Thursday, October 11, 2007

U.S. v. Sutcliffe (9th Cir. - Oct. 11, 2007)

Yikes! Want to read a creepy story about a dangerously threatening geek? Then read the first four pages of this opinion. Nasty.

Later on, notice how the defendant (Steven Sutcliffe) goes through not one, not two, but six different attorneys -- before the trial court forces him to represent himself, anyway -- by purposefully insulting, attacking, and suing them during the representation. How'd you like to be one of those attorneys? Especially knowing the type of -- pretty much insane -- person you're representing? Not fun.

Sutcliffe gets less than four years in prison. And, scarily, is already out on the streets, on supervised release.

Funny line by the district court, which sentenced Sutcliffe to the top end of the guidelines range. Judge Matz tells Sutcliffe: "If there were a crime . . . that consisted of arrogance, I would depart upward to sentence you to a much longer sentence." Never something you want to hear your judge say at sentencing, I imagine.