U.S. Justice Department vs. Mass Incarceration

ELIMINATE MASS INCARCERATION

On August 12, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced federal policy changes that will have profound effects on mass incarceration of low-level, nonviolent drug offenders when implemented. The Justice Department will eliminate federal minimum sentences on certain types of crimes and apply other remedies to combat America's high rate of imprisonment. See the speech at the embedded video below and online at
http://youtu.be/We1kiNBzhtk . He said it is "time to apply bold steps to reform and strengthen America's criminal justice system in concrete and fundamental ways . . . It is past time to address the system's needs and unwanted disparities by considering a fundamentally new approach."

Attorney General Holder received resounding applause when he said, "Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long and for no truly good law enforcement reason." Indeed, the United States incarcerates 2.5 million people, making America the world leader in incarceration of its citizens. Many activists and civil and human rights organizations have long advocated for prison reform to reduce mass incarceration. Numerous states have already applied changes in prosecution regarding low-level drug offenders (marijuana) and applied more drug and mental health courts. ACLU published a guide to assist in interpretation of the Attorney General's speech. ACLU stated:

Many of the reforms that ACLU long championed made it into the Attorney General’s speech, including:

• Developing guidelines to file fewer cases
• Directing a group of U.S. Attorneys to examine sentencing disparities and develop recommendations to address them
• Directing every U.S. Attorney to designate a Prevention and Reentry Coordinator
• Directing every DOJ component to consider whether regulations have collateral consequences that impair reentry
• Reducing mandatory minimum charging for low-level drug offenses
• Expanding eligibility for compassionate release; and
• Identifying and sharing best practices for diversion programs
• Calling into question zero tolerance policies and other policies that lead to the school to prison pipeline
• Challenging the legal community to make the promise of Gideon (right to counsel) more of a reality

The Attorney General has assured us that this is just the beginning, and he is taking on the bipartisan spirit that has produced state level reforms and has fueled the reduction in state prison populations. These changes are long overdue because the federal prison population continues to grow and is 40% overcapacity. What’s worse, as a soon to be released ACLU report will show, a stunning 2,074 federal inmates are serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole for nonviolent crimes.

Attorney General Holder acknowledged that people of color face harsher punishment than their peers and that this is unworthy of our great country. 

Continue to read ACLU's interpretation of Attorney General's speech at this link
http://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform-racial-justice/how-process-eric-holders-major-criminal-law-reform-speech

CONGRATULATIONS TO ADVOCATES AGAINST 

MASS INCARCERATION!

Please send legal victories you won or exalt to Mary Neal at

MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com

Ruling Against Stop & Frisk Laws - American Apartheid

STOP & FRISK laws were ruled unconstitutional and racist in a class action lawsuit brought by plaintiffs against the City of New York. U.S. District Judge Shira Sheindlin acknowledged that the practice of stopping and searching people who are not suspected of any crime, targeting young black or brown males specifically, smacks of racism. New York is appealing. Key points about the judge's ruling and New York City's objections are outlined in the ABC video embedded below, online at the following link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/judge-rules-nycs-stop-frisk-unconstitutional/story?id=19936326

Breaking News | Celebrity News | More ABC News Videos

In her ruling, Judge Scheindlin acknowledged that the goal of deterring crime may be "laudable," but said, "Many police practices may be useful for fighting crime — preventive detention or coerced confessions, for example — but because they are unconstitutional they cannot be used, no matter how effective."

In a 198-page ruling, the judge said the "case is about whether the city has a policy or custom of violating the Constitution by making unlawful stops and conducting unlawful frisks. The city's highest officials have turned a blind eye to the evidence that officers are conducting stops in a racially discriminatory manner."

The judge's ruling was a major victory for many human rights advocates who fought a lengthy campaign against Stop & Frisk in New York.

Congratulations for this legal victory that protects 

constitutional rights and may end apartheid in America.

Please send legal victories you won or exalt to 

Mary Neal at MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com

Drexler Wins Homeless Couple $4.1 Million Award: Shot 15 times by LA Sheriff Deputies

HOMELESS PEOPLE in America were determined by a federal judge to have full protections of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution against unreasonable searches. The excerpt below is from an article by Opposing Views reporter, Evan Bleier, dated August 15, 2013.
A Los Angeles homeless couple who was shot 15 times by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies while they were living in a shack was awarded $4.1 million by a federal judge.

