Opinion ID: 778180
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Claim of Excessive Punishment

Text: 83 Johnson also argues that his sentence to imprisonment for life constitutes cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution because he was not a partner in the Beach 26th Street organization, did not profit from its business, and did not sell drugs in the New York area. We reject this challenge because, although there was no evidence that Johnson sold drugs in the New York area, the remainder of his factual premise is false. The jury found that he in fact was a participant in the Beach 26th Street conspiracy. The evidence was that he sold the coconspirators guns; that he received cash and narcotics in exchange for the guns; and that from his sales of guns and drugs he grossed $30,000 to $40,000 a week, or at least $3 million for 1993-1995. We see no Eighth Amendment violation in his life sentence.