Criminal Law and Policy News and Events for the University of Arizona Community

Drug Sentencing Disparity

From the Associated Press: "The punishment should fit the crime is an axiom of criminal justice. But what happens when lawmakers dictate that similar crimes should have differing penalties or when sentences vary from courtroom to courtroom? The Supreme Court wrestled with these questions Tuesday in a pair of drug cases that included one dealing with a law that calls for tougher punishment for possession and distribution of crack cocaine than the powdered variety."  Story here

Suppression Ordered: Coercion Based on Refusal to Release Autopsy

No sensible lawyer would draw a conclusion about a legal controversy based just on a news story--gotta look at the underlying record.  Neverthless this story is interesting: Motion to suppress a statement in a homicide case was granted, according to the paper, because the statement was the product of coercion in the form of refusal to release an autopsy report.