Scott v. United States
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
419 F.2d 264 (1969)
Relevant factsFree
After Vincent Scott (defendant) pleaded not guilty, testified in his own defense, and was convicted of robbery, the sentencing judge stated on the record that he disbelieved Scott's testimony and would have imposed a more lenient sentence had Scott pleaded guilty, then sentenced him to five to fifteen years.
IssueFree
Whether a judge may impose a harsher sentence upon a convicted defendant merely because the defendant pleaded not guilty and contested the charges at trial.