sentencing
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Federal Court Ruling Could Help Some Minor Drug Offenders
Also, the ruling means we have a definitive and final answer for the meaning of the word "and".
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Biden Nominates First Black Chair of U.S. Sentencing Commission
The commission has been idle for the past three years.
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America's Oldest Juvenile Lifer Is a Black Man Who Was Released in Philadelphia After 68 Years in Prison
It should surprise absolutely no one that America’s oldest and longest-serving juvenile offender is a Black man. Joe Ligon was 15 years old when he received a life sentence in Philadelphia for his involvement in a series of robberies and assaults that left two people dead—people he has always denied killing while admitting that he…
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New Los Angeles District Attorney Announces Plans to End Cash Bail, Office Will No Longer Seek the Death Penalty
Newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced plans to enact sweeping reforms— including ending cash bail and the death penalty—while being sworn in on Tuesday. According to CNN, Gascón’s plan to immediately end cash bail for specific crimes could see hundreds of currently incarcerated people released as soon as tomorrow. While these releases…
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Maryland White Supremacist Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Shooting Black Man in 2018
A Maryland white supremacist was sentenced to 25 years in prison Wednesday for shooting a Black man in 2018 after a confrontation over the white man’s dog getting loose. HuffPost reports that 26-year-old former Navy cryptologist Brandon Higgs was originally sentenced to 40 years in prison after being found guilty in January of first-degree assault,…
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Pennsylvania Judge Hit With 6 Misconduct Counts Over Racist Comments; Called Juror 'Aunt Jemima'
In Pennsylvania, a white judge is facing six counts of judicial misconduct for being an outright racist. According to Newsweek, a formal complaint was filed against Allegheny County Judge Mark Tranquilli by the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board. The complaint alleges that Tranquilli engaged in racist behavior against Black jurors and defendants since at least 2015.…
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Black Veteran Sentenced to Life in Prison Over $30 Marijuana Sale Set to Be Freed
In Louisiana, a Black veteran currently serving life without parole over a $30 weed sale is set to be released. On Thursday, prosecutors in Vermilion Parish, La., agreed to release Derek Harris, who has served nine years in prison, KATC reports. Harris was arrested in 2008 for selling less than a gram of marijuana to…
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Man Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Threatening Rep. Ilhan Omar
The election of Donald Trump has really emboldened the “I don’t have a racist bone in my body” crowd. Seeing the president talk crazy with impunity has inspired his admirers to see if that lack of consequences also translated to them. In news surprising no one but white men, they don’t. NBC News reports that…