Alice Marie Johnson Jack Johnson
Mic Opinions Alice Marie ... Thanx to Google account (Mic Opinions)
This posting will be for the "Incarcerated American" series, and Part 2 of "Jack Johnson" for this journal/ blog. To take a look at 2 recent cases all over mainstream media concerning the Pardon by President Trump of ex- heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, and the commutation the President also signed for Alice Johnson (wikipedia). Also to point out the difference here between commutation and pardon, because I talked to a couple folks locally, who were saying that Alice was pardoned. Jack was pardoned, meaning slate clean, off the books, no conviction, no crime, etc ... Alice's sentence was commuted, so she still has a criminal record, and she publicly admits to be guilty of what she been convicted of (to an extent). Alice pulled alot of time on her case, over 2 decades, she been a model inmate ... and considering the time served, past due for commutation. Thousands should be out on these convictions, that are even much lesser than Alice's, but most will not be so lucky, without drastic reform. Jack's case is simple, cut and dry ... Alice's case is more complex than it looks ... you have to somewhat understand how the court system worx, and how the drug business worx, which I will elaborate on later. I opened the post above, with Alice in prison, talking about her case and life, to hear her out in fairness. Below I added some newsread and videos. After, I will add my part the bottom.
Alice Johnson Free After Trump Commutes Sentence ... Thanx to seattletimesdotcom
***** HUFFPOST: Alice Marie Johnson Granted Clemency By Trump After Kim Kardashian Push ... (newsread)
***** HUFFPOST: Trump Posthumously Pardons Boxer Jack Johnson ... (newsread/ video)
Ex- heavyweight champion Jack Johnson pardoned by President Donald Trump for 1913 conviction | ESPN ... Thanx to ESPN
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***** PD/ RCJ: "INCARCERATED AMERICAN" ... PART'S 31 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "JACK JOHNSON" ... PART 1
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp
I also want to give credit here to Kim Kardashian West, and Sylvester Stallone for working to push this ... it does make a difference when you have folks with stardom like them getting involved and having your back ... I dont know too much about either, because I dont follow their careers, or reality shows, or various other popular socialites, media and programming. Much credit as well, to all those many folks behind the scenes in the trenches, who are not famous/ popular or have any wealth ... but work so damn hard for justice in this country, bringing awareness, standing up and defending their fellow Americans. I also want to give credit to President Trump for doing this ... I have so many issues with this President, from appointments he has made to key positions in government and judicial areas, to labour/ trade, privatization, domestic social cuts, tax plans, the environment, liberties, etc ... but I must give him credit on this, because if I didnt, I wouldnt be fair. At the same time, I have to be straight on how I view this, and the political intentions. I have no reason to believe that the President is sincere about this, and how he feels, and think that this is simply a bargain he makes with high profile celebrities, to boost his ratings ... this guy is a player, and damn good at it. I feel it is politically motivated because of upcoming elections too, as well as so many in his circles, that he would like to pardon. Trump is a player, he will play any card he has, to see what can and cannot work, and to his advantage ... he's a hustler that "deals", and better than many politicians at it. There has been also alot of popular talk that Trump is a racist, I have no reason to believe that he is racist either, but this will help him on that issue. I credit his son in law Jared as well, for his push for prison reform ... but I also believe this is to change the mindset of folks ... Jared is a key player in the Trump family, especially when it comes to international business, and some of what he does, to me, is legally questionable ... and all part of expanding the Trump empire and wealth/ assets. I also have no reason to think that there will just miraculously be significant prison reform, especially with Trump's open views on even wanting to give death penalties to certain drug dealers. Despite any differences between Trump and Atty General Jeff Sessions, I have no reason to believe that they are not in bed together on their criminal justice views, drug policies, mandatory sentencing, and incarceration ... show me evidence otherwise, and I'll believe it. Also understand just how deep the prison business lobby is in this country, from housing to vendors, to products/ services sold to prisoners, to free labour ... most progress will come from grassroots levels, pressuring the political arena.
