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Formerly Commuted Life Sentence Holder Arrested for Attempted Murder
(MENAFN) Alton Mills, a convicted crack dealer whose life sentence was commuted by former US President Barack Obama in 2016, has been arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder, as reported by the Illinois State Police. According to the police report, Mills allegedly opened fire multiple times into a vehicle while driving on an entrance ramp to Interstate 57 in Posen, a suburb of Chicago, last Sunday. Sadly, the passenger in the targeted vehicle was struck by the gunfire and is currently hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Mills' journey through the criminal justice system dates back to 1994 when he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on federal crack cocaine conspiracy charges. His involvement in the drug trade was limited to acting as a street-level courier in a single drug deal. However, due to his previous convictions for possessing small amounts of crack cocaine, Mills fell under the harsh mandatory-minimum sentencing laws popular during the 1990s War on Drugs. It is worth noting that Mills had never served time in prison for his previous charges, and even the judge overseeing his case reportedly disagreed with the excessively severe sentence he was compelled to deliver.
In 2016, as part of a clemency initiative, President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of Mills and 94 other non-violent federal prisoners. This decision came after efforts from Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, and the sentencing judge Marvin Aspen, who both petitioned for Mills' release. After spending 22 years behind bars, Mills was granted a second chance at life outside of prison walls.
However, Mills' recent arrest on charges of attempted murder has reignited debates surrounding the commutation of his sentence. The incident raises questions about the effectiveness of rehabilitation and reintegration programs for individuals with criminal backgrounds. Critics argue that cases like Mills' highlight the challenges in assessing the risk of recidivism and making decisions regarding early release.
Mills' journey through the criminal justice system dates back to 1994 when he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on federal crack cocaine conspiracy charges. His involvement in the drug trade was limited to acting as a street-level courier in a single drug deal. However, due to his previous convictions for possessing small amounts of crack cocaine, Mills fell under the harsh mandatory-minimum sentencing laws popular during the 1990s War on Drugs. It is worth noting that Mills had never served time in prison for his previous charges, and even the judge overseeing his case reportedly disagreed with the excessively severe sentence he was compelled to deliver.
In 2016, as part of a clemency initiative, President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of Mills and 94 other non-violent federal prisoners. This decision came after efforts from Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, and the sentencing judge Marvin Aspen, who both petitioned for Mills' release. After spending 22 years behind bars, Mills was granted a second chance at life outside of prison walls.
However, Mills' recent arrest on charges of attempted murder has reignited debates surrounding the commutation of his sentence. The incident raises questions about the effectiveness of rehabilitation and reintegration programs for individuals with criminal backgrounds. Critics argue that cases like Mills' highlight the challenges in assessing the risk of recidivism and making decisions regarding early release.
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