Mother of nine, Karen Blakney was convitced in 1992 for cooking cocaine in exchange for money. But the case has an unusual conclusion. In a deal hammered out over months of negotiations, U.S. Attorney Wilma Lewis used an obscure rule of criminal procedure to help the woman escape a mandatory minimum sentence. It's the latest chapter in the long-running battle over mandatory minimums, a series of laws passed by Congress to counter a steeply rising crime wave in the 1980s.
July 26, 1999 at 12:00 AM
1 minute read
The original version of this story was published on Law.Com
To many people, the case of Karen Blakney has epitomized the problem withmandatory sentencing laws.
Blakney, a recovering crack addict and single mother of nine, faced a10-year minimum sentence for cooking cocaine in exchange for money to feedher habit. A federal jury in the District convicted her in 1992. But thetrial judge believed she only deserved 30 months in prison. Twice an appealscourt overruled the judge and ordered him to send Blakney away for a decadeinstead.
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