U.S. v. Kamkarian

Dist. Ct. did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea to charge of possession of child pornography, even though defendant claimed that he was not competent to enter into instant guilty plea. Record showed that Dist. Ct. ordered psychological evaluation of defendant, and that psychologist determined that defendant was competent to make instant guilty plea, even though both before and after entry of guilty plea, defendant was in hospital for observation on possibility of suicide and self-harm. Moreover, Dist. Ct. could base denial on its own observation that defendant was competent at guilty plea hearing, where defendant admitted his guilt and expressed satisfaction with his counsel during plea colloquy, and where psychologist opined that defendant was competent.