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News
Archive 2000
On December
28, 2000 CJPF President Eric E. Sterling published an
op-ed
in the San Diego Union-Tribune regarding Presidential
clemency for low-level Federal drug offenders. A similar
op-ed was published in the Chicago Tribune on December
20, 2000. Text of that op-ed is available here.
***
On December 22, 2000, President Clinton granted clemency
to Dorothy Gaines and Kemba Smith, two women serving long
sentences in Federal prison for low-level, nonviolent
drug offenses. The case of Dorothy Gaines was featured
in a campaign by the Coalition
for Jubilee Clemency (CJC), which sent a letter
to President Clinton with the endorsements of more than
700 faith leaders from all faiths across the country calling
on the President to grant clemency to low-level, nonviolent
Federal drug offenders. A list of the more than 700 faith
leaders who signed the statement is available: here
***
On October 14, 2000, Eric E. Sterling spoke at the Temple
Political and Civil Rights Law Review symposium, "U.S.
Drug Laws The New Jim Crow?" in Philadelphia, PA. For
information, go to www.temple.edu/tpcrlr.
His comments, "Drug Laws and Thought Crime," were published
in volume 10 issue# 2 of the Temple Political and Civil
Rights Law Review, pg. 327-336, Spring 2001.
***
On October 4, 2000 CJPF President Eric E. Sterling spoke
at Georgetown University Law Center at a day-long symposium
sponsored by PBS Frontline and National Public
Radio on the War on Drugs. Symposium panels included video
and/or audio segments from the PBS FRONTLINE Special
Series, "Drug
Wars," broadcast nationwide on Monday, October 9,
and Tuesday, October 10, 2000, and from the NPR five-part
special on the war on drugs reported by Deborah Amos,
which aired October 9-13, 2000.
***
CJPF President Eric E. Sterling was quoted in "Hard Time,"
an article in the September 2000 issue of Essence Magazine,
page 146. The article featured the case of Dorothy Gaines,
a Federal prisoner sentenced to 235 months for her role
in a crack cocaine conspiracy. Dorothy has steadfastly
insisted on her innocence. Dorothy's case was featured
in "Snitch," a PBS Frontline documentary about
the use of informants in federal drug cases. The program
and related information is available at the
Frontline website. Her case was also featured
on the October 22, 1999, episode (#143) of This
American Life, hosted by Ira Glass and produced
by Public Radio International (PRI). The episode is titled
"Sentencing" and Dorothy Gaines is featured in Act One.
To become active in the fight for sentencing justice,
join Families Against
Mandatory Minimums and The
November Coalition.
***
On July 11, 2000, CJPF issued a press
release praising President Clinton's decision to
grant clemency to five Federal drug offenders. To obtain
presidential clemency, an application must be filed
with the Pardon Attorney at the Department of Justice.
The application for presidential clemency is available
by clicking here
(in Adobe PDF format, easily printed on most computer
printers).
One of the women released, Amy Pofahl, was featured
in a Court TV special report, "Prisoners of Love,"
on February 14, 2000. CJPF president Eric Sterling was
interviewed on that program, pointing out the injustices
in Pofahl's case. Copies can be obtained via the
Court TV website.
***
On July 7, 2000, CJPF released the first issue of
On Balance, its new quarterly newsletter.
The Summer 2000 issue features CJPF president Eric Sterling's
testimony
to Congress on the 2000 National Drug Control
Strategy, Sterling's op-ed
in the Baltimore Sun regarding the sentencing
of Col. James C. Hiett, and more.
***
On July 3, 2000, The Christian Science Monitor
published an op-ed by CJPF president Eric Sterling,
titled
"Uncle Sam's 'cookie' is watching you." The
op-ed discusses how the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy's practice of placing secret surveillance
codes, known as "cookies," into the computers of Americans
is dangerous and counter-productive.
***
On June 22, 2000, CJPF released an updated version of
"Colombia
Anti -Drug Aid Package Briefing Paper," a short
report detailing the current state of anti- drug efforts
in Colombia and issues regarding the proposed anti-drug
aid package to Colombia, recently approved by the U.S.
Senate. Also on June 22, CJPF President Eric E. Sterling
was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) regarding
the Colombia aid package.
***
On May 9, 2000, the Baltimore Sun published
" . . . 'And justice for all,'" an op-ed by
CJPF president Eric E. Sterling, examining the double
standard in the prosecution and sentencing of Col. James
Hiett compared with the long prison sentences given
to similar, but less-prominent drug offenders. On April
30, 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times published a
similar op-ed, titled "Sentencing
is perverse in war on drugs."
***
The May 2000 issue of
Marie Claire magazine featured the case
of Dorothy Gaines, a Federal prisoner sentenced to 235
months (19.5 years) for her role in a crack cocaine
conspiracy. Dorothy has steadfastly insisted on her
innocence. Dorothy's case was featured in "Snitch,"
a PBS Frontline documentary about the use of
informants in federal drug cases. More information about
the program is available at the
Frontline website. Her case was also featured
on the October 22, 1999, episode (#143) of This
American Life, hosted by Ira Glass and produced
by Public Radio International (PRI). The episode is
titled "Sentencing" and Dorothy Gaines is featured in
Act One.
***
On April 4, 2000, in the United Kingdom, the Police
Foundation released a landmark report examining drug
laws in the UK. The report, titled "Drugs and the Law:
Report of the Independent Inquiry Into The Misuse of
Drugs Act 1971," calls for substantial reform of UK
drug policy. A PDF file of the report's overview is
available here.
A press release from CJPF regarding the report is available
here.
***
On March 23, 2000 CJPF President Eric E. Sterling submitted
testimony to Congress, challenging "Drug Czar"
Gen. Barry McCaffrey's contention that the U.S. is winning
the drug war, and urging a more sensible and humane
approach to drug abuse. A press release regarding the
2000 National Drug Control Strategy is available
here. The
National Review's website also published
the testimony.
***
On March 17, 2000, CJPF President Eric E. Sterling discussed
the effectiveness of current drug policy at a two-day
multidisciplinary conference, titled "Is Our Drug Policy
Effective? Are There Alternatives?," presented by the
Association of the Bar of the City of New York, The
New York Academy of Medicine, and The New York Academy
of Sciences.
***
On March 1, 2000, CJPF President Eric E. Sterling spoke
at the Cornell University Law School, in Ithaca, New
York. The presentation was titled "What Our Failed Anti-Drug
Policy Means For America's Future."
***
On February 14, 2000, CJPF President Eric E. Sterling
was featured on "Prisoners of Love," a Court TV Crime
Stories report on the dramatic increase in the number
of women serving long, mandatory minimum sentences in
Federal prisons for drug offenses involving the men
they loved. Copies can be obtained via the Court TV website.
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