Angel and Jennifer Lynn Mendez were in a shack in the backyard of a private Lancaster residence when two sheriff’s deputies, Christopher Conley and Jennifer Pederson Ballis, entered the dwelling. The deputies were looking for a parolee-at-large.

When the deputies entered the shack, they saw a BB gun that Angel kept to shoot rats and other pests. Conley yelled “Gun!” and the deputies started firing. Apparently they did not notice that Jennifer was five months pregnant.

Angel was shot 14 times and Jennifer was shot once. The parolee was not found on the property, The Los Angeles Times reported. The deputies did not have a warrant. 

“This is a landmark constitutional case,” said the couple’s attorney, David Drexler. “The case has far reaching implications for impoverished individuals to be protected from unlawful searches and use of excessive force by law enforcement.”

Congratulations to Angel and Jennifer Lynn Mendez and the law offices of David Drexler, 

a Super Lawyer with 20 years trial experience 

David Drexler's website gives the following information about the firm:

Los Angeles personal injury attorney David Drexler and his staff are committed to providing excellent and caring representation. With 40 years of legal practice in Los Angeles, the Law Offices of David Drexler has the experience and expertise you need.

We are genuinely concerned about your well-being. We work to nurture a personal relationship with each one of our clients and maintain a "client for life" philosophy that translates into close personal attention and strong bonds continuing long after cases are successfully resolved.

At the Law Offices of David Drexler, we are dedicated to high-quality legal representation, and we strive for a long-standing relationship with our clients and the community. It is a perfect mix for exceptional legal representation.Unlike many law firms, we do not shy away from jury trials. While the largest majority of our personal injury claims are settled out of court, our reputation for engaging in tough and successful litigation provides us with an important bargaining chip to receive full compensation for our valued clients through a settlement.

The staff will do everything necessary and promptly to keep you informed and knowledgeable about your particular legal problem. That means we are committed to accessibility and reliability:

• We listen to you and care about your concerns.
• We return phone calls promptly and answer your questions.
• We work hard to get the best results.

Remember, you pay nothing if we do not win your case. You can contact Los Angeles personal injury attorney David Drexler by email at info@daviddrexlerlaw.comby calling 1-877-99-LA-LAW, (877) 995-2529.

The link for the full Opposing Views article quoted above is
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/homeless-couple-awarded-41-million-after-being-shot-15-times-la-deputies

Congratulations to the federal judge who ruled that indigent people have rights, too. A surprising number of judges would disagree.

MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com

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ACLU Lawsuit re NSA Goes Forward

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against Obama Administration over National Security Agency (NSA) 'unconstitutional and un-American surveillance.'

http://youtu.be/jOqC8D8QwQ8

Overruling objections by the Obama Administration, a federal judge allowed the lawsuit to go forward. See the article at the below link

http://reason.com/blog/2013/07/09/overruling-the-obama-administration-a-fe

Congratulations to the ACLU for standing up for Americans' civil liberties. The fact that the federal judge allowed the lawsuit to proceed is a huge legal victory for The People.

Are NSA capabilities are being used to suppress news about government crimes, such as the secret arrest and murder of mentally, physically disabled people in America? See an excerpt from "NSA CONCEALS LYNCHINGS?" 

http://freespeakblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/nsa-conceals-lynchings.html

Point 14. Larry Neal's murder cover-up and The Cochran Firm fraud occurred during a period when the USDOJ was already receiving negative exposure for discriminating against U.S. attorneys who were Democrats and for torture in America's offshore "War on Terror" prisons (Guantanamo and Gitmo). Therefore, there was immediate and intense resistance to my efforts to expose my mentally, physically disabled brother's murder under secret arrest and the USDOJ's complicity in the cover-up.

President John F. Kennedy denounced government secrecy, intimidation, and censorship. What would President Kennedy think of NSA secretly spying on Americans and possibly conducting a cyberwar against truth and justice?
http://youtu.be/QeYgLLahHv8



NSA intelligence gathering in America raises many concerns about Americans' rights that are protected by the U.S. Constitution. See "Top 10 Things that Don't Make Sense About #NSA Surveillance, Drones and al-Qaida," published by the Nation of Change. 

http://www.nationofchange.org/top-10-things-don-t-make-sense-about-nsa-surveillance-drones-and-al-qaida-1375882289

Visit the ACLU website, and please donate today. 

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

www.aclu.org/‎

Because freedom can't protect itself

Seven(7) urls and two(2) embedded videos are in this article. Please send legal victories you won or exhalt to Mary Neal at MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com