Cedric Smith
My name is Cedric Smith and I currently reside in Pollock, LA, UPS (United States Penitentiary). In 1992 I was sentenced to 94 years in federal prison for a rash of bank robberies that took place in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was 29 years old and by all means I knew what I was doing was wrong. During the time of these crimes I was living my life without a purpose or meaning. I believe that no crime should go unpunished; however I also believe that what took place doing a crime should be the overall reason rather a person should spend the remainder of their lives in prison.
I want it to be known that I’m way beyond remorseful for the wrongs I did and for any level of pain I caused to anyone even though no one was ever hurt physically; still I realize that my actions way back then could still have some sort of affect on people lives to this very day. I want to say to all of those that it does affect that I pray constantly that you would somehow someday find it within your hearts to forgive me.
Because of a carelessly drafted federal statue called 18 USC 924(c) which states whoever possesses a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence is subjected to penalty of 5 years to run consecutively to the underlying offense, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction the penalty become much more sever, with a 25-tear mandatory minimum. The problem lies with the second part of this statute. District courts across the country have been using this second and subsequent conviction section of 924(c) to apply to offenders that it shouldn’t apply to. There have been a number of outspoken judges, prosecutors, Congressional Representatives and even the US Sentencing Commission have recommended a different application that is more in line with the original Congressional intent when the 924(c) statue was first written.
I pray that you can see the injustice in the way that the federal statue called 18 USC 924(c) is being miss applied. I am now 53 years old, a father, grandfather and a great-grandfather. I have served 25 years in prison and my prayer is that I be blessed to spend some quality time with my love ones in the free world before my life is over. I also pray that you would be a supporter to revise the 924(c) statue and of Mercy Me 924c. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely yours,
I want it to be known that I’m way beyond remorseful for the wrongs I did and for any level of pain I caused to anyone even though no one was ever hurt physically; still I realize that my actions way back then could still have some sort of affect on people lives to this very day. I want to say to all of those that it does affect that I pray constantly that you would somehow someday find it within your hearts to forgive me.
Because of a carelessly drafted federal statue called 18 USC 924(c) which states whoever possesses a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence is subjected to penalty of 5 years to run consecutively to the underlying offense, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction the penalty become much more sever, with a 25-tear mandatory minimum. The problem lies with the second part of this statute. District courts across the country have been using this second and subsequent conviction section of 924(c) to apply to offenders that it shouldn’t apply to. There have been a number of outspoken judges, prosecutors, Congressional Representatives and even the US Sentencing Commission have recommended a different application that is more in line with the original Congressional intent when the 924(c) statue was first written.
I pray that you can see the injustice in the way that the federal statue called 18 USC 924(c) is being miss applied. I am now 53 years old, a father, grandfather and a great-grandfather. I have served 25 years in prison and my prayer is that I be blessed to spend some quality time with my love ones in the free world before my life is over. I also pray that you would be a supporter to revise the 924(c) statue and of Mercy Me 924c. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely yours,
