Nautica Blu Hamilton v. United States

At Petitioner’s sentencing hearing, the prosecutor successfully advocated for the statutory maximum sentence—30 years’ imprisonment—because Petitioner was a “young woman” when she committed the crime, and “to prevent” Petitioner “from being able to have her own children.”

1. Does a prosecutor commit structural error by advocating a harsher sentence because the defendant is a young woman who would otherwise be capable of bearing children?

2. If not, what quantum of proof is sufficient to show that the error affected the defendant’s substantial rights? (i)