Diana Webb writes on June 14, 2002 from FCI Danbury:

“I am still recovering from the bad news. My appeal for executive clemency was denied. Other women here had their appeals denied. The denials came in one batch. Everyone is devastated.

“I don’t know if you are familiar with the Cotton case. Since Cotton was denied, there has been nothing on the legal front. It dealt with the Apprendi case being retroactive. Actually, it didn’t even get that far. The Supreme Court reversed itself on drug amounts and enhancements not in an original indictment. It seems a judge has the okay to hammer defendants with penalties for drug amounts a jury knew nothing about. The Court went further to say it would rather err on the side of too much prison time than not enough. The defendants in the case (the Cottons and the Halls) had life or 30 years. The Supreme Court said their cases did not bring in “substantial sentences” which would warrant them taking a deeper look. [Editor’s note:The Supreme Court is no stranger to the corrosion of justice spawned by the politics of the Drug War.]

“I spoke to my attorney. He said Rep. Conyers is working on a bill to lower sentences and change the drug laws. He said he wouldn’t give up. It would just take a long time.

“We lost another inmate here after she was released. She was released in February and died of a heroin overdose soon after. She was in her early 20s. Since the Bureau of Prisons offers no rehabilitation or anything constructive to inmates, these deaths after release are to be expected.”

Diana’s projected release date is April 19, 2007.