Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Sentencing Law and Policy

Criminal Law

: Sentencing Law and Policy

"Did Michael Douglas' Son Get Celeb Treatment With Reduced Sentence?"

By Douglas A. Berman

The title of this post is the headline of this hard-hitting report from the folks who are not afraid to ask the tough questions at E! Online.  Here's more: Sure, having a movie star father might have contributed to getting Cameron Douglas into this legal mess.  But it also seems to have helped get him out of it. Michael Douglas' son was sentenced to five years in prison today, just half of what is otherwise (like, for offenders without famous relatives) a minimum ? yes, minimum ? 10-year term.  It's unclear why at this point, but earlier today all parties agreed, on the record, that Douglas was not bound by mandatory minimums. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said the sentence was the 31-year-old's "last chance to make it," and the decision came down after papa Michael, gramps Kirk Douglas and stepmom Catherine Zeta-Jones each penned personal letters to the court asking for leniency...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on April 20, 2010 (boomark / email).