Well he had a gun and guns are bad. So are drugs. It's for the children. Ya know?
Tyranny, plain and simple.
In the world of Kingpins, this guy pulled a Munson.
This from another article:
The evidence presented by the government at trial clearly established that Angelos was a known gang member who had long used and sold illicit drugs. Further, the government's evidence established that, at the time of his arrest, Angelos was a mid-to-high drug dealer who purchased and in turn sold large quantities of marijuana. In addition, the government's evidence established that Angelos possessed and used a number of firearms, some stolen, to facilitate his drug-dealing activities.
If the people don't like the federal law then they should seek to have it redressed thru their congressmen and senators. I know, that is a losing cause. However, every sentence that is handed down can be disputed as being to harsh or not harsh enough. Would those who are opposed to this sentence willing to welcome this guy into their neighborhood or be their next door neighbor? I doubt it.
While that is correct as far as it goes, it leaves out a few details one can find elsewhere: Prosecutors originally offered Weldon a plea bargain that would have required him to serve 15 years on two charges, but when he rejected this plea he was indicted on 20 charges that mandated a minimum sentence of 105 years. The charges included weapons possession, drug trafficking, and money laundering. At trial, the jury convicted Weldon of 13 various drug, firearm, and money laundering charges as well as three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one charge was dismissed and he was acquitted of three others. He received a sentence of 55 years for the three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Two of these three counts resulted from the gun he allegedly carried during the buys with the CI and the third count resulted from a handgun found in a bag containing $19,000 in cash that was discovered when police searched his home. The first count required a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and the other two counts each carried a consecutive 25-year mandatory minimum sentence. Weldon’s sentence for all 16 charges combined is 55 years.
So while the sentence is harsh, it is the law. Had he not violated the law he would have been a free man. Knowing of his guilt, he perhaps should have accepted the 15 year plea bargain. He didn't and paid the price.
More people are killed in this country by idiot drug dealers than by terrorists. It is not surprising that the law would treat them harshly.
Ridiculous but what is rational about the WosD.
If SCOTUS can strike down the death penalty for juveniles based on the Eighth Amendment and some evolving international standard, then this case should be much easier to strike down as amounting to cruel and unusual punishment.
I'm always in favor of harsher sentences. If a guy guilty of rape or murder would get off with less, then jack up the sentence for rape or murder. Don't reduce the sentence for other crimes.
Well, it could be another drug war thread, but i don't think so. Pot or not, no Libertarian would argue that this guy should get less time just because he happened to be 'under the influence' at the time of the commission of his crimes.
The party of personal responsibility, unlike the statist B@$t@rd$ in the two main parties.
I saw Reefer Madness.
The evil weed must be stopped!!!
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This sad case is a good example of why I don't like hearing the putatively pro-gun side call for harsher enforcement of the laws already on the books. 55 years for non-violent possession isn't just unfair, it's insane. And that's on the books.
This is a heap powerful motive for armed drug dealers to shoot it out with the cops. They don't have much to lose. This law will send more cops to their death.
Regardless, this seems a bit excessive in my opinion. And it really ticks me off that terrorists and child rapists get less.
The failed war on some drugs wastes innumerable resources. It is completely at odds with the conservative priciples of individual responsibility and limited government.
Therefore, the sentence will be seen as politically just. ;)
what we need to do is have minimum mandatory sentences for rape, murder, child molesters... then drug thugs won't feel so special...
reminds me of a little event in the past, while in the ER. 3 fellers were brought in by local police and a two Texas Rangers... they had resisted arrest and were being evaluated.
the thugs were joking around a bit as they were cuffed and being sent back to jail... they thought.
the Ranger turned and said, "I don't know what you boys are laughing about. We ain't going to country lock up. We're going to San Antonio so ya'll can appear before the Federal judge."
They were caught with meth, cocaine and a half a shopping bag full of vicodan, percodan, tylox, fentanyl patches. Unfortunately for them they were caught on "school property" at the local Air Force education area.......bwahahahahahaha crossing the park to get to their truck.
so they weren't busted for possession, but for intent to distribute ,all three had pistols and two of them had 2 priors..and at the discretion of the locals were remanded to feds...
the look on their faces was just so..... "precious". One of the Rangers told me the minimum mandatory was..... probably up to 40-50 years for 2 of them and 20 or so for the "lucky" one.
no parole, no get out of jail free card, no sympathy from a judge for being "misguide" choir boys..
sucks to be a criminal sometimes...
It's a time of tooth and claw
When the law is a crime
And a crime is the law