SAN FERNANDO : Judge Endorses Policy of Longer Drug Terms
A judge on Wednesday endorsed a policy that subjects repeat drug offenders in San Fernando courts to minimum prison sentences that are twice as long as those routinely handed out in other Los Angeles County courthouses.
San Fernando Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey’s ruling came on a motion by the San Fernando public defender’s office, which had tried to have county prosecutors removed from such cases because of a minimum-sentencing policy set by the head San Fernando prosecutor, contending that it was an abuse of discretion.
The public defender’s office filed its motion May 21 after head Deputy Dist. Atty. Billy Webb began requiring prosecutors not to accept a sentence of less than six years in prison for repeat drug-dealing suspects. The standard prison sentence accepted in plea bargains for such cases in other courthouses is three years.
Weiss had wanted the state attorney general’s office to prosecute San Fernando cases covered by the policy. But Mackey rejected that idea.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
