Manafort’s Sentencing Spotlights Inequities In The Criminal Justice System
Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort (Graphic By Maddie Anderson and edited by Adam Al-Ali)
Today, Judge T.S. Ellis sentenced former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort to 47 months in prison. Manafort’s crimes included 8 counts (5 tax fraud, 2 bank fraud, and 1 of hiding foreign accounts). Special Counsel Robert Mueller recommended 19-24 years in prison given the nature of the crimes, which involved lobbying for foreign dictators and committing financial fraud. In spite of decades of criminal conduct, Judge Ellis claimed that Manafort lived “an otherwise blameless life.”
Paul Manafort also violated his plea agreement in his DC trial. The charges are conspiracy against the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Judge Amy Berman Jackson will rule on this next week and Manafort could face an additional 10 years. Manafort showed no remorse for his crimes and later witness tampered to try and cover them up.
Legal experts consider Manafort’s sentencing for fraud charges of this nature to be incredibly lenient. Brooklyn Public Defender Scott Hechinger outlines just how lenient Paul Manafort’s sentence is by comparing it to other crimes:
For context on Manafort’s 47 months in prison, my client yesterday was offered 36-72 months in prison for stealing $100 worth of quarters from a residential laundry room.
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019
3 years ago, in the court in which I work, a Brooklyn teenager was sentenced to 19 years (15 more than Manafort) for setting a mattress on fire that inadvertently lead to the death of a responding officer for smoke inhalation. https://t.co/WAbvwG4mxp
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019
15 years in prison for drug possession. You shouldn’t need more info than that to be outraged. But then learn: Juanita is a mother of 6. Her 18 year old is now head of household. Raising 5 kids. Crime is not even a felony in Oklahoma anymore. pic.twitter.com/nybkR9jHnY
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019
Manafort was sentenced to less than a woman who voted while on probation without knowing she wasn’t allowed to. She was sentenced to 5 years. https://t.co/oDyhH8K0bJ
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019
16-year-old Kalief Browder was jailed on Rikers for 3.5 years, *pretrial,* for allegedly stealing a backpack. Committed suicide when released. City just settled for a paltry $3.3 million. Meanwhile cash bail still exists, Rikers still open, & 89% jailed there are Black or Latino. pic.twitter.com/cFFoUOCVvo
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019
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