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Title: 1 Year Per Gram: Man Gets Insane 18 Year Prison Sentence for Weed, Judge Furious
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/ch ... ms-of-pot/#gAzHCR74HAqZFvTs.99
Published: May 7, 2017
Author: Justin Gardner
Post Date: 2017-05-08 09:36:27 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 4795
Comments: 17
Louisiana just proved how cruel the drug war can be, as the state’s Supreme Court upheld an 18-year prison sentence without possibility of parole – for possessing 18 grams of cannabis. In 2014, Gary Howard was convicted of “marijuana possession with intent to distribute” and a Caddo parish judge handed down the harsh sentence, labeling him as a “habitual offender” for a 2008 firearm possession conviction. The Supreme Court was convinced that the ‘intent to distribute’ charge was justified because Howard had the pot in five separate bags, even though “a prosecution expert conceded the marijuana could have been for Howard’s personal use” and “acknowledged it was possible the marijuana was purchased in the same form that police found it.” “As a practical matter, in light of the inconsequential amount of marijuana found, imprisoning defendant for this extreme length of time at a cost of about $23,000 per year (costing our state over $400,000 in total) provides little societal value and only serves to further burden our financially strapped state and its tax payers,” wrote Johnson. Johnson went on to suggest that authorities “overreacted” because a firearm was found during Howard’s arrest, resulting in a charge for which he was later acquitted. The fact that, in one state a person can be locked in a cage for 18 years for possessing a plant, while in other states a person can go to a store and legally buy the same amount of the plant, underscores a broken, thoroughly corrupt system. For decades government has carried out an immoral War on Drugs, created for the purpose of stifling dissent, oppressing minorities and enriching the corporatocracy. To this day, federal government maintains cannabis as a Schedule 1 narcotic, and we see prohibition serving the same goals. Even though most states have acknowledged the medical benefits of cannabis, legalizing its use, the feds continue a policy of deliberate ignorance – and it’s no coincidence that Big Pharma profits from prohibition. This is why pharma companies lobbied against state legalization efforts, admitting that legal cannabis threatens their profits. The Louisiana Supreme Court decision shows that the Reefer Madness mentality is alive and well in the cretins that inhabit the halls of ‘justice.’ Even as 60 percent of Americans now think recreational cannabis should be legal, arbiters of ‘justice’ have no reservations about locking people in cages for possessing said plant. The silver lining is that judges such as Bernette Johnson are not afraid to point out the absurdity of these sentences, which can only be called a war on people. “Legally, the state proved nothing more than simple possession of marijuana in this case.”
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
Average joint is 1/3 gram. so 3 times 18 is 54 joints. I guess they consider him a drug dealer and treated him as a career criminal. It is crazy since you get less sentence for manslaughter and rape. These kinda judgements are going to make it where feds get to setup mandated guidlines for sentencing.
We have the worst system of justice in the civilized world.
All the dopers want the states to regulate marijuana. But when it comes time to dish out the penalties, then they don't like that idea anymore. Louisiana is fairly lax on possession and they've legalized medical marijuana, but it has one of the harshest laws for distribution.
This case went all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court, so you can't say he didn't have multiple opportunities to present his side. The state spent more on dispensing justice than they will ever spend on his incarceration. This guy was a scumbag four-time felon, caught in 2008 with a gun. He was sent to prison, then violated his parole when released. Police were searching for him, and found him at his girlfriend's house From the Supreme Court case: "The officers found defendant in bed. They also found 11 grams of marijuana, in four separate bags inside a larger bag tied around the waistband of his boxer shorts (which were on the floor), another bag containing 7 grams of marijuana inside the bedroom closet, and a box of sandwich bags sitting on a TV stand in the bedroom." "Also inside the closet, the officers found a gun, some 1x1 jeweler bags, and an empty prescription bottle with a small baggie inside containing marijuana residue. Defendant was arrested and subsequently charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and with illegal possession of a weapon while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance." "After his motion to suppress the evidence was denied, he proceeded to trial and a jury found him guilty as charged of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, but not guilty on the weapon charge. The state thereafter filed a fourth-felony habitual offender bill. Defendant pleaded guilty to being a second-felony offender in exchange for a term of 18 years imprisonment without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
not if we abide by it. then it would be the best, but alas, that is not the case.
I would like to see some examples, how it is best.
Why not to make a mandatory sentence of 40 years for EVERY crime? Then the thirst for justice will be satiated and America will be numero uno.
This scumbag, felon, repeat-offender plea-bargained that sentence down to 18 years. It could have been more.
There are many criminals who agree with you.
Don't give misterwhite any ideas - he's already in favor of adopting the Philippine model for waging the War on Drugs here in Amerika. Kill anyone who might be a user or dealer. Be still, my heart.
Well then there will be very little crime in America. People would be either dead or in prison. Im thinking that would be a little harsh.
Yeah, but 40 years from now we'd have a great country.
http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=79154 The law regarding the fourth felony conviction, which Defendant Dindunuffin plea-bargained to get out from under, provides in relevant part: (a) The person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for the fourth or subsequent felony for a determinate term not less than the longest prescribed for a first conviction but in no event less than twenty years and not more than his natural life; or (b) If the fourth felony and two of the prior felonies are felonies defined as a crime of violence under R.S. 14:2(B), a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:540 et seq. when the victim is under the age of eighteen at the time of commission of the offense, or as a violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law punishable by imprisonment for ten years or more, or of any other crime punishable by imprisonment for twelve years or more, or any combination of such crimes, the person shall be imprisoned for the remainder of his natural life, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
Why do they bother to plea bargain? In 18 years he'll be out, commit another felony, and go right back to prison.
I rest my case.
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
#3. To: Deckard (#0)
#4. To: Vicomte13 (#2)
"We have the worst system of justice in the civilized world."
#5. To: Vicomte13 (#2)
We have the worst system of justice in the civilized world.
#6. To: John_Henry_DaDum (#5)
#5. To: Vicomte13 (#2)We have the worst system of justice in the civilized world.not if we abide by it.then it would be the best
#7. To: Justified (#1)
It is crazy since you get less sentence for manslaughter and rape
#8. To: Justified, John_Henry_DaDum, Deckard, Vicomte13, misterwhite (#7)
Then the righteous thirst for justice will be satiated and America will be numero uno.
#9. To: Deckard (#0)
"Man Gets Insane 18 Year Prison Sentence for Weed"
#10. To: Vicomte13 (#2)
(Edited)
We have the worst system of justice in the civilized world.
#11. To: A Pole (#7)
(Edited)
Why not to make a mandatory sentence of 40 years for EVERY crime?
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#12. To: A Pole (#7)
"Why not to make a mandatory sentence of 40 years for EVERY crime?"
#13. To: A Pole (#7)
#14. To: Justified (#13)
#15. To: misterwhite (#9)
This scumbag, felon, repeat-offender plea-bargained that sentence down to 18 years. It could have been more.
(4) If the fourth or subsequent felony is such that, upon a first conviction the offender would be punishable by imprisonment for any term less than his natural life then:
#16. To: nolu chan (#15)
#17. To: misterwhite (#14)
Yeah, but 40 years from now we'd have a great country.
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