Criminal Justice
100s of Court Orders in 2 Days Under New Crack Sentence Rules
Posted Mar 5, 2008, 05:58 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Some 400 federal court orders reducing inmate sentences have been issued in the first two days since new rules took effect that eliminate a disparity in the penalties for powder and crack cocaine offenses.
"A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons could not say how many prisoners have already been released under the U.S. Sentencing Commission's new guidelines, but the bureau has processed about 400 orders modifying prison terms nationwide," reports the Washington Post.
Prior coverage:
ABAJournal.com: "Mandatory Minimum Laws Preserve Crack Sentencing Disparity"
ABAJournal.com: "Commission OKs Retroactive Reduced Crack Sentences"
ABAJournal.com: "ABA Experts: Cut Crack Cocaine Sentences"
ABAJournal.com: "Feds May Release 19,500 Early in Crack Cases"