Ex-congressman (Jesse Jackson Jr) makes his prison choice known

[Tx4obama]

Ex-congressman makes his prison choice known

CHICAGO — Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has said where he wants to serve time for illegally spending $750,000 in campaign funds.

Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday. Lawyers for the Illinois Democrat say they will ask the sentencing judge that he be housed in an Alabama prison camp, or a prison in North Carolina.

In their court filing Monday, the lawyers say Jackson attended college in North Carolina and has significant ties to the area, which "he believes will aid his rehabilitation during any term of incarceration."

Federal prosecutors have recommended four years in prison for Jackson. The government suggests an 18-month sentence for Jackson's wife. Sandra Jackson pleaded guilty to filing false joint federal income tax returns.

-snip-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20130812/us-jesse-jackson-jr/?utm_hp_ref=homepage&ir=homepag

[mgcgulfcoast]

1. just 4 years?

i would like to see 10.

[jaysunb]

3. Why ?? n/t

[mgcgulfcoast]

5. i dont like crooks

period

[DJ13]

2. since when do prisoners have a choice?

[jmowreader]

4. Since forever, apparently

I thought the same thing you did, so I looked it up...you can petition to the court for a specific facility and if circumstances allow (security level you need, overcrowding, where the guy you rolled over on went, etc.) they will send you there. Blago asked for Littleton, Colo., for instance, and was assigned there. Bernie Madoff asked for a joint that's about 70 miles from Manhattan but got Butner, N.C., because they're more experienced with old guys (and prob. also because the prison Madoff asked for contains people he screwed out of money...)

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. It happens a lot …

With non-violent, federal crimes … even for state crimes, the defendant can argue for a particular prison to serve one’s time.

But the “choice” is really just a request that may, or may not, be granted by the sentencing judge.

[DJ13]

7. Thanks to both you and jmowreader

I had never heard of that, I'm kinda shocked.

[davidpdx]

8. Yes it is up to the judge

But I have to wonder if people with less influence are granted such a choice. In terms of Madoff they should have put him in a hole and left him there to rot. I don't really have an opinion on Jackson.