Only One Commutation :) Ask for More!
According to the Associated Press, President Bush issued 16 pardons yesterday, including one sentence commutation. Six of them including the commutation were for drug offenses. (For those of you who are not familiar with this, a pardon can simply mean that an old offense is wiped off of one's record -- feels good, may help with employment and other matters, but the individual was already finished with any incarceration that was part of the sentence.)
A commutation is when someone actually gets out early or finishes parole or probation early.
According to the AP:
Bush also granted a commutation of sentence to Phillip Anthony Emmert of Washington, Iowa, whose case involved conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced Dec. 23, 1992, to 262 months’ imprisonment (reduced on Feb. 21, 1996) and five years’ supervised release. Bush directed that Emmert’s sentence expire on this coming Jan. 20, but left the supervised release intact.Please contact the White House to let them know that: 1) We're glad he's releasing Phillip Emmert; 2) One commutation is nowhere near good enough. The president should release more nonviolent drug offenders this year! Just a few of the more well known ones: Weldon Angelos, Clarence Aaron, Lawrence & Lamont Garrison.
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wrong
you can pardon someone who is still serving the sentence while in jail. It does not have to be an old conviction.
Pardon means that it is forgiven - it is off your record for good. You were never convicted.
Commutation means you get out of jail or prison or off parole or probation early but you are still a convict. Try to be more accurate.
This is what I said.
I said the same thing that you did.
David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
Washington, DC
http://stopthedrugwar.org
also
if we had a good President he would pardon all non-violent drug offenders - starting with those in prison. VOTE LIBERTARIAN!
Time for a change
It is about time that the President do something good for our budget. Next he needs to do away with the mandatory minimum sentencing. That policy is just putting all of the power into the prosecutors hands and taking the power from the Judge overlooking the case. There are ways around this politics and we just need someone in there that wants to do good by the people of the United States and not just what is right for their pockets. My husband is serving time for a charge that was bogus and he received the harsher sentence than the other individuals involved. They have to do time for a charge they have already served and then have to serve for that same charge later on. Then we have these violent offenders that get out after just a few years but a drug offender has to serve about 10 years anymore. That is crazy and it isn't solving any of the problems that are out there. They aren't getting the treatment that they need while they are in there. It is time for a change in our Judicial system.
I'm a prosecutor
I see every day courts tied up with drug cases when they could be hearing murder and attempted murder cases. I see young men blowing each other's brains out over drug territory. I see violent criminals released after serving less then half of their sentences because the prisons are overpopulated.
The war on drugs is not working. In fact most judges in my town see it as a joke and try to undercut the state whenever possible offering probation and time served. Some just don't believe in the war on drugs. Most are just trying to manage their dockets so they can get to the bar or golf course.
I see a city in decline, a civilization in despair.
We must end this horrible war!
non violent inmates
i agree with you my husband is serving a 15 year sentence for drug conspiracy and its to long he has learned his lesson this time he has served in prison is in so many ways been the best thing that ever happened but now he needs to be home we have 4 children that i am raising by myself and we are suffering if my husband doesnt get out before 15 years all of our kids will be gone and grown its not fair he is a good father, a good husband and a good man, he just made some bad choices. 15 years is to long and its not fair
The prosecutor's comment
This is a miracle! Usually the prosecutors are a the largest part of the problem. Too many prosecutors prosecute persons they know are innocent, or at least any reasonable person would know they are innocent, but once a prosecutor has his/her claws in a victim, they don't let loose for ANY reason. I'm not bashing this particular prosecutor, obviously, he/she has a conscience.
I think a solution would be to pass laws that take away prosecutor's immunity to lawsuits, pass laws that would make it mandatory for a prosecutor to take on the sentence of anyone he/she prosecuted, KNOWING of his/her innocense. The same for police. By the way, police corruption is also lying in court, taking sex for letting people off and some other seemingly innocent activities.
Anyway, hooray for a prosecutor who tells the truth about his/her job. I advise him/her to quit the job.
Drug war and war in Iraq
Most American's now see the futility of our war in Iraq. I believe that we need to tie the war on drugs to the war in Iraq. The war in Iraq cannot be won and neither can the war on drugs.
Both were started for bogus reasons.
The war in Iraq is now an occupation. Occupations cannot be won.
Who is going to sign the peace treaty?
The war on drugs cannot be won. Who is going to sign the peace treaty?
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