The next big Blakely issue: the prior conviction exception

As noted before here, the theoretical soundness of Almendarez-Torres‘ “prior conviction” exception to the Apprendi/Blakely rule has been widely questioned, and Justice Thomas’ statements suggest that there are no longer five Justices who support this exception. Nevertheless, the “prior conviction” exception remains good law (for now), and we are continuing to see courts in the wake of Blakely giving this exception a broad reading.

The recent Indiana state court decision in Carson (details here) is one very recent example of a (questionable) state ruling applying this exception expansively to escape Blakely‘s reach. Similarly, a recent unpublished order from California in People v. Cairati, No. A104764 (Cal. Ct. App., Aug. 19, 2004) (available here) gave the Almendarez-Torres exception a broad application through this holding:

Here, in imposing the aggravated term of 11 years in state prison, the court relied on several aggravating factors including defendant’s “prior convictions [that] show a continuing pattern of violence and escalation which is frightening,” the viciousness of the current offense, that defendant was armed with a shovel when he committed the offense, and his prior poor or unsuccessful performance on probation. That defendant had prior convictions that were numerous or of increasing seriousness is a specific factor supporting an aggravated term. Assuming Blakely applies to the California determinate sentencing scheme, under Apprendi, as reiterated in Blakely, the fact of defendant’s prior convictions does not require a jury determination. Because even a single aggravating factor is sufficient to justify the imposition of the aggravated term, the trial court could properly rely on defendant’s prior convictions without a jury determination in imposing the aggravated term.

The Booker and Fanfan cases will not give the Justices a direct opportunity to address the scope and application of the prior conviction exception. It has been noted here that the High Court, just before Blakely came down, granted cert in a case, US v. Shepard, 03-9168, that could turn out to be a vehicle for revisiting Almendarez-Torres in light of Blakely. Yet, as detailed here and here, Shepard is a federal case technically about a little issue in federal law. And oral argument in Shepard likely will not take place before next year.

Just as the federal criminal justice system needs a quick clarification of Blakely‘s applicability to the federal guidelines, I think both state and federal criminal justice systems will soon need a direct clarification of the validity and scope of the prior conviction exception in the wake of Blakely.