It isn't clear what the administration's new policy on drug sentencing will mean for people currently behind bars. President Obama should use his authority to commute the sentences of the roughly 5,000 people who were charged under the old 100-to-1 crack-to-powder cocaine ratio who are not eligible for relief. Society would be better served by not locking up people with extraordinarily long sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. I know because I was sentenced to 15-to-life under mandatory sentencing laws. I wound up serving 12 years because I received clemency from the governor of New York. It was a waste of human life and tax dollars that could have been used for needy communities. Anthony Papa New York The writer is the media relations manager for the Drug Policy Alliance. [end]
Oklahoma State Senator Connie Johnson thinks Larry Yarbrough should be free. Larry, a model prisoner, is in his 17th year of a life-without-parole sentence for a nonviolent drug crime. On August 17, Sen. Johnson will speak on behalf of Yarbrough at an Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board hearing that will be considering commuting Larry Yarbrough's drug trafficking sentencing. In 2002 the Board unanimously commuted his sentence, but former governor Frank Keating overturned that decision and denied Larry his freedom. [continues 788 words]
Religious and Community Leaders Address the Failed Drug War Conference Gathers This March to Chart a New Course in Drug Policy That Could Serve As a Model for the Nation. On Saturday, March 19th, an unprecedented collection of community advocates, service providers, public safety personnel and public health professionals will come together at a day-long conference to chart a new course in drug policy that could serve as a model for the nation. The New Directions conference will examine the decades-old ramifications of President Nixon's declaration of the "war on drugs" in urban communities like Newark and African American communities in particular. [continues 666 words]
With more states looking for an economic solution to solve their budgetary problems, more prisoners are being released early from their sentences. Politicians are calling for ways to let individuals out of prison faster because of the economics of doing so. In New York State, which has reduced its prison population significantly because of Rockefeller Drug Law reforms, many prisoners are now returning to their communities. The question I pose is what do we do with them once they get out? How will they survive once ex-offenders return to the real world? Andrew Potash, a retired insurance entrepreneur and CEO, has an answer to this question. He wants to give back to society by creating businesses that employ the formerly incarcerated. He and his small team, Spring Into Action, were set to launch New York City's first mattress recycling business in October of 2010, until they came face-to-face with their greatest business challenge - bed bugs. [continues 533 words]
With Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday approaching, we are forced to draw connections between the war on drugs and the disintegration of low-income and black communities in America. As Dr. King so poignantly reminds us in his critique of the Vietnam War, "a time comes when silence is betrayal." With many communities disparately impacted by the drug war, many of us working for justice have come to the realization that America's war on drugs is really a war on families and communities. In the spirit of Dr. King, we must now ask: Has this assault on the poor and the marginalized become the next big civil rights struggle? [continues 489 words]
On Tuesday five students were arrested for allegedly selling drugs at Columbia University. In a press release distributed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, headed by Bridgette Brennan, the bust was dubbed "Operation Ivy League." It was described as the culmination of a five-month police sting where they planted a baby-faced looking undercover cop to purchase drugs from the students. This bust immediately brought back memories to me of a similar drug bust in 2004 involving kids in Berkshire County in Massachusetts. At that time another baby face detective, employed by the Drug Task Force, was assigned the duty of going undercover to buy drugs from kids who hung out in a parking lot. Merchants had complained to police about the kids. For months the undercover cop hung out with the kids, even allegedly drinking with them, while purchasing drugs. The undercover cop even talked about how he just lost his girlfriend to get the kids to feel sorry for him. This resulted in the arrest of 19 kids. One of them, 18-year-old Mitchell Lawrence, received two years (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek0fZExTqQ8) for the sale of one joint. Mitchell was set to graduate from high school that spring. Instead, he watched his fellow classmates graduate from his prison cell. [continues 309 words]
