United States v. Malicia Lyn Taylor Osborne

OPINION

MOORE, Circuit Judge.

Defendant-appellant Malicia Lyn Taylor Osborne (“Mrs. Osborne”) pleaded guilty in United States District Court to various drug-related offenses. Mrs. Osborne was represented in district court by defense counsel Steven Thornton (“Thornton”). Thornton also represented her codefen-dant husband James Osborne (“Mr. Osborne”). On appeal, Mrs. Osborne asserts that this dual representation created a constitutionally impermissible conflict of interest. Specifically, Mrs. Osborne contends her Sixth Amendment right to conflict-free counsel was violated and that because of…