The City of Champions, as Inglewood calls itself, is also a city of controversy because of a racially sensitive dispute being argued Monday before the Supreme Court. At issue is whether prosecutors can be ordered to explain how they choose which crack cocaine cases to pursue in federal court. A decision is expected by July. Drug trafficking indictments against five African-American men from Inglewood were thrown out, after federal prosecutors refused to explain why the defendants were charged in federal court instead of state court.
Federal sentences are much stiffer.
The decision to charge the men in federal court instead of state court is significant. Federal law sets a minimum 10-year sentence for people convicted of selling more than 50 grams of crack. Under California law, the sentence for the same crime ranges from three to five years. In claiming racial bias, the defendants noted that in 1991 all 24 crack cocaine cases handled by the federal public defender's office in Los Angeles involved black defendants. But the Clinton administration argues there is no proof of discrimination.