Democracy Now! Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Today's Headlines

• Panel OKs Retroactive Drug Sentence Reduction
• Spy Court Won’t Release Wiretap Orders, Docs
• Gov. Ordered Not to Destroy Torture Evidence
• Gitmo Trial Official Won’t Rule Out Waterboarding
• Dozens Killed in Algeria Car Bombing
• 40 Killed, 150 Wounded in Iraq Attack
• Iraq Nat’l Security Advisor Rejects U.S. Bases
• Lebanese General Killed in Beirut Attack
• Iran: U.S. Nuke Report a Step Towards Conciliation
• U.S.: No Emissions Cuts While Bush in Office

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  Commission Makes Thousands of Prisoners Jailed on Crack Offenses Eligible for Reduced Sentences

  A day after a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to give federal prisoners jailed on crack cocaine offenses a chance to reduce their sentences. We speak with attorney Deborah Small and Kemba Smith, who was sentenced to more than twenty-four years in prison on drug conspiracy charges. She received clemency in 2000. [includes rush transcript]

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  HUD Poised to Tear Down New Orleans Public Housing Developments

  The Department of Housing and Urban Development is poised to demolish some of the largest public housing developments in New Orleans on Saturday. The demolition plans have met with strong resistance from local communities. We speak with Bill Quigley, an attorney leading the legal fight for public housing in New Orleans, as well as Alvin Franklin, a former public housing resident in New Orleans who has been homeless since Hurricane Katrina. [includes rush transcript]