This month legislation was signed into law by Governor Paterson that would bar legislative districts from counting imprisoned individuals in state prisons as part of their population. New York became the second state, following Maryland, to end the practice. For years New York activists called for the dismantling of prison-based gerrymandering (PBG) that allowed mostly rural counties to inflate their population numbers. This resulted in financial rewards for those communities that utilized it. Brent Staples of the NY Times colorfully described PBG when he once said, "There are many ways to hijack political power. One of them is to draw state or city legislative districts around large prisons -- and pretend that the inmates are legitimate constituents." The new change could dramatically change the state's political dynamics. [continues 568 words]
In 1985 I was sentenced to 15 years to life under the Rockefeller Drug Laws of New York State. I struggled to survive in the maximum security hell hole, Sing Sing, and did many things I was not proud of to stay alive. Being in prison for many years had drained me spiritually and emotionally. There were times when the only emotion I was aware of was a quiet, smoldering rage. Because of the barriers I'd built to survive, I'd become desensitized, and I knew it. There was still a part of me that could see myself from the outside in, and what I saw I didn't like: a callous, bitter individual consumed with the injustices of the world. I knew that I needed to heal if I ever wanted to interact normally with people upon release. [continues 683 words]
I have written before about the importance of the visual artist's role as social commentator and activist in society. The creation of art can be powerful tool for raising public awareness that can result in positive social and political change. Picasso, Diego Rivera, Goya and many others have used the canvas to paint bold political statements that affect the world. Recently, the entertainer Sting, whose fantastic voice paints words like works of art, has joined the effort to raise awareness about the war on drugs. It's exciting that a long-time activist like Sting has chosen to step forward on this issue. The response was great because few public policies have undermined fundamental civil rights and liberties, social justice and public health for so long and to such an extent as the war on drugs. [continues 317 words]
In 1992 Anthony Williams, now known as Amir Varick Amma, was sentenced to 25 years to life for a non-violent drug offense under the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Amir was convicted of two felonies, the worst of which was the sale of 2 ounces of cocaine in Albany County. Amir was badly assaulted by the police when he refused to give up his accomplices. His refusal to cooperate guided Judge Keegan to sentence him to 12 and a half years to life on each charge, meaning he had to serve 25 years. Most judges would have incorporated the two charges together, resulting in a 12-and-a-half-year sentence. But Keegan was a "hang 'em high" judge, part of a tightly knit crew of upstate judges that dished out extraordinary sentences for drug offenders. [continues 441 words]
A fear mongering attack on NYC Harm Reduction was launched today in regards to a two-year-old pamphlet distributed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) that details how to reduce the harm of injecting drugs. This attack not only ignores scientific evidence, but also threatens to undermine the proven public health policies of harm reduction. The brochure - "Take Charge Take Care" - is directed toward the city's residents who inject drugs and those at risk of doing so, and it serves the critical purpose of reducing disease transmission, preventing overdoses and saving lives. [continues 394 words]
Today is a historic day for New York, the day that the Rockefeller Drug Law reforms kicked in, setting in motion the release of 1,500 low-level nonviolent drug offenders. The new law also gives judicial discretion back to judges, who can now determine whether someone should get treatment for their addiction instead of a jail cell. I went to Brooklyn's Supreme Court and attended a public event to mark the milestone. The court room was full of activists, politicians and service providers that have been working for years to make this reform happen. [continues 399 words]
Everyday we read national headlines about the war on drugs. More and more elected officials are saying the war on drugs is not working and that we need to consider alternatives. There are stories about states like California considering taxing and regulating marijuana. There is coverage about drug prohibition in Mexico leading to a war zone where thousands of people are being killed every year. There are front page stories about countries from Portugal to Argentina to Mexico decriminalizing small amounts of drugs because they realize that they can't incarcerate their way out of addiction. It is one thing to read about it, but it is another to jump in and try to come up with solutions to the failed war on drugs. [continues 393 words]
