Defence lawyer Grant Connell questions why the charge for weed, cocaine, and possession of a firearm carries the same penalty in the magistrate’s court.
“Let me be more precise about the law and the amendments; it used to be three years in the magistrate’s court with One Hundred Thousand Dollars, it went from three years in 2008 to seven years, and the financial penalty moved from $100,000 to $500,000.
Connell said when you know the poor black man is the most likely to come before the courts, how can you tell me you love the poor.
“If you apply the guidelines to a three-year sentence and a man pleads guilty, you have a third off, that’s two years, being remorseful, it goes down below two years, so most likely you would not go to jail.”
“Look at this, cocaine and marijuana carry the same sentence in the magistrate’s court, seven years, a gun designed to kill, possession of a firearm is seven years, how can this be.”
“You’re trying to tell me those who make the law, who can change the law, can see three things in one package.”
“A gun that can kill, a wretched drug called cocaine that kills and destroys the mind seven years, and a herb, cannabis, that you now flaunt with flair called medical marijuana, the same plant, the same people, profit for the rich and pain for the poor.”
By the way, let me ask this rhetorical question. “Who moved the jail time from three years to seven.”
