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Obama Commutes Sentences in 8 Crack Cocaine Cases

HeadlineDec 20, 2013

President Obama has commuted the sentences of eight prisoners serving lengthy terms for crack cocaine offenses, saying they were “sentenced under an unfair system.” That system included a 100-to-1 sentencing gap for crack and powder cocaine offenses, which was eased by a reform law in 2011. All eight people who received commutations have served more than 15 years in prison; six had been sentenced to life. We’ll have more on the story after headlines and speak to one of the prisoners, Jason Hernandez.

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