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Sixty year sentence for low-level drug possession fills prison space needed for dangerous offenders

By Gritsforbreakfast

There are two primary causes for Texas prison overcrowding, and the Legislature's reforms last year only really addressed one of them: Too many probation and parole revocations, and too-long sentences for non-violent crimes, especially drug offenses.For an example of the latter, look no further than a recent edition of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, where we read the story of a man who received a 60 year sentence for possession of 1.46 grams of meth and 2.93 grams of marijuana ("Meth possession nets convicted felon 60 years," March 6). Reported the paper: Rickie Dawson York, who turned 39 on Tuesday, pleaded guilty to possessing 1.46 grams of meth on Oct. 16. A Smith County jury sentenced the Tyler man after 25 minutes of deliberation in 241st District Judge Jack Skeen Jr...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on March 10, 2008 (boomark / email).