Failed Attack on Prop 8 Tried on Drug-Law Prop 5

Same-sex marriage proponents couldn’t persuade the Supreme Court to boot Prop. 8 off the ballot. But that’s not stopping a group of politicians, DAs and cops from trying the same tactic with Prop. 5.

Prop 5 (.pdf), the so-called Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act, would shorten parole for drug offenders, change certain marijuana misdemeanors to infractions and spend more on drug rehab programs. Think of it as a cousin to Prop. 36 , only more despised by law enforcement.

Prop. 5 opponents, led by San Diego DA Bonnie Dumanis, gathered in Sacramento today to unveil their petition to the state Supreme Court to block the initiative from the November ballot. They say the measure is really a constitutional amendment that proponents tried to pass of as a statutory change, making it “facially invalid” on constitutional grounds. And, they say, if justices don’t keep it away from voters, Prop. 5 could wreak “irreparable” holy havoc on a state with an already troubled prison system.

“Proposition 5 is deceptive and voters need to know it,” Dumanis said.

You can read what initiative supporters say here.

The anti-5 group’s petition sometimes reads more like a position paper. A chatty 48-page brief is followed by the actual initiative’s language, various analyses of the measure, four newspaper articles chronicling California’s ailing prison system and copies of orders in the Coleman and Plata cases.

But the petitioners involved in the lawsuit are pure tough-on-crime marquee: Former Govs. Pete Wilson and Gray Davis, LA DA Steve Cooley, Dumanis, possible AG candidate Rod Pacheco and dozens of others (mostly prosecutors). No word yet on when the court may hear the case.

—  Cheryl Miller

Comments

[joycelorenza]

Comments about HARPER VOWS JAIL TIME FOR DRUG DEALERS, PRODUCERS:The federal government will introduce legislation this fall setting out mandatory minimum jail sentences for people convicted of "serious" drug crimes, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday."Currently there are no minimum prison sentences for producing and trafficking dangerous drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine," Harper told a news conference."But these are serious crimes; those who commit them should do serious time."The $63.8-million national anti-drug strategy also promises more resources for identifying and closing down marijuana-growing operations, although Harper would not say whether marijuana growers would face tougher sentences.
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joycelorenza

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[Kyle]

A cool ad in support of California Prop. 5 that succinctly gets at the bottom line of this initiative: it will save Californians literally billions of dollars by cutting out a lot of the pointless warehousing of nonviolent drug offenders in our state prisons and eliminating the need for future prison construction.
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Kyle
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[Martina]

Passage of proposition 8, an amendment to the California Constitution banning same-sex marriage in the state has been followed by organized attacks on Mormons, their churches and temples by angry homosexual and lesbian groups. Most commentators credit the large turn-out of new black and Hispanic voters, who supported Barack Obama, for the strong support of Proposition 9. Yet, no Hispanic or black churches have been attacked. Only LDS churches and members have been targeted.
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Martina

"http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/iowa"