Over 21,000 ColorOfChange.org members signed a petition urging Congress to end the unfair disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses. On May 21st, 2009, the Crack the Disparity coalition delivered the petitions to Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy and House Judiciary Chair John Conyers. Here's a video of the petition delivery:
Former Major League Baseball star Willie Mays Aikens developed a cocaine habit that went untreated. He ended up spending 14 years in prison for a crime that would have garnered two years had it not been for the crack/powder disparity. Below, you can listen to him discuss how his life has been changed by the discriminatory sentencing laws, and James Rucker (executive director of ColorOfChange.org) discuss our campaign to end the sentencing disparity. These audio clips were taken from a conference call for members of the media that ColorOfChange.org participated in along with Aikens and other advocates from the Crack the Disparity Coalition.
Willie Mays Aikens:
James Rucker:
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