Leslie Crocker Snyder Should Not Be NYC's Next District Attorney

Former Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder and I have a history. Most would say it's a parallel relationship. Crocker was a "hang em' high" judge who was infamous for handing out stiff drug sentences under the Rockefeller Drug Laws. I served a 15 to life sentence under these laws. Crocker wrote a book, 25 to Life, that documents her career as a tough prosecutor and judge. I wrote a book, 15 to Life, a memoir about doing hard time under the harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws.

I met Snyder years ago when I was asked to be a guest on "Full Nelson," a talk show on Fox hosted by Rob Nelson. When I found out that she was also on the show I contacted Randy Credico, who co-founded the Mothers of the New York Disappeared with me. Our group advocated for those who had fallen through the cracks of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Many of us were deemed kingpins by individuals like Judge Snyder. But in reality many of us were not. One individual who Synder sentenced was Jose Garcia, who at 69 years old died in his prison cell in upstate New York. As a graduate of New York Theological Seminary, I was chosen to perform the eulogy in a special prayer we conducted in front of Governor Pataki's NYC office. Hundreds of people attended along with Jose's elderly wife Hilda. We all prayed that the Rockefeller Drug Laws would be reformed in the name of Jose Garcia.

I made a plan to put Judge Snyder in the hot seat and thought it would be a rare opportunity to confront her for her actions. I contacted the producer and asked him for three guest tickets to the show. I called Randy and asked him to bring two family members of loved ones who were sentenced by Judge Snyder to sit in the audience. Doreen Lamarca's brother, Mike Lamarca, was sentenced to 25 years to life. Evelyn Sanchez's son, Junior Gumbs, was sentenced to a 33 to life term under the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

Snyder and I got into a heated debate on the show. Attempting to quell our differences, Rob Nelson turned to the audience for questions. Randy Credico raised his hand and furiously waved. He was chosen. My plan was working. Credico, who is now running against Charles Schumer for Senate next year, began a rant against Snyder, asking her why she had sentenced Doreen and Evelyn's loved ones to such an extraordinary amount of time behind bars. Ms. Sanchez, who was dying of cancer and had spent her life savings to obtain legal representation for her son, began to cry. Snyder turned red and was flabbergasted by the event. After the show she complained to producers that she was set up. The show never aired.

A few years later I did a pilot reality show about prison. One of the guests was Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder. She was rather cocky when she began bragging about how criminals called her "The Princess of Darkness." I remember asking her to explain her position on the Rockefeller Drug Laws. She said she supported 90 percent of them. At that time over 90 percent of those incarcerated were black and Latino. This alarmed me. I thought, "How could she support a law that was obviously racist?" It told me something about her.

Nowadays there is a new and improved Leslie Crocker Snyder. She is running for New York City District Attorney and, remarkably, now supports Rockefeller Drug Law reform. I almost fell off my chair when I heard this. She sounded nothing like the old "Princess of Darkness." Do I think Snyder really supports drug law reform? No, I don't. She knows that she needs the black and Latino vote. And she knows that public opinion has shifted, as the wastefulness and ineffectiveness of harsh sentences for drug law violations has been brought to light over the past decade. I guess running for a political office has a way of changing a person's thinking.

Anthony Papa is the author of "15 To Life" and a communication specialist for the Drug Policy Alliance Network.
Join my facebook cause "Leslie Crocker Synder Should Not Be NYC's Next District Attorney"

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Comments

[SleepNewYork]

You are missing the point about Snyder. The Rockefeller laws were just that. Laws by the Assembly which may or may not have been good for NY. Snyder merely gave decisions within the range allowed by them. Her hands were tied to some degree.

Anyway, you obviously didn't like the laws, being a user. Do you think that crack for good for NYC in the 80s? Do you want NY to return to the 80s and 90s?

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

No, You are missing the point. Crocker is a hypocrite in the highest degree. You obviously need to educate yourself on the issue you are talking about. I suggest you read my book and wake up some time. You talk just like your name suggests - sleeping in NY (sleepNewYork)

[SleepNewYork]

Reading your book will not change my view about Snyders sentencing style. I gather that there was an appeal process in place to the appellate division when you were sentenced. I also gather that the appellate division refused your appeal. Isn't your problem entirely with the legislation and the mandatory sentence range it introduced? I dont believe that your book, notwithstanding what I am sure are great anecdotes in the style of the quip you just gave in your reply, will have an influence on judges sentencing. On assembly members however.....

