United States Seventh Circuit

Defendant's conviction and sentence for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin is affirmed where: 1) the district court did not abuse its discretion when it permitted defendant to represent himself, and defendant must be held to the choice he made; 2) although it is regrettable that the court did not explain a shackling decision, there is no plain error; 3) although the court erred in admitting evidence of overdose by defendant's clients, the error was harmless; and 4) although some errors were made by the district court, imposition of a life sentence was substantively reasonable as the errors were harmless.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/11/2010
• Published 01/11/2010

Judges

• WOOD, Circuit Judge., Before EASTERBROOK, Chief Judge, and POSNER and WOOD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Seventh Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• George A. Norwood, Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Benton, IL, for Plaintiff-Appellee., Matthew M. Killen, G. David Mathues, Attorney, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Chicago, IL, Kevin M. Cooper, Oklahoma City, OK, for Defendant-Appellant.