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DaddySatyr -> RE: A bit torn (12/23/2017 8:49:09 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sloguy02246
FR -
I see the real danger as people losing their already wavering faith in our judicial system.
What's the point of having any court system when a president can just ignore the verdict and set someone free, based on the president's personal and/or political views?
I think you make a good point. I also think that people have had it up to here (holds his left hand up under his chin) with "mandatory minimums", full stop.
They've never been anywhere near fair in many cases because there are always mitigating and aggravating circumstances to each individual case.
Of course, since they were developed to usurp the authority of the sentencing judges (who many thought were "unfair" when the judges considered those "special" circumstances), we're kind of in a "Catch 22".
What's to be done? We've tried both ways. Neither has been deemed acceptable (at one time or another).
The only option (at this point) is when an elected official (who has the authority) sees a case where they believe justice has not been meted out, they can rectify that wrong, employing "The Benign Prerogative".
Of course, this was (if I read it, correctly) actually a commutation; not a pardon. I would hasten to suggest there at least 1,715 people (most still alive, today) that would have a favorable opinion of commutation. Five hundred-four of those commutations being from a sentence of "Death" to "other" (varying ranges).
Michael
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