Opinion ID: 201627
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Blakely/Booker Challenges10

Text: 29 The record makes it clear that in determining all of these sentences the district court followed the analytical regime in place before rendition of the decision in Booker. It is to be presumed and it is, in fact, clear from the record that the District Judge considered herself required to determine and impose sentences as established by the Sentencing Guidelines. It is equally clear that in working out the necessary guideline determinations, she made several findings of fact critical to the determination of the extent of the final sentences which were not within the scope of jury findings in determining the guilt of the Defendants and which were not admitted by the Defendants. It is also clear that she made those findings upon application of the preponderance of the evidence standard. 30 There is now no room for doubt that sentences based upon a predicate of mandated compliance with the requirements of the Sentencing Guidelines do not now pass constitutional muster. The sentences imposed on these Defendants do not comply with the holding of Booker in that respect. 31 The Defendants did not, however, object to their sentences on Sixth Amendment grounds in the district court. 11 Because Defendants made no arguments in the district court concerning the constitutionality of the Guidelines or the application of the Guidelines to their sentences under Apprendi, we review only for plain error. 12 See Antonakopoulos, 399 F.3d at 76. 13 32 Under the four-part plain error test outlined in Olano, we grant relief only if we find (1) an error, (2) that is plain, and that not only (3) affected the defendant's substantial rights, but also (4) seriously affect[ed] the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings. Antonakopoulos, 399 F.3d at 77 (quoting Olano, 507 U.S. at 736, 113 S.Ct. 1770). The Defendants bear the burden of persuasion with respect to all four elements of the test. See United States v. Gonzalez-Mercado, 402 F.3d 294, 302 (1st Cir.2005) (citing Antonakopoulos, 399 F.3d at 77). 33 The first two prongs are satisfied here because the district court treated the Guidelines as mandatory at sentencing. See Antonakopoulos, 399 F.3d at 77. To meet the third prong of the test Defendants must show a reasonable probability that the district court would impose a more favorable sentence to the Defendants under the now advisory Guidelines. Id. at 75. [W]e are inclined not to be overly demanding as to proof of probability where, either in the existing record or by plausible proffer, there is reasonable indication that the district judge might well have reached a different result under advisory guidelines. Heldeman, 402 F.3d at 224; accord United States v. Vega Molina, 407 F.3d 511, 533 (1st Cir.2005). 34 Each Defendant has failed to present us with any argument of substance regarding the probability of a sentence reduction on remand in his case. Rather, they invite us to disregard Antonakopoulos and accept a per se remand rule in every case where a Booker error occurs. They argue that we should presume that the district court would have analyzed the case differently were it not for the mandatory nature of the Guidelines. That position was squarely rejected in Antonakopoulos. 35 We decline the Defendants' invitation to ignore Antonakopoulos. Absent unusual circumstances not present here, panels of this court are bound by prior circuit decisions. See United States v. Rodriguez, 311 F.3d 435, 438-39 (1st Cir. 2002). 14 Because Defendants have entirely failed to advance any viable theory as to how the Booker error prejudiced their substantial rights, 15 and because we find nothing in the record to suggest a basis for such an inference, we deny the requests to remand for Booker -error. Gonzalez-Mercado, 402 F.3d at 303.