The Justice Department has told federal prosecutors to include far more information in criminal indictments and seek more indictments in thousands of pending cases to comply with a Supreme Court decision, reports the Associated Press. The ruling has led several judges to declare federal sentencing guidelines unconstitutional.
Deputy Attorney General James Comey said the government does not believe the ruling, in a Washington State case, should apply to federal judges. To be on the safe side, he said prosecutors should include aggravating factors in indictments that could add time to prison sentences. The jury would weigh those factors. Comey said that new indictments should be sought with that information in pending cases.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32310-2004Jul6.html