Hamedah Hasan

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Hamedah Hasan is a notable example of one the many individuals who have been incarcerated due to mandatory sentencing. Hasan describes receiving a longer sentence for a peripheral involvement in a drug ring, than the ring leaders because her peripheral involvement meant she had no information to trade for a lighter sentence. A perceived injustice in her case has attracted the attention of the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative.^[1]

[edit] Story

A mother of two, with one on the way, she moved from Oregon into her cousins' house in Nebraska to escape an abusive boyfriend. At the time, she was aware that her cousins were selling drugs but she did not take part, except when they asked her to wire money for them a few times. The house was busted and all adults were arrested. Because Hamedah was not really involved in the drug smuggling, she had no information to trade for a reduced sentence and was given a longer sentence than the conspiricy leaders, a natural life sentence of 27 years. After 10 years Hamedah was able to get her sentence reduced to 10 years, but the ruling was overturned because her judge did not follow the rules set out by Congress.