SAGE Lecture Spark March 12, 2019

Paul Manafort Receives 47-Month Sentence in Virginia On March 7th, a federal judge sentenced Paul Manafort to 47 months in prison for committing tax crimes and bank fraud. Prosecutors and sentencing guidelines had recommended 19 to 25 years in prison. In addition to the prison sentence, Manafort was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and $24 million in restitution. The sentence has drawn backlash from individuals who claim that the sentence was too light. Manafort faces a second sentencing hearing related to the Mueller investigation in Washington, D.C. later in March. Do you believe that Judge T.S. Ellis imposed the proper punishment on Manafort for the crimes that he committed? Here are a few sources regarding Paul Manafort’s sentencing: The Paul Manafort sentence—justice served? By: David Morgan CBS News 03/10/2019 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/milepost-the-paul-manafort-sentence-justice-served/ Why Judge T.S. Ellis gave Paul Manafort only 47 months in prison By: Katelyn Polantz CNN https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/09/politics/judge-ts-ellis-paul-manafort-sentence/index.html Was Paul Manafort’s sentence too light? Here’s how it compares with other cases By: Christal Hayes USA Today 03/07/2019 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/07/paul-manafort-prison-sentence-2017-federal-data/3099176002/

Key Concepts Critics of Judge T.S. Ellis’ decision highlighted various contentious factors that could have contributed to Paul Manafort’s sentencing, such as: Judicial discretion and the unchecked power of federal judges Racial, class, and partisan bias The advisory nature of the sentencing guidelines The following sources provide some information regarding the criticisms of Paul Manafort’s sentence: Racial Bias Doesn’t Fully Explain Manafort’s Sentence. Its Unchecked Judges By: Renato Mariotti Politico 03/09/2019 https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/09/paul-manafort-ellis-racial-bias-225706 Was Paul Manafort’s Sentence Too Light? By: Shaila Dewan and Alan Blinder The New York Times 03/08/2019 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/us/politics/manafort-sentencing-controversy.html

Assessment Writing: Why did Paul Manafort’s sentence draw a lot of backlash from legal experts, law makers, and the public? Debate: Paul Manafort’s sentence was too lenient. Poll: Do you believe that Paul Manafort will serve his entire sentence? Short Answer: What is the purpose of sentencing guidelines? Current Events Quiz 1. The federal sentencing guidelines went into effect in A. 1980. B. 1982. C. 1984. D. 1986.   2. Which of the following court cases found the limits placed on judges by sentencing guidelines to be unconstitutional? A. United Stats v. Booker B. Miranda v. Arizona C. Roe v. Wade D. Gideon v. Wainwright 3. According to sentencing guidelines, the minimum prison sentence that Paul Manafort could have received in the court case presided over by Judge T.S. Ellis was A. 19 years. B. 25 years. C. 35 years. D. 43 years. 4. Aside from sentencing guidelines, judicial discretion also plays a role in federal sentencing. (T/F) 5. Judges are supposed to take into consideration criminal history, severity of the crime, the health of the defendant, and other factors when considering sentences. (T/F) 6. There is no racial disparity in sentencing. (T/F) Answers 1) C 2) A 3) A 4) T 5) T 6) F