Do you think that crack was good for NY in the 80s and 90s? Is that what you want Manhattan to return to?

Con Law 101, Judges dont make Legislation....

[amb10003]

I'm not missing your point. The Rockefeller Drug laws sucked. And thankfully, over the last decade they are being changed, bit by bit, with the hard work from literally hundreds of progressive New York pols and others (including you). I'm sure you know that these 60’s era laws worked their way down into the NY penal code so insidiously that it is nearly impossible to wave a wand and make them go away. But, I will tell you this Leslie Snyder as a Judge hated the restrictions these laws forced on NY judges and more importantly she worked harder and on more commissions and panels to change these laws than any of her current opponents. It is true that Snyder as a judge presided over REAL drug cases (as in hundreds of pounds of drugs, multiple murderers, etc.) and, yes she sentenced a number of hard criminals to long sentences but, it is flat our wrong to suggest she agreed with or did nothing to change the RDL’s. As a judge she even pushed the line of her judicial discretion many times regarding RDL’s sentencing guidelines and place young non-violent drug offenders into incarceration alternatives. (Long before her opponents even knew what the RDL’s were. I won’t even go into the irony that Vance and Aborn admitted they were snorting coke at about the time when Snyder began to fight the RDL’s.) Leslie Snyder’s dislike of and position on these laws is crystal clear.

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

You can join my facebook cause "Leslie Crocker Snyder Should Not Be NYC's Next District Attorney" http://apps.facebook.com/causes/349991/16688602?m=6d54c0aa

[LLNYRN]

After that NY1 debate,
Snyder came off like a female Guiliani to me.
She was too snippish, and condescending,
With no sense of self-control.

No way I'm voting for that.

[Digital Subway]

I always find it disturbing to imagine that we actually lock up some humans in cells/ prisons for what they did. I do understand that they did some very unpleasant stuffs and we can not just tolerate impunity without punishing it. But, come on, they are humans. Where does ethics come in here?

[giddi]

agree completely. snyder vigorously supported the basic premise of the rockefeller drug laws. These premises were wrong, and people like Cy Vance have worked to reform them, while people like Snyder didn't and don't realize the problem with them. Just to get votes Snyder decided to get on the reform bandwagon but with nothing to show for it. Snyder is obviously a snake and unfit for DA.

[amb10003]

This is totally worong. The Rockefeller Drug laws sucked. And thankfully, over the last decade they are being changed, bit by bit, with the hard work from literally hundreds of progressive New York pols and others (including you). I'm sure you know that these 60’s era laws worked their way down into the NY penal code so insidiously that it is nearly impossible to wave a wand and make them go away. But, I will tell you this Leslie Snyder as a Judge hated the restrictions these laws forced on NY judges and more importantly she worked harder and on more commissions and panels to change these laws than any of her current opponents. It is true that Snyder as a judge presided over REAL drug cases (as in hundreds of pounds of drugs, multiple murderers, etc.) and, yes she sentenced a number of hard criminals to long sentences but, it is flat our wrong to suggest she agreed with or did nothing to change the RDL’s. As a judge she even pushed the line of her judicial discretion many times regarding RDL’s sentencing guidelines and place young non-violent drug offenders into incarceration alternatives. (Long before her opponents even knew what the RDL’s were. I won’t even go into the irony that Vance and Aborn admitted they were snorting coke at about the time when Snyder began to fight the RDL’s.) Leslie Snyder’s dislike of and position on these laws is crystal clear.

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Judge Synder, (amb1003) It's too late to try to turn yourself around now. You flip more than a pancake does. First the drug laws , then the death penalty. DA Robert Morganthau said it best in a NY Daily News interview . I just don't think she's qualified," he bluntly declared in an interview on "The Charlie Rose Show" . "She has no humility." I agree, you have no humility nor compassion for fellow human beings! This is crystal clear!

[giddi]

agree completley. nice article.

snyder vigorously supported the basic premise of the rockefeller drug laws. These premises were wrong, and people like Cy Vance have worked to reform them, while people like Snyder didn't and don't realize the problem with them. Just to get votes Snyder decided to get on the reform bandwagon but with nothing to show for it. Snyder is obviously a snake and unfit for DA.

