United States v. Fernandez , 303 F. App'x 640 ( 2008 )

FILED
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
December 18, 2008
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
TENTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. No. 08-6096
MATTHEW JON FERNANDEZ, (D.C. No. 5:07-CR-00153-R-1)
(W.D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellant.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before BRISCOE, BALDOCK, and HOLMES, Circuit Judges.
On direct appeal from his conviction for drug-related charges, Defendant-
Appellant Matthew Jon Fernandez contended that his constitutional rights under
the Fifth and Sixth Amendments were violated by the introduction at trial of
hearsay statements made by unidentified confidential informants. Additionally,
Mr. Fernandez contended that the district court erred by denying his motion to
suppress physical evidence, and in calculating his sentence. While the appeal was
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited,
however, for its persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th
Cir. R. 32.1.
pending and before oral argument, however, counsel for both parties joined in the
filing of a motion to dismiss this appeal informing this court that Mr. Fernandez
died on December 3, 2008. “[D]eath pending direct review of a criminal
conviction abates not only the appeal but also all proceedings had in the
prosecution from its inception.” United States v. Davis, 953 F.2d 1482, 1486
(10th Cir. 1992) (quoting Durham v. United States, 401 U.S. 481, 483 (1971) (per
curiam) (footnote omitted) overruled on other grounds, Dove v. Untied States,
423 U.S. 325 (1976) (per curiam)); see also United States v. Sloan, 26 Fed. Appx.
890 (10th Cir. Feb. 6, 2002) (unpublished) (remanding case, with directions to
vacate the judgment of conviction and dismiss the underlying indictment, where
appellant died pending the direct appeal of his sentence).
Accordingly, we GRANT the joint motion to dismiss this appeal. Further,
this case is REMANDED to the district court with directions to VACATE the
judgment of conviction and DISMISS the underlying indictment.
This case is also removed from the presently scheduled January 16, 2009,
oral argument calendar, and counsel are excused from attendance.
Entered for the Court
Mary Beck Briscoe
Circuit Judge
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