Hi, my name is Amber Person and I am starting this petition because my father has been in prison for over 20 years on a non-violent drug offense. It's been a lifetime of paying for a mistake after 21 years of hard time under the racially 100-to-1 crack/powder ratio which Congress, the Supreme court, United States sentence commission and Federal Judges across the country had all said the old law, when my father was sentenced, was racially discriminatory against black, and plain unfair.

Hello, my name is Christopher Alsop, I am a deaf federal inmate who has been indicted since 1998 on non-violence drug offense (crack cocaine). I never was arrested with any drugs, but I was still facing a maximum of life in prison. The government offered two of my friends, as witnesses, who testified that I sold them drugs. the Jury found me guilty on all four counts in my indictment and I was sentenced to 30 years. yes, I do take responsibility for my actions.

I am asking for help and assistance with getting my current sentencing reduced because I was sentenced under the old 100-to-1 crack/powder ratio. what that means is that: 5 grams of crack as equivalent to 500 grams of powder and 50 grams crack as equivalent to 5 kilos of powder cocaine. In 2012, for example, blacks made up 30% of reported crack users but 83% of federal crack convicts. while white, in contrast, accounted for 62% of users but only 7% of convicts. from 1988-1995 the federal government prosecuted no white people under the crack provisions in 17 states, including major cities such as Boston, Denver, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and Los Angeles. see L.A time, May 21, 1995 "war on crack targets minorities over whites" by Dan Weikel.

In 2013 three Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judges, the Honorable Judges Merritt, Martin, and Gilman stated in the United States -v- Blewett 719 f.3d 482 (May 17, 2013). The sentencing commission and Supreme court recognized the disparity as well.
In 1996 supreme court Justice Stevens J. Stated it is undisputed that the brunt of the elevated federal penalties falls heavily on black. The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy, stated the former 100-to-1 ratio law is "one of the most notorious symbols of racial discrimination in the modern Criminal Justice System". 156 cong.Rec 51683
In 2012 the Supreme Court Justice Breyers's intended in the Fair Sentencing Act to repeal and redress the wrongs of the older crack sentencing statute that congress believed had proven itself to be arbitrary, irrational and racially discriminatory.
The Sixth Circuit Court of appeals Judges held that thousands of black defendants, including myself now, remain in federal prisons under long sentences, some for life and further stated that there can be no doubt the old crack law was racially discriminatory in effect. Blewett Id

For these reasons, I request your help by giving me your signature because I was sentenced to 30 years under the old racially discriminatory law and I believe I should be immediate release. In 2018 Congress passed the "First Step Act" (Fair Sentencing Act) and it was signed by President Trump on December 21, 2018, in an effort to remedy the disproportionately harsh sentence imposed for crack cocaine offense. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judges stated " the Fair sentencing Act restore fairness to federal cocaine sentencing law that had unfairly impacted black for 25 years.

Now in May of 2019, my lawyer filed a motion to pursue relief under the First Step Act/Fair Sentencing act law requesting for time served, and immediate release after suffering for two decades in prison. During my time in prison, I never had any type of violent incident reports. in addition, I taught myself to speak fluently in Spanish even with the odd stack against me because of my hearing problem. I also took classes in Constructing, Carpentry, Trucking/CDL, Basic Government Course, Interview Skills, Creative Writing, Money Smart, Business Law, Real Estate, Accounting I and Accounting II. I am now a changed man and believe that I should be accepted back into society. I would like to thank you in advance for your time and help, patience and consideration in this matter. Please sign the petition at change.org.com This will help me tremendously, and send me home to my living family who has been waiting 21 years for my return.

Christopher Alsop 03078-061FCI CUMBERLAND
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 1000
CUMBERLAND, MD  21501