Jack Johnson's pardon is long past due, I couldnt even understand on his case, how previous Presidents overlooked this. President Obama, I thought would, but I also understand that President Obama had hundreds of cases he had to personally look at, he gave many pardons, plus you have to look at who is recommending what in a President's circle. Jack's case was concerning the Mann Act (wikipedia), was clearly racially motivated, and there was no criminal acts or intent, Jack was a public hero and celebrity, and broke racial barriers, before there was civil rights movements or the rest. On the other hand, in Alice's case, so many said the court/ judge was hard on her, sentencing, etc ... again, until you get significant reform, the courts will continue. Understand that during Alice's court case, it was smack dab in the middle of the war on drugs, it was also at a height of what's called the crack epidemic already over a decade in swing, mandatory sentencing, etc. Alice had over a dozen co- defendants in her case, many talked, some even lied ... prosecutions cut deals to save time, expense, and get at least some conviction of significance. This is how a prosecution worx, they are looking for the most conviction, they will cut a deal with anyone who can make this happen, including people they know are guilty of worse. Also understand that the drug wars of cartels and gangs were in full swing in 1990's, especially in Texas/ Mexico/ California, lots of tension, lots of bodies ... new territorial claims were getting ironed out. The organization Alice worked with, were dealing in significant amounts of product/ cocaine, thousands of pounds. Keys of cocaine wholesale today in the U.S., probably go for about (rough estimate) $17,000 to $34,000 per kilo (2.2 lbs), depending on quality, quantity, transport/ delivery routes and methods, area demand and economy, and other factors. By the time it gets to ounces and street distribution with cuts, it quadruples in value from the wholesale lot, when that is broken into ounces and grams (28 grams per ounce), and what's manufactured into crack, again it doubles the quantity, they get 2 for 1 on their smaller investment ... it's lucrative to them. When they deal in this product on a wholesale level, they have to have weaponry and security ... they are not just avoiding law enforcement, but they can get targeted by other rivals and thieves to take them down and even rob them if they let down their guard, because they know they cant go to law enforcement for help, you even have cops that will burn them, shake them down, or take cuts.
I find it difficult to believe, in my view, such as any prosecution, DEA/ law enforcement would ... that this was just an isolated case where Alice got busted right after she started ... I am just pointing out the way prosecution/ courts and law agencies think from case experience, as well as those in the trade. They in law and courts, are looking at the deaths, ripple effect of crime and addiction, quantities, sophisticated large operations, investigative costs, etc ... so they are harder on it. First up, in an operation dealing product of this much, this case being the Texas Colombian supplier ... they do not just go out looking for folks who lost their job to offer them a job like this, especially dealing with folks hundreds of miles away ... and no one worx with them on that level without inside reference and screening, they deal in drugs, they are not dumb. Alice had access to large amounts of cash, being $1 million plus even, and worked as a phone contact ... setting up deliveries/ transactions/ contacts, etc ... my guess is that she has done this more than just that time. You can not get into that level of an operation of that size, without some confidence of those you work for, and just come out of nowhere dumb as a doorknob ... you have to know something or someone. No distributor with half a brain on that level, just gives that amount of responsibility and insider contacts and access to operations to a beginner. Not even the top supplier would even want to deal with a distributor who is that loose, they have their product, worth millions on the line, and that distributor would not last a couple months, either taken down by law enforcement, ripped off by a rival, or end up dead/ missing. These are very well ran operations, especially a Colombian organization. It takes DEA and other agents months or even over a year, just to even get half that way into an operation like that, and they actually have technologies and insider info, with phony public records made up and fictional ID's. But I believe that Alice is sincere, and really regrets what she got into, she has helped so many, she done more than her fair share of time, and probably wouldnt have done that much, if she played a better hand with prosecution, as some of her co- defendants done ... and offered to turn on them... but she paid her debt, no doubt, and then some. Alice should be a good advocate as well for the future of drug laws and prison reform, and a mentor to others ... I wish her and her family well.
Word Out ....
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**** Justice Action Network- We must reform our justice system
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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