Marijuana is the largest cash crop in the United States?

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Lijsters,

http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/mjlawti.cfm (tekst van 1994)
Until seven years ago a federal judge had great leeway in choosing sentences: Congress set only the upper limits, thereby protecting
citizens from excessive punishment. Parole boards served as another brake on unduly harsh sentences, deciding when prisoners
merited early release.
_en_
The new mandatory-minimum laws took that power away from the judge and handed it to the prosecutor. A U.S. attorney now has the
sole authority to decide whether a mandatory minimum applies in a particular case -- that is, whether to frame a charge under such a
statute or not. The only way a defendant can be sure of avoiding a mandatory-minimum sentence is to plead guilty and give "substantial
assistance" in the prosecution of someone else. The U.S. attorney, not the judge, decides whether the defendant's cooperation is
sufficient to warrant a reduction in sentence. A defendant might cooperate and still not receive a shorter sentence, if the information
supplied falls short of expectations. Long mandatory prison terms provide a strong incentive to talk

http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/rmtitle5.cfm
And over the past fifteen years there have been a lot of people with strong agricultural skills who have badly needed money have
wanted more of it than almost any other job in the region could provide. A bushel of corn sells for roughly $2.50, a bushel of manicured
marijuana for about $70,000. White thinks that marijuana is the largest cash crop in the United States, and if not the largest in Indiana,
then right up there with corn and soybeans. Though he is proud of what his office has accomplished, White has no illusions: -- "There's
more than we think."

(Cees: dit staat over de bovenstaande 'White' in de tekst)
White is the Indiana coordinator for the Drug Enforcement Administration's Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program

Geen wonder dat de rechter in Den Haag eerst meer informatie wil over die 'Prosecutor' via de regering in Den Haag.

En ook geen wonder dat diezelfde regering denkt die informatie niet te kunnen/willen verschaffen en daarom in hoger beroep gaat.

Groet,

Cees

PS In de 'About' sectie staat de link met Soros: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pressroom/pressrelease/pr_sep7_99.cfm
... Russ Baker takes a first ever comprehensive look at the George Soros funded Lindesmith Center and its director Ethan Nadelmann.
The article titled, "A Philanthropist Defies Drug War Orthodoxy," thoroughly explores the role that the Lindesmith Center and Nadelmann
have played in moving the drug policy debate on a national and international level. Highlighted is the center and Nadelmann's
involvement in such high profile issues as leading the criticism of last year's United Nation global drug summit, the fight over federal
funding for needle exchange, and the debate over the continuation of stiff mandatory minimum sentences.

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