United States First Circuit

Convictions arising from a drug-related mass shooting in connection with a drug-trafficking and RICO enterprise are affirmed as to defendant David Oquendo-Rivas (Oquendo) but vacated as to defendant Alexis Candelario-Santana (Candelario). The Court held that the district court's feigned closure of the courtroom, including announcement of adjournment and the attorneys' feigned packing up, as an effort to protect a witness testifying against defendant Candelario from reprisals, amounted to an unconstitutional closure in violation of the Sixth Amendment requiring reversal of Candelario's conviction.

Appellate Information

• Published 2016/08/17

Judges

• TORRUELLA

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel