Ralph Henry Cooper v. United States

PHILLIPS, Circuit Judge:

Cooper appeals his jury trial conviction on two counts of bribery of a witness, 18 U.S.C. § 201(e), and two counts of obstruction of justice, 18 U.S.C. § 1503. He assigns errors in the conduct of the trial, and in the-refusal of the district court to compel enforcement of a proposal made to him by the government in plea discussions. We find no prejudicial error in the trial, but find constitutional error in the district court’s refusal to enforce the government’s plea proposal. For this error we vacate the judgment and remand with instructions.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The…