United States v. Nicholas Beattie

I would hold that the Government breached the plea agreement on December 27, 2017 when it invited the district court to consider denying Beattie a reduction for acceptance of responsibility on the basis of his alleged pre-plea obstruction of justice. Accordingly, I would vacate his sentence and remand for resentencing before a different judge. See United States v. Mosley , 505 F.3d 804 , 809-12 (8th Cir. 2007).

While "[c]ontract principles often provide a useful means by which to ... ensure the defendant what is reasonably due to him in the circumstances," a plea agreement "is not simply a…