Court Opinion

ID: 9483454
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 09:20:50.633407+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:49:38.172342
License: Public Domain

BRIGHT, Senior Circuit Judge,
concurring separately.
This first-time offender, age thirty-one, will spend almost twenty years in prison, a victim of the war on drugs. Yet we seem to be losing that war, despite the dramatic casualties.
As I stated in a separate concurrence to the similar sentences imposed on Appleby’s co-conspirators, “[wjhile I am obligated to affirm the sentences, I need not put my stamp of approval on them.” United States v. Stockton, 968 F.2d 715, 722 (8th Cir.1992) {Stockton). In Appleby’s instance, the district court judge seemed to share these sentiments, for he wrote, “[t]he sentence was at the lowest end of the guidelines which is excessive.” Br. of Appellant at A5 (Judgment).
Appleby comes from a stable home and has a good family background. He made a *1388mistake and undoubtedly deserves punishment. But the twenty years imposed by the Guidelines goes beyond mere punishment.
I relate information on Appleby's background from the Presentence Report (PSR) and letters sent to the probation office so that the reader of this concurrence can make a reasoned judgment as to whether this sentence serves a proper purpose.
The PSR stated that “[t]he defendant was reared in an intact home environment and, from all indications, was provided with adequate love, discipline, and material nec-essities_ The defendant’s father characterized Terry as a ‘hardworking’ individual whom he thought was never involved in drug or alcohol abuse. Mr. Appleby did advise that his son suffered emotional distress as a result of the divorce from his wife.” PSR at ¶¶ 44-45. “The defendant’s high school transcript indicated no behavioral, social, or psychological problems. The defendant was active in high school sports.” PSR at ¶ 52.
Twelve neighbors, friends and family members wrote in support of Appleby. One acquaintance of ten years wrote: “I have never known a nicer more generous person in my life. I have seen Terry stop to help people stranded on the highway and go completely out of his way to get them going again. If this world was full of Terry Appleby’s it would sure be a better place to live.” Gov’t App. at 30. His sister-in-law wrote: “He’s the apple of his Dads [sic] eyes, but he was to everyone who knew him.... Terry’s still a very good person, maybe he went astray for a while but he’s back now and he’s the same as ever. We all love him and will help him any way we can.” Id. at 31-32. His brother stated: “If I could do some of his time in prison I would gladly do so, and so would the rest of our family.” Id. at 35. A neighbor of almost forty years urged: “If I were in your place, I would try & find it in my heart to show some mercy & give the man a second chance.” Id. at 37.
Oppressive sentences for first-time offenders require substantial public funding. As I noted in my concurrence in Stockton, the taxpayers will pay more for incarceration ($17,900) per year than for a year of college education at most fine, private colleges. Stockton, 968 F.2d at 721. Is it worth it?
I write separately here to ask this question: Do the draconian sentences for first offenders demanded by the Guidelines make any sense in the face of strong evidence that a prisoner could be rehabilitated rather than virtually destroyed by a lengthy incarceration, as here?