On Friday's NBC Nightly News, correspondent Hallie Jackson filed a report that focused on concerns by liberals about Attorney General Jeff Sessions giving orders for federal prosecutors to charge criminals with the aim to give tougher punishments, reversing former President Barack Obama's trend toward releasing criminals and seeking softer charges.
Jackson spent a significant portion of the piece relaying liberal talking points from parties including former President Obama, "civil liberties advocates," former Attorney General Eric Holder, and an ex-convict who was released from a life sentence by Obama.
Without noting that some prisoners released by Obama had violent records or serious charges like gun possession, host Lester Holt portrayed the Obama-era prisoner releases as just affecting "nonviolent offenders" as the NBC host set up the piece:
Sweeping changes are coming to the drug policy in this country after the attorney general announced a tough crackdown. Jeff Sessions ordering federal prosecutors to charge drug offenders with the most serious crimes they can, carrying the maximum punishment, reversing an Obama-era push for more leniency for nonviolent offenders. NBC's Hallie Jackson has details for us.
Jackson began the piece by introducing an ex-convict named Norman Brown who "received a mandatory life sentence for distributing crack cocaine" and was then released by Obama. The NBC correspondent did not delve into what other crimes he likely committed previously that likely contributed to getting a life prison sentence, and merely showed a clip of him whining about getting too much prison time:
HALLIE JACKSON: When Norman Brown was 22, he received a mandatory life sentence for distributing crack cocaine.
NORMAN BROWN, EX-CONVICT: I do deserve to have served some time, but that much? I think that was overkill.
She then recalled Obama's role in his release and included a soundbite of the former President rationalizing his actions:
JACKSON: After 24 years, his sentence was commuted by then-President Obama in 2015 as part of his push to roll back what he described as excessive penalties for nonviolent lower-level offenders.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Their punishments didn't fit the crime.
Then came a couple of clips of Attorney General Sessions that announced the change in policy to push tougher sentences, which the Attorney General recalled was a campaign promise by President Donald Trump to "keep America safe."
After briefly informing viewers of the details of the new policy, and including a soundbite of a criminologist predicting an increase in the prison population, Jackson went back to highlighting liberals complaining about the more conservative policy change as she concluded the report:
JACKSON: Civil liberties advocates argue the decision will "repeat a failed experiment" with former AG Eric Holder -- who implemented the old policy -- calling the new one "not tough on crime," but "dumb on crime." Quote, "an ideologically-motivated, cookie-cutter approach." As for Norman Brown, he hopes the new attorney general will change his mind.
BROWN: There are more people like me dying in prison that need to get out and give back.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Friday, May 12, NBC Nightly News:
LESTER HOLT: Sweeping changes are coming to the drug policy in this country after the attorney general announced a tough crackdown. Jeff Sessions ordering federal prosecutors to charge drug offenders with the most serious crimes they can, carrying the maximum punishment, reversing an Obama-era push for more leniency for nonviolent offenders. NBC's Hallie Jackson has details for us.
HALLIE JACKSON: When Norman Brown was 22, he received a mandatory life sentence for distributing crack cocaine.
NORMAN BROWN, EX-CONVICT: I do deserve to have served some time, but that much? I think that was overkill.
JACKSON: After 24 years, his sentence was commuted by then-President Obama in 2015 as part of his push to roll back what he described as excessive penalties for nonviolent lower-level offenders.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Their punishments didn't fit the crime.
JACKSON: Today, a significant shift back to stricter guidelines.
ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS CLIP #1: This is a key part of President Trump's promise to keep America safe.
SESSIONS CLIP #2: If you are a drug trafficker, we will not look the other way.
JACKSON: Attorney General Jeff Sessions is ordering prosecutors to go after the "toughest possible sentences," including those with "mandatory minimums," allowing for certain exceptions if approved by a U.S. attorney or assistant attorney general. It reverses Obama-era policies that gave more leeway to prosecutors.
JAMES ALAN FOX, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY: What we're probably seeing is increasing prison populations in our federal system.
JACKSON: Civil liberties advocates argue the decision will "repeat a failed experiment" with former AG Eric Holder -- who implemented the old policy -- calling the new one "not tough on crime," but "dumb on crime." Quote, "an ideologically-motivated, cookie-cutter approach." As for Norman Brown, he hopes the new attorney general will change his mind.
BROWN: There are more people like me dying in prison that need to get out and give back.
