Elaine Rivera
Elaine Rivera joined the WNYC staff as the politics/economic development reporter in August. Prior to her arrival, Elaine had worked as a staff reporter at the Washington Post. From 1995 to 2001, she was a ...
NY Gov Commutes Sentences of Two Inmates
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
New York, NY –
Governor David Paterson has granted clemency to two inmates, but criminal justice advocates are disappointed, saying he's failed to overhaul what they call "unfair drug policies."
Paterson commuted the sentences of one inmate serving 20 years on a drug conviction, and another who was serving 15 years for first-degree robbery. Randy Credico is with the William Kunstler Moses Foundation, which advocates for repealing the state's Rockefeller-era drug laws. He says Paterson should have granted more clemencies, particularly for non-violent drug offenders.
CREDICO: He had an opportunity to set the stage to change the direction of the criminal justice system in the state of New York and he didn't do it.
REPORTER: Credico says in the past, the governor's been a strong proponent of overhauling the Rockefeller laws.
A Paterson spokesman says 450 inmates applied for clemency, but most did not meet the criteria to be granted a commutation, and of those few were drug offenders.
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