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Houston judges from both parties say reduce drug possession penalties

Here's an astonishing development: Sixteen of 22 Harris County felony court judges, including seven Democrats and nine Republicans, say they favor reduction of low-level drug possession in Texas from a state jail felony to a Class A misdemeanor ("Judge request to decriminalize (sic) drug use gets support," Houston Chronicle, Jan. 16):State District Judge Michael McSpadden on Wednesday sent a letter to the state?s top officials and Houston?s senators and representatives asking for a change in what he called ?draconian? laws.During the last session, McSpadden stood alone when he asked that charges for possession of a controlled substance of less than 1 gram be reduced from a state jail felony to a misdemeanor. Two years later, judges from both major political parties are joining the Republican who has been on the bench for more than 20 years...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on January 16, 2009 (boomark / email).