John Ashcroft limits plea bargains

[dsc]

Astoundingly this story seems not to have made the cut for GD today. I think this is pretty important.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/23/politics/23ASHC.html?ex=1064894400&en=6bf234330def9c61&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

ASHINGTON, Sept. 22 — Attorney General John Ashcroft today made it tougher for federal prosecutors to strike plea bargains with criminal defendants, requiring attorneys to seek the most serious charges possible in almost all cases.

The policy directive issued by Mr. Ashcroft is the latest in a series of steps the Justice Department has taken in recent months to combat what it sees as dangerously lenient practices by some federal prosecutors and judges.

The move also effectively expands to the entire gamut of federal crimes the attorney general's tough stance on the death penalty, which he has sought in numerous cases over the objections of federal prosecutors.

end of quote

This is a major change and will lead to a huge increase in both the death penalty long prison terms for low level drug defendents.

[boxster]

1. So, in other words...

in a country with a severe prison overpopulation problem, he wants to send more people to jail and for longer periods of time.

That makes perfect sense. Idiot.

Does anyone - ANYONE - in this administration ever think anything through? Apparently not.

[Fovea]

2. Non Passeron

I cannot imagine how the court system will handle trying every case to the max. Is this the Justice Dept Grovering? Or is this the Iron Fist school of social control? Missouri once sentenced a teenager to seven years for a single joint. It is probably both.

I see this as the same idea, writ horribly large. It will force the judical system to collapse, which is, I suppose as good as strangling it in the bathtub.

But in the process of destroying the legal system, it will make a wicked profit for Texas' true growth industry, prisons.

This cannot pass, it will bankrupt the justice system completely.
Of course, when that happens it will de facto be a state of national emergency. Tomorrow the Senate needs to vote on a resolution requireing the Attorney General to submit to a psychological examination.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Okay... No plea bargains for you and your cronies, Johnny.

Is high treason still punishable by death?

[Fovea]

5. This is the behavior that really worries me.

Because a sane criminal would only do this if he knew that due process was on its way out.

An insane zealot would do this because he believed this *world* was on its way out.

Either way, it gives me pause when I see the chief law enforcement officer in the world behaving like Captain Queeg.
I fear the ship of state is now called the USS. Caine.

[sistersofmercy]

4. Ashcroft is a creep!

Years ago, I was in a restaurant in St Louis,an area called the Central West End (If you are ever in St. Louis, it's a must see) I think he was governor then, he sat at a table on the other side of me, I recognized him but all I could think is "What a creep!" I was young, didn't understand his politics then. Also I grow up on the IL side of the river, so didn't pay much attention to MO politics. But I can tell you assuredly, without knowing really anything about him then he was very creepy but is even creepier now.

[Hippo_Tron]

6. I think he's mentally unstable...

Loosing your senate seat to a dead guy can do that to you. But seriously I think he's extremely paranoid, why else would he do this?

[amazona]

7. without plea bargains many cases will not be tried

Actually, this might be good for a lot of people...their cases will be dropped for lack of ability to provide a speedy trial. Plea bargains are not all good, sometimes people are coerced into accepting plea bargains and giving up their right to trial and thus their chance to be exonerated by a jury.