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Memorandum Opinion and Order
The court must decide whether, under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, to accept or reject the plea agreement between the defendant, Mr. Charles York Walker, and the government. While Rule 11 gives defendants and prosecutors the ability to enter into plea agreements, it also obligates judges to accept or reject those agreements.1 Rule 11 is silent on what the court should or may consider in its decision.
Memorandum Opinion and Order
Pending before the court is the defendant’s Motion to Suppress [ECF No. 27]. The government filed its Response [ECF No. 33], and at the direction of the court, both parties provided supplemental briefing [ECF Nos. 40, 49, 50]. The matter is now ripe for decision. For the following reasons, the defendant’s Motion is DENIED.
Memorandum Opinion and Order
On February 14, 2017, I directed the parties to submit simultaneous briefing regarding the contours of what an alternative, feasible design can be under West Virginia law. I asked the parties to cover this issue as broadly as possible, taking into consideration the multiple tort theories available to a plaintiff under West Virginia law. On February 20, 2017, the parties filed their respective briefs [ECF Nos. 1867 & 1868]. On February 21, 2017, the parties filed their respective responses [ECF Nos. 1872 & 1873]. This Order will discuss many of the legal arguments made by the parties in their briefing and at the February 22, 2017, final pretrial conference.