Missouri lawmakers were urged to lessen penalties for crack cocaine
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Missouri lawmakers were urged to lessen penalties for crack cocaine

Date: April 11, 2012
By: Natalia Allen
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
A bipartisan vote to lessen the penalty for crack cocaine made its way through the Missouri statehouse.
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OutCue:  SOC

Wrap:  Right now the penalty for carrying 2 grams of crack is much higher than carrying the same amount of powder cocaine.

House members said that this disparity targets the Black population.

The amendment increases the amount of crack cocaine required to be penalized with a class A felony.

Republican Representative Gary Fuhr says he urged his colleagues to support the amendment.

Actuality:  FUHR01.WAV
Run Time:  00:02
Description: "This was a good move and I think this is the right bill for it."

Democratic Representative Brandon Ellington says the disparity is unfair.

Actuality:  EL01.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "It's impossible to have crack without cocaine. And by us having a disparity where you can have cocaine in greater access than you can have crack shows biases."
 
There was not any opposition to the provision.

The amendment passed the first round of approval.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Natalia Allen.

Intro: 
Republican controlled Missouri House adopted a provision to lessen penalties for crack cocaine.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: There was not any opposition to the amendment would to change the amount of crack cocaine necessary to be penalized with a class A felony.

The current Missouri statute requires a possession of two grams of crack cocaine to receive a class A felony.

The new amendment increases that amount to 28 grams.

Democratic Representative Chris Kelly says the current disparity specifically targets the African-American population.

Actuality:  KEL02.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "But the fact of the matter is over time we have learned that the disparity between crack and powder is incredibly unfair."

The bill faces one more House vote.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Natalia Allen.