Supreme Court skeptical of low-level crack offender’s case

WASHINGTON — Crack cocaine trafficking kingpins convicted more than a decade ago can ask courts to reduce their prison terms under a 2018 federal law. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sounded skeptical that people convicted of older low-level crack crimes can do the same.

The seemingly odd circumstance results from the wording of the First Step Act, a bipartisan 2018 law signed by President Donald Trump. Aimed at reducing racial disparities in sentencing, the law allows prisoners convicted of older crack crimes to seek reduced sentences.

But it specifically addresses crack possession only above 5 grams for one category of possession and above 50 grams for another category, leaving some justices doubtful that it’s meant to apply to everyone.

“You get me out of this. I’d love to get out of it. I mean, I think they were much too high. I understand that. But I can’t get away from this statute. So you convince me, I hope, that I’m wrong,” Justice Stephen Breyer said, pleading with Andrew Adler, a federal public defender from Florida.

Adler’s client, Tarahrick Terry was arrested with 3.9 grams of crack on him in 2008. He is in the final months of his prison term, no matter what the court decides. And he is serving his remaining time on home confinement, according to the Biden administration.

Still, the court agreed to decide Terry’s case and resolve a disagreement among lower courts.

Chief Justice John Roberts said he couldn’t understand why Congress would want to deny that chance to “the least culpable offenders.”