Attorney General Eric Holder’s speech regarding dropping mandatory minimums for many drug crimes is already making an impact. Currently, I am working on a federal case in which my client and his brother have been charged with manufacturing more that 100 marijuana plants. The charges were originally written by an Assistant U.S. Attorney to include 5 year mandatory minimum sentences.
Related: Attorney General Aims to Ease Drug Sentences
Although the charge of manufacturing still remains, my co-counsel and I recently received an email in which the Prosecutor stated that, “in light of some new directives from Washington, D.C., I will not charge either of your clients with mandatory minimums.” After more than 20 years as an attorney working in a system where the wheels of justice turn slowly, if at all, I am amazed to see how quickly the Attorney General’s opinion has made an impact. Check out my radio show, Planet Green Trees, to hear more about the case.
Related: Medical Marijuana Community Responds to AG Eric Holder’s Speech