Slog - Comments on The Supremes Relax on Crack http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack The Supreme Court ruled today that it's OK for judges to take the disparity between sentences for crack and powder cocaine into consideration when assigining prison terms--in defiance of federal sentencing guidelines, which are much stiffer for crack. Meanwhile, In [another] case, the court, also by a 7-2 vote, upheld a sentence of probation for Brian Gall for his role in a conspiracy to sell 10,000 pills of ecstasy. U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt of Des Moines, Iowa, determined that Gall had voluntarily quit selling drugs several years before he was implicated, stopped drinking, graduated from college and built a... Copyright 2008 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:10:18 -0800 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:21:24 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by boxofbirds It is sad that I find myself pleasantly surprised when reason prevails in any branch of the federal government.

]]> boxofbirds http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870076 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870076 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:28:16 -0800 Comment by max solomon scalia & uncle thomas voted no.

of course.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870134 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870134 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:13:30 -0800 Comment by the hamburgler No--J. Scalia joined the 7-2 majority and wrote a separate opinion concurring. J. Alito voted "no," as you say. I'd be more afraid of the political branches on this point than I would be of J. Scalia.

And if you mean to call J. Thomas an "Uncle Tom," that's fucking backwoods-style stupid.

]]> the hamburgler http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870148 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870148 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:23:39 -0800 Comment by max solomon yep thats me - backwoods stupid.

what about if i call him an unqualified fucking joke of an excuse for a token supreme court justice?

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870232 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870232 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:31:54 -0800 Comment by Wendy That's more like it, Max.

"Uncle Tom" is an illiterate backwards reference to an abolitionist novel. People should work to stamp the expression out!

]]> Wendy http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870238 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870238 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:37:57 -0800 Comment by the hamburgler well, i don't really trust your judgment because (1) you sound like you'd call anyone you disagree with a name and leave it at that; and (2) you apparently can't be bothered to read the link before you comment.

]]> the hamburgler http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870278 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870278 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:23:39 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle In reality this will only be used to get the politically or financially well-connected out of long jail terms, while 99 percent of the current sentences for the middle class and poor African-Americans who do street dealing in crack will still happen.

But ... that's reality.

This won't change things much.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870323 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870323 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:54:43 -0800 Comment by max solomon @6:
1. not 100% true, therefore not true.
2. i get my scalia & scalito mixed up.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870550 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_supremes_relax_on_crack#c870550 Drugs Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:21:24 -0800