Let’s imagine, if we can, the Republican outrage that we would be hearing if, as a U.S. District Judge, Sonia Sotomayor had commuted the sentence of, let’s say, a Hispanic woman who wanted to attend her daughter’s graduation after hearing her defense attorney argue – "Your honor, she’s suffered greatly. We’re begging for the court’s mercy."
Can you picture it?
The Raleigh News and Observer reported this morning:
Sam Currin, a former judge, federal prosecutor and state Republican Party chairman, was ordered released from prison after serving a fraction of a nearly six-year sentence for money laundering and obstruction.
Yep, Sam Currin – conservative Republican, close aid and protégé to Jesse Helms.
And on what legal principle did the petition for this early release come, you ask?
Here is his defense attorney’s argument: "He has suffered greatly. We're begging for the court's mercy."
Now, to be fair, let me add that Currin had testified against his co-conspirator, and federal prosecutors had recommended his 70 month sentence be cut in half. But that wasn’t enough for Currin – his attorney argued the sentence should be reduced even further, to 29 months, so that Currin – you can’t make this stuff up –
[could] be home in Raleigh in time to see his son graduate from law school next year.
But, in the end, a reduction to 35 months or even 29 months wasn’t merciful enough. Nope, U.S. District Judge W. Earl Britt went further – and commuted Currin’s sentence to TIME SERVED.
Are you picturing it now?