Thursday, July 08, 2010

Federal Sentencing Guidelines under attack by...

... Lindsay Lohan

She tweeted the following:

It is clearly stated in Article 5 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights that...., "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." this was taken from an article by Erik Luna.. "November 1 marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. But there were no celebrations, parades, or other festivities in honor of this punishment scheme created by Congress and the U.S. Sentencing Commission... Instead, the day passed like most others during the last 15 years: Scores of federal defendants sentenced under a constitutionally perverted system that saps moral judgment through its mechanical rules."

Speaking of Federal Sentencing Guidelines -- Judge Cohn sentenced former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman today to 51 months' imprisonment.  (Here's the Sun-Sentinel article).  The government had asked for 8-10 years.  In Judge Cohn's last big sentencing -- Scott Rothstein -- he went over the government's recommendation...  This time, he explained, Salesman's sentence should be in line with the other politicians caught in the scheme -- former School Board member Beverly Gallagher and former County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion.  Sounds right. 

3 comments:

South Florida Lawyers said...

Lohan and Luther back to back -- I'm beginning to like the new direction of the blog!

Anonymous said...

That Judge Cohn -- treating criminal defendants like individual human beings and making tough decisions on the apporpriate punishment based on the facts of the case and the individual before him without being shackled by the Sentencing Guidelines -- who does he think he is -- an Article III judge?

Anonymous said...

I hope Lindsay is never nominated to the USSC. The Repubs will have a field day with her for looking to international law.