Sentencing Law and Policy: Examples of over-punishment typepad.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from typepad.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Article content
In 2004, burglary was only considered a violent offence if there was proof that violence had occurred. Russell served about eight and a half years for the burglaries and was released in 2014.
In 2015, he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Though firearms are legal to carry in the state, Russell’s previous conviction barred him from owning a gun. He served two years for the charge.
In 2017, Russell was charged with cannabis possession. Under state law, possession of 30 to 250 grams of cannabis can lead to a three-year prison sentence, a US$3,000 ($3,630) fine, or both,
AP reports.
The decision was not unanimous, with several dissenting judges arguing that the court should make exemptions to the three-strikes law.