Pubdate: Mon, 02 May 2005
Source: Berkshire Eagle, The (Pittsfield, MA)
Copyright: 2005 New England Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.berkshireeagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/897
Author: Katherine Dinicola
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n649/a08.html?56954

'QUITE SATISFIED' WITH DRUG SENTENCING LAW

Ann Higgins ("Drug law protests will help city" letter, April 20) believes 
that the school zone law and its mandatory drug sentence is a great 
injustice to all because "there is actually no way that anyone in 
Massachusetts can tell whether a particular area is in a school zone or 
not." Obviously she is not aware that ignorance of the law is no excuse.

The "concerned citizens of Great Barrington" are asking District Attorney 
Capeless to make an exception to a law that he was elected to uphold. It 
may surprise Ms. Higgins to learn that many law-abiding citizens, including 
myself, are quite satisfied with the law as it now stands and do not wish 
to see any changes. If Mr. Capeless gives in to this group, I will be very 
disappointed. And I would hope that every attorney who has a client in jail 
due to this mandatory sentencing will immediately appeal to have the case 
reopened.

Katherine Dinicola, Pittsfield, April 22, 2005
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom