Rapsody says that what stands out to her about President Barack Obama’s two terms in office is how he eliminated the three strikes clause.
“I think there are a lot of brothers who are put in jail for the wrong thing or first time offenders for way too long,” the first lady of Jamla says to AllHipHop. “That changes your life. You get out of jail and you can’t get a job because you did something when you were young for the first time. It’s like, ‘How can I make it? The only way I can make it is to go out here and sell this whatever.’ It’s a repeating cycle.”
In June in the case of Johnson v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 to remove mandatory minimums for cases involving “violent felonies.” The three strike rule, which calls for 15 years to life in prison for a person being charged with his or her third crime, was also called into question.
Barack Obama also cut the sentences of 46 inmates who he declared had been unfairly punished for their crimes. Among those freed was Katina Smith, mother of Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Thomas became the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, tied with Dallas Cowboys and Roc Nation athlete Dez Bryant.
