The law firm of Halscott Megaro is petitioning the release of Corvain Cooper who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for marijuana-related offenses.

Halscott Megaro, P.A. (N/A:N/A)

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Halscott Megaro, P.A. has announced that attorney Patrick Megaro is asking President Donald J. Trump to stop the injustice of mandatory life sentences for non-violent drug offenders, and commute Corvain Cooper's sentence. On June 18, 2014, Corvain T. Cooper was convicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte for the crime of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Mr. Cooper was convicted of a non-violent crime and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Mr. Cooper tried appealing his conviction and sentence, stating that the sentence of life for non-violent crimes was against his Eighth Amendment (Amendment VIII) of the United States Constitution which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishments. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the sentence, and the Supreme Court declined to even hear the case.

Once the courts upheld the lower courts decisions, the attention turned to the State of California who had passed Proposition 47 and 64 as part of legislative drug law reforms after the state legalized marijuana. Both Propositions favored individuals, such as, Corvain Cooper. Mr. Cooper applied to the courts asking them to replace his drug felony convictions with misdemeanors.

A petition was filed to pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2255 in the Federal court, challenging his life sentence under the "Three Strikes" law - since two of the three strikes were no longer felonies, but misdemeanors. However, the Federal courts have denied the challenge. Back in 2016, an application for clemency was presented to then-President Barack Obama, asking the President to commute the sentence from life-imprisonment to a non-violent drug offense. However, the President denied the chance for clemency.

“I believe in God, the Constitution, individual freedom and personal liberty. This is why I have been fighting for Corvain Cooper and his rights since 2014, and I will continue to do so until we have exhausted all options”, Patrick Megaro stated. Mr. Megaro also added “Because his family has been unable to afford legal fees, I have been representing him for free - pro bono. I have pledged to continue to fight for this young man, who is a genuinely good person who does not deserve this Draconian punishment.”

Attorney Patrick Megaro is now asking President Donald J. Trump to stop the injustice of mandatory life sentences for non-violent drug offenders, and commute Corvain Cooper's sentence to a non-violent drug sentence. Mr. Cooper deserves to be treated and sentenced based on the crime, not for political gains. The Petition is published at https://www.change.org/p/donald-trump-release-corvain-cooper-from-life-imprisonment-without-parole-for-marijuana.

Background

The underlying court cases are United States v. Cooper, 624 Fed.Appx. 819 (4th Cir. 2015), and United States v. Cooper, 714 Fed.Appx. 259 (4th Cir. 2018). According to a press release of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, “from in or about 2004 through January 2013, Cooper was involved in a drug conspiracy that trafficked marijuana from California to the Charlotte area. Court records show that Cooper was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least one thousand kilograms of marijuana as well as money laundering conspiracy and structuring financial transactions through banking institutions to avoid IRS reporting requirements. Cooper, along with two co-defendants, Evelyn LaChapelle and Natalia Wade, were convicted of all charges on October 18, 2013, following a three-day trial.” He was sentenced to life in prison on June 18, 2014. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/california-drug-trafficker-sentenced-life-prison-drug-conspiracy-and-related-charges. There are numerous reports online about this case, including https://www.lifeforpot.com/corvain-cooper.html, and https://www.civilized.life/articles/its-startling-to-people-that-this-is-still-happening-corvain-cooper-tells-his-story/.

Patrick Megaro
Halscott Megaro, P.A.
(407) 255-2164
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"Three Strikes Law" by Patrick Megaro, Criminal Defense Lawyer who is petitioning clemency for Corvain Cooper