Outrage! MAGA Riot Convicts Get Less Jail Than Non-Violent Drug Users - The Beat - MSNBC

[Rhiannon12866]

One year after the January 6th insurrection, the majority of the 74 rioters who have been convicted received no jail time at all. MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber breaks down the reasons for this lenient treatment. Aired on 01/10/2022.

[elleng]

1. Important:

Jan 6 comments by AG Garland that people seem to be skipping over...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216230790

[underpants]

2. Has a discussion with someone retired DOJ. Not a lawyer

but had been in plenty of courtrooms. They said they understood that yes many drug offenses get longer sentences or sentences at all BUT....

often these people have priors. Yes it’s much more likely for certain areas of town to have more arrests which is part of the problem.
They’d seen plenty of younger adult busted but they had a lawyer and probably no priors. The basic pitch was “Your honor this was a mistake but there’s no record of them being trouble before” “it was a stupid mistake” that sort of thing. Often the judges will not put them in jail.

Basically if you can afford a lawyer (a good one) and had avoiding getting caught before you were probably going to be okay.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Here in New York, we have county Drug Treatment Court

Those non violent offenders are given the choice between treatment and jail. I've known people who have been through it as well as those who supervise it and it's not an easy road, it involves community service, mandatory treatment sessions, AA or NA meetings and often residential supervision. But most have said it's been worth it.