United States v. Kenneth Smith , 444 F. App'x 103 ( 2011 )


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  •                      United States Court of Appeals
    FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
    ___________
    No. 11-1645
    ___________
    United States of America,               *
    *
    Appellee,                  * Appeal from the United States
    * District Court for the
    v.                                * Western District of Missouri.
    *
    Kenneth J. Smith,                       *       [UNPUBLISHED]
    *
    Appellant.                 *
    ___________
    Submitted: November 23, 2011
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    ___________
    Before LOKEN, BYE, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.
    ___________
    PER CURIAM.
    Kenneth Smith pleaded guilty to possessing fifteen or more unauthorized
    access devices, in violation of 
    18 U.S.C. § 1029
    (a)(3), and to mail theft, in violation
    of 
    18 U.S.C. § 1708
    . In a written plea agreement, Smith waived his right to appeal
    his conviction and sentence, except for claims of ineffective assistance of counsel,
    prosecutorial misconduct, and an illegal sentence. At the change-of-plea hearing,
    defense counsel noted that Smith had received medication that morning that would
    not impair his ability to understand the proceedings. Smith confirmed that he was not
    under the influence of medication and that he understood and voluntarily signed the
    plea agreement, including the appeal waiver. The district court1 accepted the plea,
    and at sentencing imposed concurrent sentences of 41 months in prison, the top of
    Smith’s advisory guidelines range, and 3 years of supervised release. Smith appealed.
    We appointed trial counsel to represent Smith on appeal. Counsel moved to
    withdraw and filed a brief under Anders v. California, 
    386 U.S. 738
     (1967), arguing
    the district court procedurally erred in denying a downward departure because
    Smith’s criminal history was substantially overstated. See U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3. We
    granted Smith an opportunity to file a supplemental pro se brief. Instead, he moved
    for appointment of new appellate counsel, complaining that he was “heavily
    medicated” and thus “mentally impaired” at the plea hearing, and that counsel led
    Smith to sign a “misrepresented plea agreement” and then did not act on Smith’s
    instruction to “fix” the plea agreement or withdraw the plea.
    After careful review of the record, we enforce the appeal waiver. The plea
    hearing transcript shows that Smith entered the plea and agreed to the appeal waiver
    knowingly and voluntarily. Counsel’s argument on appeal and Smith’s belated claim
    that the plea and plea agreement were not knowing and voluntary fall within the
    scope of the waiver, and no miscarriage of justice will result from enforcing it. See
    United States v. Andis, 
    333 F.3d 886
    , 889-92 (8th Cir. 2003) (en banc). To the extent
    Smith’s motion for appointment of new counsel asserts a claim of ineffective
    assistance of counsel, we decline to take up that issue on direct appeal for lack of an
    adequate record. See United States v. McAdory, 
    501 F.3d 868
    , 872 (8th Cir. 2007).
    Having reviewed the record independently pursuant to Penson v. Ohio, 
    488 U.S. 75
    , 80 (1988), we find no nonfrivolous issues outside the scope of the waiver.
    1
    The Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr., Chief Judge of the United States
    District Court for the Western District of Missouri
    -2-
    Accordingly, we grant counsel’s motion to withdraw, deny Smith’s motion for new
    counsel, and dismiss this appeal.
    ______________________________
    -3-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 11-1645

Citation Numbers: 444 F. App'x 103

Judges: Loken, Bye, Colloton

Filed Date: 12/2/2011

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 11/5/2024