Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSblog reports: A public defender in North Carolina, relying on President Bush's clemency ruling in the CIA leak case, urged the Supreme Court on Monday to reconsider its June 21 ruling upholding the 33-month prison sentence of Victor A. Rita, Jr. (Rita v. U.S., docket 06-5754). Going even further, Assistant Federal Public Defender Thomas N. Cochran of Greensboro urged the Court to reconsider its 2005 decisiion in U.S. v. Booker that salvaged the federal Sentencing Guidelines.by making them advisory, not mandatory. The Booker ruling, the petition argued, has fostered "disparate treatment" under the Guidelines. (The text of the petition, with attachments, can be found here.)
The President's explanation for nullifying the 30-month prison sentence of former vice presidential aide I. Lewis Libby in the leak case, the new filing argued, "directly conflicts with the federal sentencing policy espoused by the Administration and argued vehemently, indeed successfully, by the Executive's own Solicitor General in this case."
More articles by Brian Zick
FBI Director Mueller Contradicts Gonzales
Brian Zick
Democrats Request Special Counsel Be Appointed to Investigate Perjury Charges Against Gonzales
Brian Zick
Rove and Deputy Jennings Subpoenaed by Senate Judiciary Committee
Brian Zick
Announcing In These Times’ New Agreement with the National Writers Union
Freelance contributors are essential to the quality and success of In These Times and independent media, and this agreement is one way to demonstrate their value to our publication and our commitment to transparency.
For more information about the National Writers Union, visit nwu.org.
Read the full agreement, which reaffirms a floor for the rates of our freelance editorial content, as well as our current rates (which are higher) and submissions guidelines below.