5th Circuit Holds Sentencing Guidelines Constitutional
There's now a split in the circuits. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has held the federal sentencing guidelines constitutional in US vs. Pineiro, no. 03-30437. (pdf.) The panel was unanimous. One of the panel members was Bush recess appointee Charles Pickering. Link via Sentencing Law and Policy which has analysis up already.
Also, check out Blakely Blog. Looks like we're headed back to the Supreme Court on this one.
Update: The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' (NACDL) letter to Sen. Hatch on Blakely is here.
Update: ABA President Dennis Archer sent Sen. Hatch this letter today in advance of tomorrow's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Some quotes:
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