Pubdate: Tue, 31 May 2005
Source: Berkshire Eagle, The (Pittsfield, MA)
Copyright: 2005 New England Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.berkshireeagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/897
Author: Paula Lee Hellman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

DRUG CRIME SENTENCING SHOWS WIDE DISPARITY

To the Editor of THE EAGLE:- I am writing in response to two articles that 
appeared in The Berkshire Eagle on Saturday May 14. On the front page of 
the "B" section was a story about one of the 17 young people arrested in 
Great Barrington on charges related to possession and/or sale of marijuana 
in a school zone. It reported that the district attorney considered the 
appeal of Concerned Citizens for Appropriate Justice for leniency in 
sentencing, "but decided he would continue pursuing the harsher penalties."

On Page 3 in the same section of that paper, the report is quite different. 
A "local man" from Pittsfield who pleaded guilty to "possession of cocaine 
with the intent to distribute, of possession of marijuana with the intent 
to distribute, of breaking and entering in the daytime with the intent to 
commit a felony, of operating a motor vehicle after revocation (habitual 
traffic offender). . ." was given a sentence of three years' probation. 
There seems to be a disconnect between the crimes of those arrested in 
Great Barrington who are facing a minimum mandatory two-year sentence and 
the crimes of the individual who was given a sentence of three years 
probation despite repeated arrests and more serious charges.

How are we to do justice to our young people if sentencing, even the 
sentencing potential, is so skewed?

Paula Lee Hellman

Stockbridge
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MAP posted-by: Beth