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Extracted Text (OCR)
Case 22-1426, Document 59, 02/28/2023, 3475902, Page37 of 113
Annabi is also out of step with the law of this Circuit. It is well-settled that
“we determine whether a plea agreement has been breached by looking to the
reasonable understanding of the parties and by resolving any ambiguities against
the Government.” Altro, 180 F.3d at 375; see also U.S. v. Carmichael, 216 F.3d
224 (2d Cir. 2000) (“[W]e ‘construe plea agreements strictly against the
Government.’”) (quoting U.S. v. Ready, 82 F.3d 551, 559 (2d Cir. 1996)). But
Annabi flips this formulation on its head, holding that an ambiguous promise of
immunity by “the United States” is to be construed against the defendant—binding
just one USAO rather than the Government as a whole—“unless it affirmatively
appears that the agreement contemplates a broader restriction.” 771 F.2d at 672.
Annabi did not explain or acknowledge its departure from this longstanding
doctrine.
The District Court opined that this Court “has followed [Annabi]
steadfastly.” A190. Nothing could be further from the truth. This Court has been
exceedingly reluctant to affirm a conviction on the force of Annabi’s reasoning.
So reluctant, in fact, that it has never relied on Annabi in a published decision to
hold that a plea agreement’s reference to the “United States” or the “Government”
was nonbinding on other districts. very decision from this Court that cited
Annabi has done so essentially in dictum (as in cases involving unambiguous plea
Ze
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Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00021084.jpg |
| File Size | 649.2 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 93.9% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 1,507 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 20:07:01.474660 |