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Sentencing havoc from a speck of cocaine.

By Marks & Katz, LLC

DEA image in the public domain. Federal courts repeatedly impose harsh prison sentences, including with drug sentencing schemes that should not exist in a just world.  Although the federal sentencing guidelines by now are advisory only, many federal judges still rely heavily on them, as did the sentencing judge of Timothy Jenkins, who gave and applied to Mr. Jenkins a four-level offense score enhancement for being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with another felony offense. U.S. v. Jenkins, __ F.3d _ (4th Cir., May 15, 2009).  What was the other felony offense? Possession of less than a third of a gram of cocaine base. How much is a gram? It is one-thirtieth of an ounce, a tiny amount.  In any event, this enhancement for less than a third of a gram of cocaine increased Mr...continue to full post

Full post as published by Underdog on May 15, 2009 (boomark / email).