« U.N. Official Says He’s Been Denied Access to U.S. Immigrant Jails | Main | "Impacts of Jail Expansion in New York State: A Hidden Burden" »
May 15, 2007
MO: Legislature passes legislation of life sentence for selling drugs near a park
News Tribune
Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Tougher penalties for selling drugs near parks pass
By The Associated Press
People who sell drugs near a park could face a life prison sentence under legislation sent Monday to Gov. Matt Blunt.
The legislation makes it a Class A felony, punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison, to sell heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamine or methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of city, county, state or private parks.
State law already allows for up to life sentences for manufacturing and selling drugs within 2,000 feet of schools, colleges and school buses. Selling drugs anywhere is a Class B felony with a prison sentence of five to 15 years.
Critics said the state is moving in the wrong direction to lengthen sentences for drug dealers.
³With our prisons being overcrowded, with the numerous people in prison for nonviolent crimes, there's a real concern on my part that someone could go to prison for life for selling drugs,² said Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis.
But supporters said it's necessary to keep parks safe for families and protect vulnerable children from being lured into using drugs.
³We are creating more problems by allowing this kind of activity in the parks with our children,² said Sen. Yvonne Wilson, D-Kansas City. ³We are enhancing the expectancy or opportunity for more to go to prison.²
The Senate passed the bill 29-4 on Monday. It passed the House in April by a 124-26 vote.
The drugs-in-parks language is part of a broader bill.
The measure also makes state property any historically valuable shipwrecks that are at least 50 years old on navigable or formerly navigable waters. Also, it would be a crime to hunt on private property without permission or enter private property without permission to retrieve an animal killed by a hunter. Along with criminal penalties, violators could lose their hunting and fishing privileges for a year.
---
Drug bill is SB198.
On the Net:
Legislature: http://www.moga.mo.gov
http://newstribune.com/articles/2007/05/15/news_state/230state34drugpark.txt
Posted by lois at May 15, 2007 07:02 PM