Opinion ID: 2996731
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: conclusion

Text: Although a cross burning is undeniably a serious crime deserving of harsh punishment, there is room to question the wisdom of the sort of mandatory statutory terms that 5 At trial, both of Colvin’s co-conspirators testified about the firearm carried by Colvin during the cross burning. Mathis testified that Colvin said he had to “get his SK” as the three were preparing to leave Colvin’s home on the night of the cross burning. Based on his military experience, Mathis testified that “SK” is a shorthand reference for a SKS assault rifle, a semiautomatic assault weapon. Both Funke and Mathis testified that Colvin carried the firearm in his truck that night. Finally, in a stolen property affidavit filed after he participated in the cross burning, Colvin stated that one of his stolen guns was an SKS folding stock semiautomatic handgun. This same firearm was admitted at trial and identified by both Funke and Mathis as at least similar to the rifle carried in Colvin’s truck. No. 00-3400 17 require a first-time offender to receive a sentence on par with one for murder. Nevertheless, “it is not for the courts to carve out statutory exceptions based on judicial perceptions of good sentencing policy.” Gonzales, 520 U.S. at 10; see also Hayward, 6 F.3d at 1246 n.6 (“ ‘[T]he remedy for any dissatisfaction with the results in [this case] lies with Congress and not with this Court.’ ”) (quoting Griffin v. Oceanic Contractors, Inc., 458 U.S. 564, 576 (1982)). We trust, however, that prosecutors exercise the power afforded to them by these sorts of statutes with an eye toward justice, mindful of the discretion that is essential to the proper functioning of the criminal justice system. See United States v. Zendeli, 180 F.3d 879, 886-87 (7th Cir. 1999). Because we find no error warranting reversal, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. RIPPLE, Circuit Judge, with whom MANION, KANNE,