The Obama administration nominated a federal judge today to chair the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
William K. Sessions, chief judge for the U.S. District District Court for the District of Vermont, is currently vice chair of the commission. He was appointed to it in 1999 by President Bill Clinton and re-nominated by President George W. Bush.
In 2007, Sessions joined his fellow commissioners in a decision to ease the sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine. The commission later voted unanimously to apply the new guidelines retroactively, giving thousands of predominantly Africa American crack offenders the chance to apply for early release from prison.
“At its core, this question is one of fairness,” Sessions told the New York Times after voting for retroactivity. “This is an historic day. This system of justice is, and must always be, colorblind.”
In 2002, Sessions ruled that the federal death penalty statute was unconstitutional, arguing that it violated defendants’ right to due process by allowing evidence into sentencing hearings that would not be permitted at trial. His decision was later reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
I think that whom ever is in the chair these mandatory minimums need to be abolished...send loved ones home these long sentences are ridiculous...and give back parole to federal prisons too.
Posted by: Jamie Gertsch | April 22, 2009 at 09:24 AM