UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
Filed 5/29/96
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. No. 96-5090
(D.C. No. 96-CR-12-H)
JOHN HUDSON WHITAKER, (N.D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT*
Before PORFILIO, KELLY, and HENRY, Circuit Judges.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of this appeal.
See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered submitted
without oral argument.
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law
of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation
of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms
and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Defendant is charged by indictment with two counts of possession with intent to
distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 (a)(1). The government
moved for detention without bond. A hearing was held before a magistrate judge, who
issued an order of detention without bond pending trial. Defendant filed a motion to review
the detention order, and the district court reversed the detention order and ordered that
defendant be released pending trial. The government appeals the district court’s order
releasing defendant pending trial.
It is our task to afford plenary review to the district court’s release order with respect
to mixed questions of law and fact and to review purely factual findings independently with
due deference. United States v. Stricklin, 932 F.2d 1353, 1355 (10th Cir. 1991). We cannot
review, however, that which does not exist. As a result, we must remand this case to the
district court.
Defendant agrees with the government’s contention that the indictment itself
establishes the probable cause necessary to trigger the rebuttable presumption of 18 U.S.C.
§ 3142(e). See Stricklin, 932 F.2d at 1355. It does not appear, however, that the district
court applied the § 3142(e) rebuttable presumption. Neither does the district court’s oral
ruling set forth any findings as to why it declined to apply the presumption. Further, if it was,
in fact, the intention of the district court that the presumption does not apply, the oral ruling
contains no findings justifying the order of release. Similarly, if it was the intention of the
district court that the presumption applied, but that defendant presented sufficient evidence
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to rebut the presumption, the district court gave no hint as to the factual findings supporting
that result.
Consequently, we remand this case to the district court for further findings as to (1)
why the § 3142(e) presumption was not applied; and (2) justification of the release order if
the presumption does not apply. Further, should the district court determine that the
presumption does apply but that it was rebutted by sufficient evidence, we must have the
benefit of factual findings upon which that decision is based.
The case is REMANDED to the district court for further proceedings consistent with
this order and judgment.
ENTERED FOR THE COURT
PER CURIAM
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