United States Fourth Circuit

Because plea negotiations between the parties had come to an end and they signed a written plea agreement before the district judge was involved, the judge's comments at plea proceeding could not be characterized as participation in plea negotiations in violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(e)(1), especially when there was nothing coercive about the comments made.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/29/2001
• Decided 03/22/2002
• Published 03/22/2002

Judges

• Before LUTTIG, TRAXLER, and KING, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Cheryl Johns Sturm, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, for Defendant-Appellant.  James McCormick Webster, III, Assistant United States Attorney, Baltimore, Maryland, for Plaintiff-Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Stephen M. Schenning, United States Attorney, Baltimore, Maryland, for Plaintiff-Appellee.