U.S. v. Offutt

Defendant was found guilty of multiple drug and firearm offenses and was sentenced to 300 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. On appeal he challenged both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the trial court erred when it instructed the jury that his flight from law enforcement could be considered as evidence of his consciousness of guilt. Defendant also argued that the trial court violated the Sixth Amendment when it denied his request for counsel at sentencing. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, finding that the flight instruction did not impact the outcome of the trial and that defendant constructively waived his right to counsel. (HAMILTON and SCUDDER, concurring)