From NPR:
Federal prosecutors have been seeking to limit defendants' rights to win compassionate release from prison in plea negotiations across the country, a practice that advocates say undermines the intent of Congress and produces cruel outcomes.
Two advocacy groups — Families Against Mandatory Minimums and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers — asked Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on Tuesday to prohibit U.S. attorneys from including the "pernicious" language in plea agreements.
In a copy of their letter exclusively provided to NPR, the groups said at least six jurisdictions around the nation are using the provisions, either barring defendants from filing any motions for early release because of extraordinary medical or family conditions or limiting them to only one such request and barring appeals.
"We understand that the Department of Justice has an interest in ensuring the finality of a sentence, but we fear that recent behavior by [U.S. attorney's offices] place the interest of efficiency and finality above anything else, including the person's life and their rights under law," said the letter from Kevin Ring of FAMM and Martin Sabelli of NACDL. Continue reading >>>
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