On Sep. 15, Cy Vance Jr. overwhelmingly beat Leslie Crocker Snyder in the race to be Manhattan's next district attorney. Since there is no Republican challenger, Vance will be voted into office in November. Snyder, who built her career as a ruthless prosecutor and judge, was beaten so bad that the Village Voice quoted her on election night saying that she was retiring from politics and going to China. In my view, Snyder lost because of her over-reliance on a misguided tough-on-crime approach, and because of her inability to balance her decisions with common sense and compassion. [continues 530 words]
Regarding the story, "Mexico's new drug use law worries U.S. police": Mexico has done the right thing. After years of frustration in dealing with its drug war, it took a first step that should be emulated by other countries, including ours. With an exploding prison population and uncontrolled violence from drug-related activity, decriminalization of small amounts of drugs for personal use is a controversial, but needed move for Mexico. The new law will also offer treatment instead of incarceration for people caught with small amounts of drugs. [continues 98 words]
Former Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder and I have a history. Most would say it's a parallel relationship. Crocker was a "hang em' high" judge who was infamous for handing out stiff drug sentences under the Rockefeller Drug Laws. I served a 15 to life sentence under these laws. Crocker wrote a book, 25 to Life ( http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/0446530204.asp ) , that documents her career as a tough prosecutor and judge. I wrote a book, 15 to Life ( http://www.15yearstolife.com/ ), a memoir about doing hard time under the harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws. [continues 601 words]
Re: "N.J. corrections officer admits smuggling cocaine," Monday: While it may seem that something like this should not happen, it's both a common occurrence and well-kept secret. Prisons across the United States are full of drugs because of the black market that the prison environment creates. I spent 12 years at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a nonviolent drug crime. I saw many guards get caught bringing drugs into the prison. Drug use in prison is common. It is a way of life, and some corrupt prison guards are tempted to make a fast buck by smuggling in drugs. If you can't control the trafficking of drugs in a prison, how can you control drugs in a free society? Anthony Papa Drug Policy Alliance New York [end]
When we talk about who has the best slum landlord stories we now have to mention this tragic case. Marilyn Holsten was 49 years old and in frail health, suffering from diabetes. She'd had both legs amputated, was almost blind, and received dialysis six hours a day. She lived for eight years at Anavets Senior Citizens Housing Society building at 951 8th Ave E, Vancouver Canada. Marilyn's landlord did not like the smell of marijuana, so he gave her an eviction notice. She became very distraught and as a result her health deteriorated rapidly. Eventually, she died of a heart attack (http://www.theprovince.com/Heart+attack+ended+Marilyn+life+bureaucracy+ killed/1938208/story.html) this August. Her sister, Moira O'Neil, said Marilyn's last days on Earth were a living hell. [continues 318 words]
I recently wrote a blog about Cameron Douglas who now because of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and their hype has caused the media to see Cameron as a major drug dealer. I believe Douglas is a small time player who dealt meth because of his drug habit. If all goes as planned by the DEA Cameron will be facing multiple counts that will give him at least a mandatory life sentence under federal guidelines if convicted. The Associated Press just released information that a major drug kingpin Diego "Don Diego" Montoya, reputed boss of Colombia's notorious North Valley cocaine cartel who was once on the FBI's most wanted list, is set to plead guilty next week to U.S. drug charges. Montoya's attorney, William Clay, confirmed that his client will submit "guilty pleas to certain charges" but declined to elaborate. The extradition treaty between the U.S. and Colombia prohibits any life sentence from being imposed on Montoya, 58. [continues 156 words]
To the Editor: In "Methland vs. Mythland" (column, July 21), Timothy Egan talks about the methamphetamine epidemic that has been created by alarmist media coverage. The meth epidemic still exists in the minds of some small-town citizens. Recently the City Council of Washington, Mo., became the first local government in the country to require a prescription for cold medications that contain pseudoephedrine, a substance that can be used to manufacture methamphetamine. This action was the result of the Missouri Legislature's inaction to combat the meth problem and has attracted interest from other cities, setting a dangerous precedent. [continues 83 words]
