United States v. Richard Cooke

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION JUN 30 2015 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Nos. 13-10677 14-10007 Plaintiff - Appellee, D.C. No. 3:13-cr-08081-DGC v. RICHARD COOKE, MEMORANDUM* Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Arizona David G. Campbell, District Judge, Presiding Submitted June 22, 2015** Before: HAWKINS, GRABER, and W. FLETCHER, Circuit Judges. In these consolidated appeals, Richard Cooke appeals from the district court’s judgment and challenges the 228-month sentence imposed following his jury-trial convictions for voluntary manslaughter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112; and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation * This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm. Cooke contends that the district court procedurally erred by failing to explain adequately its imposition of the high-end Guidelines sentence on the voluntary manslaughter count. We review for plain error, see United States v. Valencia-Barragan, 608 F.3d 1103, 1108 (9th Cir. 2010), and find none. The record reflects that the district court sufficiently explained the basis for its sentence. Contrary to Cooke’s contention, the district court justified its imposition of the particular sentence and responded to the parties’ arguments. See Rita v. United States, 551 U.S. 338, 357 (2007). AFFIRMED. 2 13-10677