Lack Of Drug War Pardons Is Also A Scandal NOTE: This is The 200th Focus Alert DrugSense and MAP have distributed to thousands of letter writing volunteers in our ongoing attempt to educate the media and thereby the public on a wide range of drug policy topics. Please use this milestone as the catalyst to renew your commitment and make an extra attempt to become even more involved in our group letter writing efforts. It's not what others do it's what YOU do PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE DrugSense FOCUS Alert #200 Tuesday March 6, 2001 Outrage over former President Clinton's use of his pardon power has focused mostly on the role money played in influencing pardon decisions. While that may be troubling, it is even more outrageous to think about some of the drug war victims who really deserved presidential help. Columnist Cynthia Tucker does so this week in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Please write a letter to the paper to say that the real scandal of the pardon story is that those who have faced great injustice because of the drug war received little or no consideration. WRITE A LETTER TODAY PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID (Letter, Phone, fax etc.) Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is the only way we have of gauging our impact and effectiveness. CONTACT INFO: Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Contact: ARTICLE US GA: Column: War On Drugs' Victims Still Jailed, While Rich Go Free URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n391/a02.html Newshawk: Sledhead Pubdate: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Copyright: 2001 Cox Interactive Media. Contact: Address: 72 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, Ga. 30303 Website: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/ Forum: http://www.accessatlanta.com/community/forums/ Author: Cynthia Tucker WAR ON DRUGS' VICTIMS STILL JAILED, WHILE RICH GO FREE Karen Garrison didn't have $400,000 to give first brother-in-law Hugh Rodham, so her twin sons didn't get clemency from former President Clinton. Perhaps if Clinton had just seen Garrison's heartbreaking letter, written in October 1998 to the judge in her sons' drug trial: "I'm writing this letter with facts, feelings of indescribable despair, and (I am) at your mercy. ( My sons ) were found guilty by a jury. . . . You may not remember, but next to childbirth, I will never forget that night. Now I'm asking that you consider ( the facts ) and my torn apart heart. Lamont and Lawrence are not guilty. . . ." But Garrison didn't have millions for Clinton's presidential library or connections to well-heeled lawyers with access to the White House. So her sons remain in prison under harsh laws meant for drug kingpins but which routinely bury penny-ante dealers, instead. If Clinton cared about a legacy, he had a perfect opportunity to leave one. Instead of granting clemency to just a few small-time drug offenders, as he did, he might have pardoned or commuted the sentences of thousands. He might have pointed out the folly of the so-called war on drugs. With many less-affluent Americans in prison rather than fancy drug rehab centers, Clinton could have redefined himself as a committed populist. With many African-Americans ensnared by the injustices of the system, he could have helped a black constituency that has been extremely loyal. He could have started with the Garrison twins. Lamont and Lawrence were 25 years old, a month away from college graduation, when they were arrested in 1998. Friends, relatives and teachers all testify to their honesty, hard work and respect for the law. They had no criminal records, not even as juveniles. They wanted to become lawyers. But they had left a car for repair with a Maryland body shop owned by Tito Abea, and they had argued with him over the work. When Abea was arrested on drug charges, prosecutors offered him leniency if he implicated others. His testimony convicted the Garrisons. There was no hard evidence. Police could not tie the twins to drugs or guns or even money. Indeed, they were head-over-heels in debt with school expenses. Now they are felons -- Lamont serving 19 1/2 years while Lawrence serves 15 1/2. While the case of the Garrisons is so heart-breaking because they are probably innocent, others -- guilty of the charges -- deserved clemency because of sentences too harsh for their crimes. Johnny Patillo, for instance. In 1992, he was 27 and desperate for cash. Months away from completing a San Diego college, he agreed to mail a package for $500. Although he admits he suspected the contents were illegal, he says he didn't know it contained 681 grams of crack cocaine. He is serving 10 years. Then there is Duane Edwards, a decorated veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He doesn't deny selling 126 grams of crack to an undercover officer in June 1995; Washington, D.C., police found another 61 grams in his car. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Edwards' appeal, although his lawyers pointed out the unfairness of a sentencing structure that treats powdered cocaine and crack cocaine differently. Those who traffic in crack -- usually poor blacks -- get long prison terms, while those who handle the same amounts of powdered cocaine -- usually middle-class whites -- get lighter penalties. Clinton owed a debt to felons like Edwards because he was too craven to oppose that sentencing structure during his tenure. He should have used his virtually limitless clemency authority not only to free Edwards but also to right countless other injustices of this foolish drug war. Such clemencies would have sparked controversy, but it would have been a controversy over ideas instead of ethics. And history might have judged Clinton a courageous president who stood up for the common man rather than a money-grubber who favored the rich. SAMPLE LETTER Editor: Bravo for Cynthia Tucker's outstanding column, "WAR ON DRUGS' VICTIMS STILL JAILED, WHILE RICH GO FREE." Obviously, since a substantial "donation" was not attached to the letter pleading mercy from the Mother of twin boys sentenced to prison, President Clinton didn't have the time to consider her plea. Obviously, our color-blind "first black President" was not color-blind to the color green. We all know who received most of the Presidential pardons and why. Most of the pardons were because of money and lots of it "donated" directly or indirectly to the man who "didn't inhale", and who didn't have sexual relations with "that woman." Hopefully our new compassionate conservative President will take advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate his compassion by pardoning people that have made bad decisions. Not bad decisions that resulted in other people being physically harmed, robed or swindled, but rather bad decisions regarding the use or abuse of illegal substances. Hopefully our compassionate conservative President will break the long standing tradition of past Presidents and not wait until the very end of his term to pardon those deserving it. Hopefully the recipients of Presidents Bush's pardons will be ordinary citizens who made bad decisions regarding the use or sale of illegal substances. Kirk Muse IMPORTANT: Always include your address and telephone number Please note: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for his/her work. ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts 3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm Prepared by Kirk Muse - http://www.drugwarinfo.com and Stephen Young Focus Alert Specialists

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