Derek Fields v. United States

Summary

The court affirmed denial of Fields’s § 2255 motion challenging counsel’s advice about an alleged 37-year plea offer made during jury selection. Assuming both that the offer existed and that counsel’s limited advice was deficient, the court held that Fields failed to show a reasonable probability that he would have accepted the offer or received a lower sentence. The court therefore also held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by denying relief without an evidentiary hearing.