Obama commutes sentences for 8 drug inmates under new policy

[Ruby the Liberal]

First Cuba and now this? Where has this man been for 6 years??

Cross-posting from GD:

Obama commutes sentences for 8 drug inmates under new policy
Associated Press
By NEDRA PICKLER 22 minutes ago


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday cut short prison time for eight drug convicts as part of his new initiative to reduce harsh sentences under outdated guidelines, a step that could lead to a vast expansion of presidential clemency in his final two years in office.

The president also is pardoning 12 convicts for a variety of offenses. But the commutations are particularly significant because they are the first issued under new guidelines announced earlier this year designed to cut costs by reducing the nation's bulging prison population and grant leniency to nonviolent drug offenders sentenced to double-digit terms.

A pardon forgives a crime without erasing the conviction, typically after the sentence has been served. A commutation leaves the conviction and ends the punishment.

The White House said the eight new commutations Obama granted were for prisoners who likely would receive a substantially lower sentence today and would have already served their time. For example, they include Barbara Scrivner, who was sentenced to 30 years in 1995 when she was 27 years old for a minor role in her husband's meth ring. Obama ordered her sentence to expire June 12, while others will expire April 15.

Administration officials say they expect Obama to grant more clemency petitions in his final two years in office under the changed policy he ordered from the Justice Department. The White House said 6,561 people already have applied in the past year, compared to 2,370 the year before.

"I think there is an awareness out there that this president is interested in granting clemency on these kinds of matters," White House counsel Neil Eggleston said in an interview.

Full report: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-commutes-sentences-8-drug-inmates-under-policy-203116883.html;_ylt=A0LEVjAs8pFUX9IAFZwPxQt.

GD Discussion: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025973326

[truedelphi]

1. I sure hope that cannabis warrior extra ordinaire Lynnette Shaw will get herself justice too!

She was one of a handful of activists who got the Prop 215 initiative written and passed here in California.

While that was happening, Bill Clinton and Janet Reno tried to strip her from her right to keep open the Fairfax Calif. medicinal marijuana dispensary. And they issued an edict banning her from ever working in any dispensary here in California. (She managed to stay on at the Fairfax club, for quite a while, due to a legal technicality.

And not only that, the government apprehended her entire Social Security earnings - she is the only American who has ever had that happen to them.

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. I just saw this in GD

Didn't know it was coming, or any detail behind it. Is there someone you could petition about her case based on the main link?

Days like this, I miss Rain Dog alot. She would have ideas and lists, lists and lists of names of people whose cases should be considered - and all without breaking a sweat.

[truedelphi]

3. I will call and tell Lynnette. She has a couple of lawyers who still

Owe her a block or two of her time. But often she doesn't keep on top of headlines about progress on the cannabis legalization front.

And I didn't realize Rain Dog is not here. It looks like her last post was in July of this year. Is she okay? Her journal is still up.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news

RD passed away suddenly back in July.

If I can help you/Lynnette locating resources, let me know. I am off all next week and would have time to search.

[truedelphi]

5. Oh no.

I almost want to say - "are you sure?"

RD had so much passion, and she was such an outspoken source of energy. Sometimes we tangled and more often than not we colluded on the cannabis issue.

What happened? (Over the summer months I was involved in many face to face political things - not as aware of my internet life as over the fall and winter.)