'Drop the Rock': Repeal Unfair Drug Laws

By Brett Story

March 30, 2009

» More

Hundreds of New Yorkers rallied in front of Gov. David Paterson's office March 25 to urge the repeal of Rockefeller Drug Laws. Instituted in the 1970s, the laws dole out mandatory sentences for minor infractions and disproportionately affect communities of color, 90 percent of those jailed under its auspices are black or Latino.

As a state senator Governor Paterson vocally criticized the laws and The Nation reported early in his term his administration's focus on overturning them.

The New York Times reports that along with the Democratic state assembly and senate, Governor Paterson has reached an agreement to dismantle the drug laws.

--Gabriela Resto-Montero

Check out more great Nation videos on our YouTube channel.

About Brett Story

Brett Story is a freelance journalist and independent documentary filmmaker based out of Montreal, and a 2008 spring intern for The Nation. more...
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Blogs

» The Beat

House Passes Health Reform, But Without Reproductive Rights | Pelosi secures necessary votes, but only after allowing anti-choice Dems to bar access to abortion in new programs.
John Nichols
155 Comments

» Editor's Cut

Around The Nation | Obama, one year on. Plus: Jeremy Scahill takes your questions, and a new video series from The Nation.
Katrina vanden Heuvel
23 Comments

» The Notion

Injustice in Illinois | Prosecutors in Illinois should be more concerned with an innocent man behind bars than journalism students' grades.
Ari Berman
28 Comments

» The Dreyfuss Report

Obama Fails in Middle East | Clinton delivers the ultimate diss to Abbas.
Robert Dreyfuss
154 Comments

» Act Now!

Equality Across America | This week, young LBGT activists are staging a National Week of Initiative.
Peter Rothberg
16 Comments

» Altercation

Slacker Thursday | Dying laptops, recapping the election, the Dow, and the Yankees with the World Series.
Eric Alterman