The SG and Severability

As with the arguments that Blakely does not apply to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, there is so much to say (and likely to be so many coming posts) about the argument that the “Guidelines as a whole are inapplicable in cases in which the Constitution would override the Guidelines’ requirement that the district court find a sentence-enhancing fact.” I have not even had a chance to read closely the specifics of the SG’s argument on this issue, but two quick observations already seem essential:

1. On page 67 of the SG’s brief, the government seems not only to concede, but also to contend, that the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (SRA) is severable. Specifically, the government explains in detail that the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 3553(a) would still govern federal sentencing even if Blakely is held applicable to the federal guidelines. Thus, the real severability issue in Booker and Fanfan is apparently not whether some aspects of the federal sentencing system is severability, but rather only which aspects are severable. (Arguably, the emphasis in the Senators brief on the SRA as a “comprehensive plan” might be in tension with the SG’s “pro-severability” claims, but I will leave it to others for now to debate this fine point.)

2. From a very quick read, it seems that the SG is completely ducking the question of whether, if Blakely applies to the federal guidelines, the guidelines can and should still apply in cases that do not raise any “Blakely factors.” As noted here and here, at least two federal judges are on record (Judge Gertner in Meuffleman and Judge Presnell in King) as saying that, if the guidelines are wholly inapplicable in some federal cases, then they are wholly inapplicable in all federal cases. I was hoping to see the SG’s brief address this critically important issue head on.