It's going to be a lot of pot politics in the Drug War Chronicle this week. With the November elections now little more than a month away, there are developments in both Colorado and Nevada, the two states where measures that would free the weed are on the ballot. In Colorado, SAFER Colorado campaign director Mason Tvert is debating Colorado Attorney General John Suthers today.
Huge news from Radley Balko. Cory Mayeâs attorney Rhonda Cooper was found incompetent during the sentencing phase, which means Mayeâs death sentence is vacated, at least for now.
For anyone unfamiliar with the case, Cory Maye was sentenced to death in Mississippi after fatally shooting a police officer who he mistook for a burglar. Maye lived alone with his infant daughter and had no criminal record. The raid appears to have been a mistake, but Mayeâs apparent attempt to defend his home and daughter led to a murder conviction and a now-vacated death sentence.
Balkoâs article in Reason Magazine provides an in-depth look at the case, which Iâd argue is one of the most compelling stories of injustice yet to emerge from our disastrous war on drugs.
Read the article, then check out Balkoâs blog The Agitator for on-going coverage of Mayeâs appeal. There's a lot happening with the case over the next couple weeks , so this is a great time to get caught up.
Tim Russert: Is Afghanistan becoming a narco-state?