T
The420Guy
Guest
BILLINGS - Jodie E. Israel, who was sentenced in 1994 to 11 years in prison
for her role in a decade-long marijuana conspiracy case, saw her sentence
commuted by President Clinton in one of his final acts in office.
It means she will be released from federal prison on condition she undergo
regular drug testing.
"Obviously we weren't consulted," said assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Seykora
of Billings, who prosecuted the case. He learned of the commutation from a
Justice Department Web site after being contacted by a reporter.
Israel, now 38 and a mother of four, was characterized by supporters as a
casualty of America's war on drugs.
Her husband, Calvin Treiber, a Rastafarian, was accused of being one of the
leaders of a conspiracy to bring large amounts of marijuana to Montana. He
was convicted and sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Supporters of Israel have argued that she played only a very minor role in
the case and that the prison sentence was too harsh. The reason for the
commutation was not immediately clear.
The conspiracy involved the distribution and sale of hundreds of pounds of
marijuana and tens of thousands of dollars over 10 years. The charges
against Israel included conspiracy to manufacture and conducting financial
transaction with proceeds from the sale of controlled substances.
The original 55-count indictment named 26 defendants. Five defendants,
including Israel and Treiber, were tried together, and received sentences
ranging from seven to 35 years.
Treiber and other Rastafarians who were charged argued that their use of
marijuana was as a religious sacrament.
During an interview for PBS' "Frontline" in the winter of 1997-98, Israel
said she did not smoke marijuana and that investigators "made it into
something way bigger than it was."
"I never imagined that the jury would find me guilty. I thought there would
be justice, and I really believed in our system until I went through this,"
she said. "I still have hope that justice will be served."
Israel could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
Seykora did not know at which federal institution Israel was serving her
sentence. But he maintained the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge
Jack Shanstrom shows her role in the conspiracy.
At sentencing, Shanstrom told Israel, "The evidence showed that as Cal
Treiber's wife, you were full-fledged partners."
Randall Lester, Israel's attorney who argued that she was a minor
participant with no criminal history, was not available for comment Monday.
Israel said she blamed herself for "the choice that I made and the man that
I was with. I can't be responsible for another adult's actions."
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Source: Missoulian (MT)
Copyright: 2001 Missoulian
Contact: newsdesk@missoulian.com
Address: PO Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807
Fax: (406) 523-5294
Website: missoulian.com
for her role in a decade-long marijuana conspiracy case, saw her sentence
commuted by President Clinton in one of his final acts in office.
It means she will be released from federal prison on condition she undergo
regular drug testing.
"Obviously we weren't consulted," said assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Seykora
of Billings, who prosecuted the case. He learned of the commutation from a
Justice Department Web site after being contacted by a reporter.
Israel, now 38 and a mother of four, was characterized by supporters as a
casualty of America's war on drugs.
Her husband, Calvin Treiber, a Rastafarian, was accused of being one of the
leaders of a conspiracy to bring large amounts of marijuana to Montana. He
was convicted and sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Supporters of Israel have argued that she played only a very minor role in
the case and that the prison sentence was too harsh. The reason for the
commutation was not immediately clear.
The conspiracy involved the distribution and sale of hundreds of pounds of
marijuana and tens of thousands of dollars over 10 years. The charges
against Israel included conspiracy to manufacture and conducting financial
transaction with proceeds from the sale of controlled substances.
The original 55-count indictment named 26 defendants. Five defendants,
including Israel and Treiber, were tried together, and received sentences
ranging from seven to 35 years.
Treiber and other Rastafarians who were charged argued that their use of
marijuana was as a religious sacrament.
During an interview for PBS' "Frontline" in the winter of 1997-98, Israel
said she did not smoke marijuana and that investigators "made it into
something way bigger than it was."
"I never imagined that the jury would find me guilty. I thought there would
be justice, and I really believed in our system until I went through this,"
she said. "I still have hope that justice will be served."
Israel could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
Seykora did not know at which federal institution Israel was serving her
sentence. But he maintained the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge
Jack Shanstrom shows her role in the conspiracy.
At sentencing, Shanstrom told Israel, "The evidence showed that as Cal
Treiber's wife, you were full-fledged partners."
Randall Lester, Israel's attorney who argued that she was a minor
participant with no criminal history, was not available for comment Monday.
Israel said she blamed herself for "the choice that I made and the man that
I was with. I can't be responsible for another adult's actions."
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Source: Missoulian (MT)
Copyright: 2001 Missoulian
Contact: newsdesk@missoulian.com
Address: PO Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807
Fax: (406) 523-5294
Website: missoulian.com
