The Expansion Of Mandatory Sentencing Penalties For - amazonia.fiocruz.br

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Lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly advanced criminal justice reform measures that would eliminate mandatory minimums in favor of allowing judges more sentencing discretion. Senate Bill , introduced by Sen. John S. Edwards, D-Roanoke, narrowly passed Friday on a vote. The bill proposes to eliminate mandatory minimum prison sentences in Virginia for various crimes, including aggravated involuntary manslaughter, child pornography and violating a protective order for abuse victims. The legislation does not include Class 1 felonies such as willful and deliberate murder. Lawmakers in support of the bill emphasized that judges should be trusted to deliver the appropriate sentences without utilizing a sentencing policy that they say has been abused. Critics said the bill dismantled the criminal justice policies in place after years of deliberation. He added that mandatory minimums force people who have legitimate defenses to plead guilty because the consequences of losing are too great. Under the Senate bill, crimes such as DUI charges or illegal gun possession by a felon also would have mandatory minimums removed. The Expansion Of Mandatory Sentencing Penalties For

Legislation to remove most mandatory minimum sentences in Virginia advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday through a party-line vote.

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Senate Bill Mnadatory end the mandatory minimum prison time for more than crimes in the Commonwealth that carry the specific punishments, including assault and battery, rape and other sexual crimes, drug distribution and possession, child pornography as well as driving under the influence DUI. Specifically, the bill would remove the mandatory minimum prison sentences of six months for assaulting a law-enforcement officer, five years for the distribution or possession with intent to sell marijuana and 25 years for the rape of a person against their will who is under years-old, among others. During the committee meeting, Edwards offered a substitute to the bill that leaves out any changes to the mandatory minimum sentences for capital murder or class one felonies, which are life imprisonment or the death penalty.

However, a separate bill to abolish the death penalty was just advanced out of the committee last week. The substitute also eliminates provisions regarding the resentencing of people who were previously convicted of a crime that carries a mandatory minimum punishment and establishes a work group convened by the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to study the feasibility of resentencing.

Other Democrats on the committee in favor of the legislation, like Sen. Joe Morrissey D-Richmond Citysaid judges will still have the ability to give strict sentences if merited by the crimes and the person that committed them.

Ryan McDougle R-Hanoverwho voted against the bill, asked several questions on which mandatory minimum sentences would be ended if the bill were to pass, specifically about alcohol-related DUI charges and instances involving repeat offenders within five years as well as violent felons caught in public with a firearm. As part of his argument opposing the measure, McDougle brought up Project Exilea federal program started in Richmond in to Epansion gun The Expansion Of Mandatory Sentencing Penalties For that prosecuted felons on firearm possession charges in federal courts where the mandatory minimum sentence was five years imprisonment.

According to Justice Forward Virginiathe Commonwealth enacted its first mandatory minimum law back in Earlier this month, the Virginia State Crime Commission, consisting of mostly Democratic legislators, recommended the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences. The bill now heads to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee where the fiscal impact will be considered before being sent to the full legislative body. Penalgies Jacob on Twitter.

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