[PostModernPatriot]

LOL! I think Leslie is hotjustice and that other one is her campaign manager.

[quindy]

Legalize drug use and you can empty prisons in no time and make place for truly dangerous people. No more drug pushers, taxes paid by pharmacists selling the legal product prescribed by doctors. Same goes for prostitution. I don't understand why is this country so uptight about drugs and sex.

[HotJustice]

And I'll also remind y'all that a judge's job is to enforce and apply the law. She did that when juries convicted defendants - remember, a judge doesn't assign a sentence to a person who hasn't been convicted by their peers. And if someone has killed dozens of people and trafficked tons of drugs, the sentences are stiff. Don't blame Leslie, blame the legislature.

[amb10003]

So when did the Huff Post start allowing ax grinding ex-cons to have their own blog in order to rail against judges that presided over cut and dry trials such as Anthony’s? But, for The Huff to let a guy who was convicted by a jury of his peers of serious felony charges (as in possession of kilos of narcotics…not a gram or two for personal use) to complain about judges who convict drug dealers is off the rails (no pun intended). Please know, I love the Huffington Post. I'm even sort of OK with Richard Aborn, who is a candidate for NY DA, having a regular blog as he’s a very credible advocate for progressive gun policy. And to be transparent, I support Snyder because I feel she’s eminently more experienced in every aspect of New York’s criminal justice system than her opponents. But if this is where The Huff is going then maybe Bernie Madoff would like his own blog to post his surely unbiased opinions on the judges that sent him away.

[quindy]

Maybe the ex con did not commit violent crime, yet because of the idiotic law was sentenced as if he did. The mandatory sentencing is mostly applied to minorities. Moneyed and well connected never get long sentences.

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

amb10003 the comment I made about the beauty of the Huffington Post is addressed to you not quindy

[skatoolaki]

Everyone should have the ability and an open forum to express their opinions. Even "ex-cons", as you say. Are you implying that because he is a convicted felon we should not heed his opinion or listen to his personal account of being in the system and what he observed because of it? He has as much right to blog on HuffPo as anyone, regardless of his past record. He offers an inside look we may not otherwise have. I know firsthand the unfairness and arbitrary rulings that can be thrown at those who come up against the courts without the means or money to hire a fancy attorney. These people should have a voice and it should not be silenced. There is ample corruption in our justice system and no one knows that better than those that have been caught up in its trenches.

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for the support skattolaki. If that person (amb10003) did research on me he or she would find that my commentary is published in regional newspapers across the country. Some of the newspapers my writing has appeared in include the NY Times, USA Today, Newsday, Albany Times Union (NY), Buffalo News, Amsterdam News, The Villager (NY),The Post-Standard (NY), Springfield News-Leader (Missouri), Westside Gazette (Florida)The New York Sun, Detroit News, Daily Challenge (Brooklyn NY), The Tallahassee Democrate (Florida), Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Jackson Advocate (Mississippi), Tennessee Tribune, New York Beacon, and many more.

[skatoolaki]

She sounds like a fairly deplorable lady. I'm sure she felt quite smug all those years, sending people away for half their lives over victimless crimes. I hope the people are able to see through her new false front and that she does not get this position.

[HotJustice]

Papa is right about only one thing - Leslie has consistently believed that young, non-violent drug offenders should not be incarcerated and should have access to alternatives to incarceration (the 10% she said should not be subject to the draconian Rock laws). She used organizations like Abraham House to help these people start a new life. Leslie should not have to apologize for putting away the worst-of-the-worst drug kingpins and murderers. She made New York safer and I, for one, am thankful for her work on our behalf.

Papa imagines a relationship with this groundbreaking woman - who started the first Sex Crimes Unit as an ADA, co-authored the Rape Shield Law to protect women during trial, was the first woman to try homicide cases, and has spoken out about Rock Drug Reform for over ten years. Law abiding New Yorkers should learn more and ignore Papa's never-ending rants.

[Anthony Papa - Huffpost Blogger]

Well if you want to see the tape of her being the cocky supporter of the Rockefeller Drug Laws and bragging about being the "Princess of Darkness" before her spiritual transformation just let me know. In fact I might post it on the Huffington Post right before the election.

[skatoolaki]

I sincerely think you should, Anthony. Keep your voice strong and do not back down. What this woman did is deplorable and she should be held accountable for it, regardless of how she's changing her tune now for the sake of election.