Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Public Defense Blogs -> Fifth Circuit Blog

Public Defense

: Fifth Circuit Blog

Remorse Not Requried for Acceptance of Responsibility, But Lack of Remorse a Valid Basis for Upward Variance

United States v. Douglas, No. 07-11007 (5th Cir. May 29, 2009) (O'Connor,* Wiener, Stewart)Can a defendant receive an acceptance-of-responsibility adjustment under guideline §3E1.1, even if he is not remorseful for having committed the offense? Yes. That's the good news in Douglas. The bad? A district court may impose an above-Guidelines sentence based on that lack of remorse.Our facts:Chuck

Full post as published by Fifth Circuit Blog on June 05, 2009 (boomark / email).