the consecutive stacking previously required for violations of § 924(c) [which had led to a 55-year sentence for the defendant for crimes committed at age 20]... When considered together, the court is inclined to find that Mr. Maumau’s age, the length of sentence imposed, and the fact that he would not receive the same sentence if the crime occurred today all represent extraordinary and compelling grounds to reduce his sentence.

The United States points out in its opposition that Mr. Maumau’s request is unlike the vast majority of compassionate release requests because he is not suffering from any medical- or age-related physical limitations.  But the fact that such cases are uncommon does not mean that Mr. Maumau’s request must be denied.  First, the lack of such cases is, at least arguably, part of what spurred Congress to pass the First Step Act.... Finally, and perhaps most importantly here, at least one district court has modified a sentence based solely on the First Step Act’s changes to § 924(c) sentencing.... Like the Urkevich court, this court concludes that the changes in how § 924(c) sentences are calculated is a compelling and extraordinary reason to provide relief on the facts present here.

The United States objects to this conclusion because, it notes, Congress could have made its changes to § 924(c) retroactive but it chose not to do so. See Brown, 2019 WL 4942051 at *5.  While this is a relevant consideration, it ultimately has little bearing on the court’s conclusion. It is not unreasonable for Congress to conclude that not all defendants convicted under § 924(c) should receive new sentences, even while expanding the power of the courts to relieve some defendants of those sentences on a case-by-case basis.  As just noted, that is precisely the approach taken by the Urkevich court.

Based on the above, the court concludes that a combination of factors — Mr. Maumau’s young age at the time of the sentence, the incredible length of the mandatory sentence imposed, and the fact that, if sentenced today, he would not be subject to such a long term of imprisonment — establish an extraordinary and compelling reason to reduce Mr. Maumau’s sentence....

Regarding what type of sentence to impose, Mr. Maumau “urge[s] the Court to ... hav[e] him brought to the district, where he can be interviewed by Probation and perhaps have an opportunity to address the Court.” (Def.’s Reply at 1 (ECF No. 1744).)  The court agrees that this is the best way for the court to determine an appropriate sentence modification.

Accordingly, the court sets this matter for a hearing at 2:00 p.m. on April 7th.  At that time, Mr. Maumau and the United States will be permitted to present their arguments regarding what would be an appropriate sentence for Mr. Maumau in light of the above factors.  The court further orders Mr. Maumau, in advance of the resentencing hearing, to meet with the Probation Office, and for the Probation Office to prepare a new Presentence Report that addresses Mr. Maumau’s character, his danger to the public, his likelihood of rehabilitation or recidivism, the type of sentence he likely would have received had he been charged and convicted after the First Step Act had been passed, and any other relevant considerations.

Download Maumau.DistrictCourtOpinion.Feb18.2020

Some (of many) prior related posts on § 3582(c)(1)(A) after FIRST STEP Act:

• Compassionate release after FIRST STEP: Should many thousands of ill and elderly federal inmates now be seeking reduced imprisonment in court? 
• Sad start to what should become happier compassionate release tales after passage of FIRST STEP Act 
• Encouraging new reports about encouraging new compassionate release realities thanks to FIRST STEP Act
• Highlighting how judges can now bring needed compassion to compassionate release after FIRST STEP Act 
• Federal judge pens extraordinary and compelling order requesting US Attorney to vacate old stacked 924(c) conviction in extraordinary and compelling case 
• Is anyone collecting and analyzing sentence reduction orders under 3582(c)(1) since passage of the FIRST STEP Act?
• Good day for thinking hard about sentencing second looks and second chances
• New District Court ruling confirms that "any extraordinary and compelling reasons" can now provide basis for reducing imprisonment under 3582(c)(1)(A)
• District Court finds statutory sentence reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing LWOP sentence under 3582(c)(1)(A)
• Another notable (but ultimately disappointing) ruling about sentence reductions under 3582(c)(1)(A) after FIRST STEP Act
• Another LWOP federal drug sentence reduced under 3582(c)(1)(A) after FIRST STEP Act
• Another District Court finds statutory sentence reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing sentence by 40 years under 3582(c)(1)(A)