Obama Commutes Sentences Of 22 Convicted Of Federal Drug Offenses

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Tuesday shortened the prison sentences of nearly two dozen drug convicts, including some given life in prison for their crimes.

The White House said the action continued Obama's effort to reduce harsh sentences imposed under outdated guidelines, a step that could lead him to use his powers to grant clemency more often in the final 22 months left in his term.

Neil Eggleston, the White House counsel, said many of the 22 people whose federal sentences will be cut short by Obama's action would already have served their time and paid their debt to society had they been sentenced under current laws and policies.

"Because many were convicted under an outdated sentencing regime, they served years — in some cases more than a decade — longer than individuals convicted today of the same crime," Eggleston said in a post on the White House blog. He said the commutations granted underscore Obama's "commitment to using all the tools at his disposal to bring greater fairness and equity to our justice system."

-SNIP-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-commutes-federal-drug-prison-sentences

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. Thanks, Obama.

I mean it.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. "But what about all the peoples' sentences he didn't commute ...

in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

[Fred Sanders]

3. It will never be enough for some folks it seems. Obama needs our 101% full support in these times.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. Holder and Obama have encouraged these folks to seek commutations.

He was slow off the mark to exercise the commutation power--today's action doubles the number of drug commutations he's taken since 2009--but it seems to be ramping up. And he's still got nearly two years left.

Yeah, he and Holder could have done more, but they've done quite a bit on the horrible drug sentencing issue. I'm not going to chide them.

[pipoman]

5. 22....out of 100,000 drug offenders in federal prison...

Not sure the criticism isn't warranted....

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. Would 2,200 have been enough? What about 22,000 ...

or 99,999?

[pipoman]

8. You don't find 0.02% a little anemic?

[Comrade Grumpy]

14. People have to actually apply. Obama and Holder have been encouraging them to do so.

Obama has been fairly economical with the use of the pardon and commutation power--his action today doubled the number of commutations issued in his term--but I hope he will open the floodgates in the final two years.

[1StrongBlackMan]

17. Apply and meet the conditions for which the commutation applied ...

i.e., get caught with a brick of weed for the third time, you probably don't need to be in a federal pen; but you wouldn't meet the commutation terms ... just like a whole bunch of that 100,000.

[Comrade Grumpy]

21. Yes. I think Holder said about 40,000 of the 100,000 were eligible.

[1StrongBlackMan]

23. And while, I suspect every one of them ..

wants out of prison, probably less than 1% will act.

[Comrade Grumpy]

27. We'll see. There had been problems with the US pardons attorneys office.

Obama pretty much cleaned those up.

There was a backlog and a lot of cases not acted on. I don't really know the status of those.

But regarding the call to seek commutations, it would be interesting to know how DOJ is publicizing it. I mean, the defense and public defender bar knows, but a lot of these prisoners are years into their sentences and probably don't even have attorneys anymore. Some prisoners' friends or families might have heard about it, but that would be pretty scattershot. There are groups like FAMM, but they impact relatively few prisoners.

You'd think if they were serious, they'd have BOP sending out flyers to every cell.

I don't know what they are doing.

[tridim]

7. There are 100,000 non-violent drug offenders in prison?

Just asking for clarification because it doesn't sound right. Maybe it is though, whoa!

[pipoman]

9. Federal prison...it was a quick Google...don't know how accurate

I know there are quite a few more than 22...

[tridim]

10. Do you have a link?

None of the links I found specify "Non-violent drug offenders".

[pipoman]

11. No...I don't know...the wsj has an article talking about 40,000

Over 40,000 Federal Inmates Could Be Released Early From Prison

http://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-panel-votes-to-reduce-sentences-for-nonviolent-drug-offenders-1405710897

Of coarse this begs the question what is a "violent drug offender"....someone who the police say resisted, or someone who actually hurt others...

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Yes, that's right. 96,000 drug offenders, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

http://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_offenses.jsp

Just under half of all federal inmates.

In 1980, there were fewer than 25,000 federal prisoners. Now, there are 209,000.

The land of the free...

[phleshdef]

16. How many are violent offenders or were committing other serious offenses on top of the drug charges?

I think thats the important distinction and I'm not sure where to get that data.

[Comrade Grumpy]

20. These are people whose most serious charge was a drug charge.

Violent offenders tend to get charged with violent offenses.

[JEB]

12. A step in the right direction.

A baby step, but lets hope it leads to more serious cuts to the Prison Industrial Complex. Many lives being wasted still.

[Chemisse]

15. Yes!!

I was hoping he would do something like this.

[Enthusiast]

18. Ya done good, Mr. President.

[Pastiche423]

19. GOV. DON SIEGLEMAN!

Damnit!

[99th_Monkey]

22. 100+ nt

[markmyword]

24. Don Siegleman!

When does he plan to PARDON Don Siegelman????

Siegelman was the ex Alabama governor who was railroaded by Carl Rove and his gang. The prosecutors, judges, and Rove all should be THROWN a in jail with NO parole!!!!

As a CONSTITIONAL lawyer who TAUGHT law at the UNIVERSITY of CHICAGO, Obama should have pardoned him SEVEN YEARS ago.

It's unbelievable that Obama has not rectified this MISCARRIAGE of justice!!!

[HassleCat]

25. In 3, 2, 1...

What? No outrage? No dire warnings that Obama is releasing 22 dangerous criminals so they can go fight for ISIS? Is Tuesday official Nap All Day for Republicans?

[mountain grammy]

26. I'm so relieved this is happening and giving

Hope to thousands of families, yes thousands, who have been trapped in our criminal injustice system... Yes, indeed. Thanks Obama, don't stop.

[GGJohn]

28. Too bad he doesn't have the power to commute or pardon state non violent drug offenders.

That would make room for the truly violent offenders that deserve to be in prison and relieve the pressure in the prisons.