Jamaican drug lord to judge: "Be lenient on me"
NEW YORK - A Jamaican drug kingpin who admitted his leadership in an international crime ring cited his charitable works in a seven-page letter asking a federal judge in New York City for leniency.
"Good day to you, sir," the Sept. 7 letter from drug lord Christopher Coke to Judge Robert Patterson Jr. of Manhattan federal court begins. "I am humbly asking if you could be lenient on me."
Coke pleaded guilty to racketeering and assault charges last month and faces up to 23 years when he is sentenced Dec. 8.
In the letter, obtained by The New York Times, Coke listed 13 reasons why he should not get the maximum sentence.
He said he had lost his mother recently and was told that "while she was on her deathbed, she was crying and kept calling my name."
He said his 8-year-old son had been traumatized by his arrest. "I was told that he is constantly asking for his daddy," Coke said.
Captured: Christopher "Dudus" Coke
Coke also cited his "charitable deeds and social services" in Jamaica such as providing free school supplies for children.
Federal prosecutors had no comment on the letter.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement when Coke entered his guilty plea, "For nearly two decades, Christopher Coke led a ruthless criminal enterprise that used fear, force and intimidation to support its drug and arms trafficking `businesses.' He moved drugs and guns between Jamaica and the United States with impunity."
U.S. authorities have described Coke as one of the world's most dangerous drug dealers.
He was arrested by Jamaican authorities in June 2010 and extradited to the U.S.
A hunt for him in his West Kingston slum stronghold led to a confrontation that killed 73 civilians and three security officers over four days of fighting.
Coke kept a high public profile in the ghettos west of Kingston and was also credited with using his authority to punish thieves and other criminals in an area where the government has little presence.
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Since the start of the war on drugs my generation has witnessed the end of the Vietnam war, were not vaporised during the Cold War as expected, civil rights have progressed and the 'Wall' has come down. But, we are still being fed Nixon's Reefer madness despite the War on Drugs being an unmitigated disaster except as a state tool to marginalise minorities. The cost in lives, public health, family breakdown, my generations loss of respect for the state, dollars etc etc is incalculable.
However, journalists and politicians can continue to support this disastrous war with full state backing.
The bigoted old fools who started this war have gone. But my generation has had to live with it's consequences for most of our lives.
My generation must now clean up this mess left by our elders. We have had to wait for them to leave office in order to do so.
Drugs are dangerous, they should be under state control not in the hands of organised crime. It's time for the state to say sorry to my generation and take drug control back from organised crime.
Tell your local politician you support ending the war on drugs.
The stupid American drug consumers and drug culture offers an abundance of customers for Mr. Coke to get rich.
Mr. Coke gets punished. The stupid American drug consumers offer an abundance of customers for someone else to get rich etc.
He should be charged with at least 73 counts of murder.
His dying mother was asking for him.
His eight year old son cries and asks for his daddy.
I wonder if he ever gave even one thought to the wives, mothers, siblings and children of those who were killed.
BOO HOO HOO.
How many other deaths did he contribute to during his years of illegal arms trafficking and drug smuggling.
NO leniency and especially no plea bargaining for this man.
There used to be a show on TV called "Barreta" whose slogan was "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time".
Plea bargaining is one of the most creative things lawyers have come up with in an effort to prevent their clients from having to face up to the consequences of ther actions.
Many criminals have avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to the crime in order to otain a life sentnce instead of the death penalty, and life in prison no longer means "life".
Plea bargaining should be outlawed.!
It's called the "criminal justice" system for a reason.
It's "justice" for the criminal and can have devastating effects on the families of the victims who are basically told by the Courts that their loved one was really not worth much..
Ex: Recently; a drunk driver struck and killed a teenaged boy and then fled the scene.
His devastated parents had to wait months for the police to catch this man; and when he was finally went to court; they discovered their son's life was worth $1,500 and a six month suspended sentence.
WHAT's WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE.???!!
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a drug dealer w/ the last name 'coke'? oh the irony.