USA v. Fletcher

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
AT KNOXVILLE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 	)
)
Plaintiff, 	)
v. 	) 	No. 3:25-CR-41-TAV-JEM
)
DEANDRE Q. FLETCHER, 	)
)
Defendant. 	)
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
All pretrial motions in this case have been referred to the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 636(b) for disposition or recommendation as appropriate. This case is before the Court on
Defendant Deandre Fletcher’s Motion to Continue Deadlines and Trial Date [Doc. 31], filed on
March 6, 2026.
Defendant asks to continue the March 31, 2026 trial date and the February 27, 2026 plea
deadline [Id. p. 1]. As grounds, Defendant states that the parties need additional time to work
toward an agreed resolution [Id. ¶ 2].1 Defendant understands and agrees that all time between the
filing of the motion and the new trial date is excludable from the speedy trial calculation [Id. ¶ 3].
The Government does not oppose the requested continuance [Id. ¶ 4].
Based upon the information in Defendant’s motion, and because the Government does not
oppose the continuance, the Court finds the ends of justice served by granting a continuance
outweigh the interests of Defendant and the public in a speedy trial. See 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A).
1 	Defendant also references his motion for leave to file a late suppression motion beyond the
deadline [Doc. 31 ¶ 1]. The Court did not permit the late suppression motion [see Doc. 32]
and, thus, does not consider the motion as a basis for excluding time until the new trial date. The
time needed to litigate the motion for leave, however, is excludable. See 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(1)(D)
& (H).
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In making this determination, the Court has considered the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. §
3161(h)(7)(B). Specifically, the Court concludes that failing to grant a continuance would both
result in a miscarriage of justice and deny counsel for Defendant Fletcher the reasonable time
necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence. See id.
§ 3161(h)(7)(B)(i), (iv). The parties need additional time to engage in plea negotiations, and, if
plea negotiations are ultimately not fruitful, counsel for Defendant needs time to otherwise prepare
for trial. See id. § 3161(h)(7)(B)(iv). The Court finds that all of this cannot occur before the
March 31, 2026 trial date.
The Court therefore GRANTS Defendant Fletcher’s Motion to Continue Deadlines and
Trial Date [Doc. 31]. The trial of this case is reset to June 30, 2026. A new trial schedule is
included below. Because the Court finds that the ends of justice served by granting a continuance
outweigh the interests of Defendant and the public in a speedy trial, all time between the filing of
the motion on March 6, 2026, and the new trial date is fully excludable time under the Speedy
Trial Act. See 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(1)(D), (h)(7)(A)–(B).
Accordingly, the Court ORDERS as follows:
(1) 	Defendant’s Motion to Continue Deadlines and Trial Date [Doc. 31]
is GRANTED;
(2) 	the trial of this matter is reset to commence on June 30, 2026, at
9:00 	a.m., 	before 	the 	Honorable 	Thomas 	A. 	Varlan,
United States District Judge;
(3) 	all time between the filing of the motion on March 6, 2026, and the
new trial date of June 30, 2026, is fully excludable time under the
Speedy Trial Act for the reasons set forth herein;
(4) 	the deadline for filing a plea agreement in the record and providing
reciprocal discovery is May 29, 2026;
(5) 	the deadline for filing motions in limine is June 15, 2026, and
responses to motions in limine are due on or before June 23, 2026;
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(6) 	the parties are to appear before the undersigned for a final pretrial
conference on June 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.; and
(7) 	requests for special jury instructions with appropriate citations to
authority pursuant to Local Rule 7.4 shall be filed on or before
June 19, 2026.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
ENTER:
__________________________
Jill E. McCook
United States Magistrate Judge
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