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Congress Scrutinizes the Use of Informants in Drug Law Enforcement Following Accidental Shooting of 92-Year-Old Woman (07/19/2007)
WASHINGTON – The House Judiciary Committee held hearings today to examine the dangers of the informant system as used in drug law enforcement. Today’s hearing was prompted by the tragic death of a 92-year-old Atlanta woman, Kathryn Johnston, who was shot during a botched SWAT raid of her home. The raid was based on information fabricated by police, who falsely attributed the misinformation to a confidential informant. Civil rights advocates and members of Congress called for an overhaul of the informant system, instituting oversight mechanisms and safeguards to prevent future injustices.

Court Upholds Law Making Marijuana Santa Barbara’s Lowest Law Enforcement Priority (07/10/2007)
SANTA BARBARA, CA - The American Civil Liberties Union applauded today’s ruling by a California Superior Court judge to uphold a voter-enacted initiative that directs police to focus resources on serious crime by making marijuana use the lowest law enforcement priority. Citing California’s ban on lawsuits that punish public participation in the political process, the court dismissed the city of Santa Barbara’s challenge of the law, known as Measure P, which was brought against Heather Poet because she was the proponent of the challenged initiative.

ACLU Applauds Governor for Signing Texas’ First Needle Exchange Bill (06/14/2007)
AUSTIN – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today applauded Governor Rick Perry for signing a Medicaid reform bill authorizing the first legal needle exchange program in Texas. The new law brings Texas up to date with most other states in the nation by starting a safe, legal needle exchange pilot program in Bexar County this fall.

Medical Marijuana One Step Away from FDA Development Process (05/23/2007)
WASHINGTON D.C. – A U.S. Department of Justice-appointed judge submitted her final recommendation to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on May 15, calling on the agency to end a forty-year government monopoly on the supply of research-grade marijuana available for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved studies. With this monopoly broken, new studies could lead to medical marijuana’s availability in pharmacies as a legal, prescription drug. DEA Deputy Administrator Michele Leonhart must now accept the judge’s recommendation in order for the ruling to take effect, though she has no deadline for doing so and may choose to reject the recommendation.

ACLU Calls USSC Federal Sentencing Report a Step in the Right Direction (05/15/2007)
Washington, DC - The ACLU today responded to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s release of its 2007 Report to Congress on Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy. Under current law, distribution of just five grams of crack cocaine carries a minimum five-year federal prison sentence; distribution of 500 grams of powder cocaine carries the same sentence. This 100:1 sentencing disparity has devastated African-American and low-income communities, targeting low-level offenders while failing to address the larger problem of the drug trade.

ACLU Defends Sponsor of Marijuana Initiative from Attack by Santa Barbara City Council (05/08/2007)
SANTA BARBARA, CA – Citing California’s ban on strategic lawsuits against public participation (“SLAPP”), the American Civil Liberties Union today moved to dismiss a legal challenge brought by the Santa Barbara City Council seeking to thwart a new law, enacted through voter initiative, that directs police to focus resources on violent and serious crime by making marijuana use the lowest law enforcement priority. The Council’s lawsuit was brought against the initiative’s sponsor based solely on her participation in the political process.

U.S. Sentencing Commission Issues New Recommendations on Federal Sentencing Guidelines (04/28/2007)
Washington - In a public hearing Friday evening, the United States Sentencing Commission voted to amend the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for federal crack cocaine offenses. Distributing just five grams of crack for example, carries a minimum five-year federal prison sentence, while distributing 500 grams of powder cocaine carries the same sentence.

ACLU Renews Fight to Overturn Law That Denies Financial Aid to Students With Drug Convictions (04/16/2007)
ST. LOUIS, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed an appeal asking that a federal court be compelled to weigh the full body of evidence in determining the constitutional validity of a provision of the Higher Education Act that denies financial aid to students convicted of a drug offense. The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota dismissed the case last year after refusing to consider significant legislative history demonstrating the law to be unconstitutional.

DEA Judge Calls for Government to End Obstruction of Medical Marijuana Research (02/13/2007)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union applauded a ruling issued by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration judge that recommends ending the federal government’s sixty-five year monopoly on the supply of marijuana available for Food and Drug Administration-approved medical research.