“The Hammonds are multi-generation cattle ranchers in Oregon imprisoned in connection with a fire that leaked onto a small portion of neighboring public grazing land,” the White House said in a statement. “The evidence at trial regarding the Hammonds’ responsibility for the fire was conflicting, and the jury acquitted them on most of the charges.
Dwight and Steven Hammond were convicted of committing arson on federal land in 2012 under an anti-terrorism law from 1996. The U.S. District Court judge who sentenced the ranchers believed the mandatory minimum sentence was too harsh, thus both men served short stints in prison.
The Hammonds served their time, but federal prosecutors appealed the case and a federal court overturned the 2012 judgement. The Hammonds were forced back into prison in 2016 to serve the rest of their sentences.
These ranchers have still had the lives and fortunes hugely damaged by their own government, but at least the imprisonment is now over. If they haven't already, the government lawyers who prosecuted this case should be fired and disbarred. You don't become an attorney for the government to destroy your fellow citizens for minor errors.
Awesome news - MAGA
ReplyDelete"You don't become an attorney for the government to destroy your fellow citizens for minor errors."
ReplyDeleteWell, long, long ago, in a galaxy far far away, maybe. Now....?
The ranchers were destroyed due to Hillary needing them out of the way for her Russian uranium deal.
ReplyDeleteExcellent news!
ReplyDeleteNow if only Lon Horiuchi would get arrested for murder, convicted and hanged by the neck; but I doubt that's on the horizon. Still, this was great to hear, and thank God we have a president who saw the necessity for this pardon!