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Ashcroft order will reduce prosecutors' discretion in federal plea bargains
Associated Press ^ | 09-22-03

Posted on 09/22/2003 10:31:06 AM PDT by Brian S

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:43:56 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Attorney General John Ashcroft is directing federal prosecutors to seek maximum charges and penalties in more criminal cases and to limit use of plea bargains to get convictions.

"Federal prosecutors must charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offenses that are supported by the facts," Ashcroft said in a memo to U.S. attorneys released Monday. "Charges should not be filed simply to exert leverage to get a plea."


(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: ashcroft; doj; federalprosecutors; judiciary; pleabargains; sentencingguidelines

1 posted on 09/22/2003 10:31:06 AM PDT by Brian S
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To: Brian S
Go Ashcroft!

Criminals behind bars where they belong...what a novel idea!

(And no, I don't want criminals "warehoused." I want them to be PUNISHED.)
2 posted on 09/22/2003 10:43:18 AM PDT by Steely Glint ("Political language...is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable..." - G. Orwell)
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To: Brian S
This is nothing new. State prosecutors have long had their discretion extremely limited. Any significant departure requires an aproval from a supervisor.

The general concept is: Better an aquital by a jury than bad PR from mercy gone ary.

Federal prosecutors tend to be far more picky about the cases they take on anyways.
3 posted on 09/22/2003 11:33:27 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: Brian S
Ashcroft should pratice what he preaches.
He STILL refuses to indict either klintoon.
He already let Reno run for office in FL and never indicted her.
He's opened the door for hitlery to run.
Dims will just say
"If either klintoon commited any crimes Ashcroft would have indicted them."
4 posted on 09/22/2003 12:16:02 PM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (It's hard to run for office when you are in prison.)
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