US v. Cooper, No. 08-4021

Defendant's conviction and sentence for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin is affirmed where: 1) the district court did not abuse its discretion when it permitted defendant to represent himself, and defendant must be held to the choice he made; 2) although it is regrettable that the court did not explain a shackling decision, there is no plain error; 3) although the court erred in admitting evidence of overdose by defendant's clients, the error was harmless; and 4) although some errors were made by the district court, imposition of a life sentence was substantively reasonable as the errors were harmless. 

Read US v. Cooper, No. 08-4021

Appellate Information

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

Decided January 11, 2010

Judges

Before:  Easterbrook, Chief Judge, and Posner and Wood, Circuit Judges

Opinion by Circuit Judge Wood