Obama shortens terms for 214 prisoners; 67 had life sentence

[Crazieman]

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is cutting short the sentences of 214 federal inmates, including 67 serving life sentences.

The White House says it's the largest batch of commutations on a single day in more than a century. Almost all the prisoners were serving time for nonviolent drug offenses.

The commutations bring to 562 the total number of sentences Obama has shortened. The White House says that's more than the past nine presidents combined. Almost 200 of those who have benefited were serving life sentences.

White House counsel Neil Eggleston says Obama will continue granting clemency to more inmates during the final months of his presidency. He says those receiving commutations were imprisoned under antiquated, overly harsh sentencing laws.

http://bigstory.ap.org/00730a0d5d974b288eef9b7d61b8a625

[Dexter]

nonviolent drug offenses

Nobody should spend the rest of their life in a cage for a nonviolent crime.

[Crazieman]

Nobody should spend the rest of their life in a cage for a nonviolent crime.

You trust the AP to tell the truth that they're really nonviolent drug offenders?

Usually when that has been written, they've got a forty mile long rap sheet that includes assault, robbery, burglary, and threats.

[Dexter]

You trust the AP to tell the truth

The AP is a pretty trustworthy news source in my opinion. I'm certainly not going to jump to conclusions and assume that they must be lying or distorting reality.

[Crazieman]

The AP is a pretty trustworthy news source in my opinion. I'm certainly not going to jump to conclusions and assume that they must be lying or distorting reality.

ooooooooookay......

[mirraflake]

Usually when that has been written, they've got a forty mile long rap sheet that includes assault, robbery, burglary, and threats.

When the "innocent" murders get released after 20 years because they did not do the murder  when you look at their prior criminal records it's nearly always 15-25 prior arrest or more and bad behavior going back to their teen years.

I am torn over this..don't want to see someone convicted who is innocent but these guys generally  are not normally innocent angels to begin with...and how many innocent people did not face their wrath over the years if they would have not been convicted..maybe more would have been raped and murdered.

@Crazieman

[XenaLee]

Oh goody.  They'll be released just in time for the Christmas Mugging season.

Swell.

(lock load and carry)

[mirraflake]

Nobody should spend the rest of their life in a cage for a nonviolent crime.

I believe habitual  DUI'ers, burglars etc should get life.

@Dexter

[Dexter]

When the "innocent" murders get released after 20 years because they did not do the murder  when you look at their prior criminal records it's nearly always 15-25 prior arrest or more and bad behavior going back to their teen years.

Which is what led to the incorrect assumption that they must be the murderer.

I am torn over this..don't want to see someone convicted who is innocent but these guys generally  are not normally innocent angels to begin with...and how many innocent people did not face their wrath over the years if they would have not been convicted..maybe more would have been raped and murdered.

@Crazieman

If somebody has paid their debts and done their time for past crimes I do not think it's right to use that against them to put them away for life because of a nonviolent crime. "Well, he probably would have been bad." is not an acceptable argument. That's not how justice works.

[Dexter]

I believe habitual  DUI'ers, burglars etc should get life.

@Dexter

In my opinion burglary and putting the lives of others in danger by driving drunk is on a different tier than a nonviolent drug charge.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

1 question here, AP's credentials notwithstanding or even being questioned.

Why NOW?

If these people were deserving of early release, why wait till the election is moving front and center.

I see this as another political ploy by TOTUS to humanize himself.

It's Legacy Building.



http://wulfanson.blogspot.com

[mirraflake]

If somebody has paid their debts and done their time for past crimes I do not think it's right to use that against them to put them away for life because of a nonviolent crime. "Well, he probably would have been bad." is not an acceptable argument. That's not how justice works.

When you see the people who have a rap sheet of 30 prior arrest I really don't think they have "done their time" and how many crimes did they commit they did not get caught?

@Dexter

[Dexter]

When you see the people who have a rap sheet of 30 prior arrest I really don't think they have "done their time" and how many crimes did they commit they did not get caught?

@Dexter

No matter how we slice it I'll never be convinced that low level priors justify locking somebody up forever over a nonviolent crime.