My life saved by Bill Clinton reprieve of 24-year sentence for crack

CNN ^ | Kemba Smith Pradia

[Mandingo Conservative]

Ten years ago, days before Christmas, President Bill Clinton changed my life forever. I was in federal prison, serving the seventh year of a 24-year sentence for a first-time nonviolent crack cocaine offense.

Clinton's mercy and acknowledgement that my sentence was unjust led him to grant me a commutation. Had he not done so, I would be in prison until 2016...Indeed, I went to prison for being complicit in my abusive boyfriend's crack cocaine trafficking operation. Prosecutors in the case acknowledged that I never sold, handled or used any drugs.

[Mandingo Conservative]

Not to be mean, but you should've gone to jail just for the fact that you were stupid enough to stay with a drug dealer boy friend who abused you. Typical Democrat liberal mentality - no wonder the Democratic party is so to blame for the destruction of the African American culture. First the Democrats held slaves - then they continued the plantation with entitlements, and a culture of immorality, dependence and mediocrity.

[Mandingo Conservative]

Why did you get mixed up with drugs in the first place you silly b-tch. Where are all these “socially conservative” black churches am always hearing about to stop black youth from going down this path?

And another thing...we’ve been told for ages that African American and Latino church goers are socially conservative but what about all the gang related violence and drugs and broken homes and voting in Obama who is the most pro abortion president ever?!

[goseminoles]

Roger? Is that you?

[Mandingo Conservative]

This is not Roger.

[KoRn]

No one should go to prison for the possession of a drug, unless they are caught selling them to kids or something similar.

[DemforBush]

Editor's note: Kemba Smith Pradia has received awards for her efforts to educate the public about the social, economic and political consequences of drug policies. She received a Soros Justice Postgraduate Fellowship for advocates and is developing the Kemba Smith Foundation.

Hmm...very interesting...

[4buttons]

Bill was known to be quite lenient as far as crack was concerned.

[Doogle]

....CNN (clinton news network) ..anyway to keep the name clintoon in the news...sowing the contaminated seeds of a Hldabeast run

[mylife]

Prosecutors in the case acknowledged that I never sold, handled or used any drugs.

Right.....

[crazyhorse691]

I call BS bigtime...her boyfriend was an abusive crack dealer and she was untouched, at least, by the drug culture she lived in 24/7.

[Mandingo Conservative]

SOROS!

Hmmm I smell a rat...of course, SOROS wants to destroy America, just one of his small pet projects to release drug dealers into the American population.

You just can’t make this stuff up!

[goseminoles]

“This is not Roger.”

Was a joke. I’ve been down the long road, and I can tell you crack and meth isn’t the problem, its alcohol. The first two are nothing compared to the sauce to kick. But what do I know. /s. Never done meth but I will bet anything that the drink is the most harmeful, addictive, destructive, and most costly. I will debate anyone on this. Coke aint nothing to alcohol.

[weeder]

And I understand you’ve cultivated a taste for “balony al a peyrone”?

[Walts Ice Pick]

Thank you. You're absolutely right. It's amazing how so many "conservatives" call for less spending, but also believe in more jails, more courts, more laws, more Medicare, more Social Security, more foreign aid and more nation building.

If we want small government and low taxes, we can't have all those things. Why is that so hard for people to understand?

[goseminoles]

I should just reiterate instead of sounding like I’m beating my chest challenging folks.. I’m glad to be looking to a happy holiday season. IMHO, people can get past coke/crack much easier than alcohol. That’s just my two cents. If you’ve been there and still in a $300/day habit, you probably aren’t on FR. God Bless.

[the invisib1e hand]

Clinton had to pardon someone for crack use. After all, wasn't he essentially pardoned for the same thing?

[TwoSwords]

Thank God, not Clinton. One does it for mercy, the other for some callous polital gain.
IMHO the drug trade is one of the greatest threats that not only America, but the entire planet faces. The amount of money is just too irrestiable, especially for goverments, it seems.
I won’t be a hypocrite, I’ve done my fair share of drugs
many a moon ago. Won’t do anymore. Ever.
Any military could wipe these cartels off the map easily but they’re now ingrained in every society, not unlike liquor. Save your soldiers, the war is lost to the immoral. Like your Clinton.

[the invisib1e hand]

The screenname that delivers.

[Celtic Cross]

Actually, it is completely appropriate to jail people for possession of drugs.

[al_again2010]

A 24 year sentence with no evidence of violence. You think this is just??? I am amazed over and over that people like yourself cannot see how this violates the 8th amendment.