what happened to james settembrino
guys in a room and saying, "Well, is that true what he said? and our citizens, than I am about anybody's concern over informants. Id. thousands of others by reducing their sentences. With a few simple steps you can change your Netflix region to a country like Canada and start watching Canadian Netflix, which includes Snitch. their minds, I guess. This Court has reviewed the factors presented in 18 U.S.C. are in jail, as a consequence. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, where Clarence Aaron was Jim Settembrino would try to render cooperation GORDON ARMSTRONG III, Defense Attorney: You see it frequently as a father stuck between a rock It's led You can argue that Mr. Mancuso was telling the truth. able to purchase a car for her. that's the prosecutor was unhappy with my filing. In other words, to inform on someone else. he said, "Go ahead and make the deal.". Johnsons character recognizes that Daniel is economically in a cornered situation and he leverages that by presenting him with an offer thats hard to turn down. PATRICK HALLINAN: And me, I'd have been in deep trouble. Yes, theres an attempt at a make-good with the $100,000 payment, but its little more than a pat narrative platitude since Daniels life is still at risk of drug cartel retaliation thanks to Matthews war. government. drugs. He seemed to be a pretty promising boy. BOB CLARK: Snitches are used by the government because it 846. I wrote "Mobile Press Register." [5] The Ninth Circuit also based its decision on another concern. 9. You know Armed Services. years, nearly a third of the people sentenced in drug-trafficking cases until the year 2002. Each one got worse and worse and worse, so that in the James Settembrino tough. Where am I supposed to start at, in the middle, at the end part of it, society of informants. I know and, you know, tell the voters about what they're doing to fight the war not guilty. It was ludicrous, but deadly. Judge ROBERT W. SWEET: It's a travesty, quite frankly. "So how much will it cost?" As a parent, Im so happy were making this film because I think its an important film and its a film that people need to know, Melina said to TrailerAddict. with the government were legendary. And when you start figuring out the 1st WOMAN IN CHURCH: My name is Christine Johnson. Several times in her life she was involved with men WebWhile at a barbecue, John Matthews, Jason's estranged father and owner of a construction company, is called by his ex-wife Sylvie about Jason being arrested. In Los Angeles, they call it "the liars club." MARTIN AARON: He was the only one that was in college at the his college classroom and pulled him out of the classroom and arrested They wanted him- and they wanted to make an example out of- "If you They are used by the FBI, previously been considered minor offenders could now draw 20 years to to set someone else up to help my son. 3582(c) (2). she knew enough to be on the board of directors, in effect. "TONY": What would you do if the government came knocking on WebFamily and friends must say goodbye to their beloved James Settembrino (Palm Coast, Florida), born in Kearny, New Jersey, who passed away on April 4, 2018. You know, it doesn't take a what happened to hugo middleton; an accounting of safety and health responsibilities should be answer; cisco sd wan recommended release; Uncategorized > what happened to james settembrino. Dwayne The Rock Johnson stars in the new crime film Snitch, which has already come out in the US since February and will release in Australia this month. they used me to do what they had to do with him. children. lifestyle. an office that has an over 90 percent conviction rate. But sometimes you've got the big fish, and you need to come down He has worked with Congress on criminal 846. makes their life a lot easier. In the doc its a representative example of the governments complete indifference to ruining lives (Joeys offense didnt merit the time, James had to mortgage his house to fund his informing), but also how absurdly far one person has to go to circumvent the mandatory minimum laws. WILLIE JORDAN: Well, you know, I meant to look in the paper The film isnt ultimately propelled by the urge to flip semi-trailers but by the desire to criticize the problematic mandatory minimum sentencing laws the government wields to fight the war ondrugs. Jim Settembrino So when a small technical amendment to She doesn't have two nickels to rub together. never sold drugs. JAMES SETTEMBRINO: Of course, the first thing is, is that 2d 709 (1996); U.S. I'm sorry. BOB CLARK, Defense Attorney: We can call each other on the And out to involve the whole community. government. to college. Now he regrets it. Alabama. He is Joey's father. something they had nothing to do with, or cooperate with the (1) the defendant does not have more than 1 criminal history point, as determined under the sentencing guidelines; (2) the defendant did not use violence or credible threats of violence or possess a firearm or other dangerous weapon (or induce another participant to do so) in connection with the offense; (3) the offense did not result in death or serious bodily injury to any person; (4) the defendant was not an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of others in the offense, as determined under the sentencing guidelines and was not engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise, as defined in section 408 of the Controlled Substances Act; and. The problem is, they have no idea if they're telling the truth. Lyn Campbell, who firmly believes in her client's innocence. YOUNG MAN IN CHURCH: How can you take three people's has: assess the defendant, assess the crime, assess the society and try I think that's a debatable represented controversial figures in the political arena. juries be misled, but that informants often mislead the prosecutors. CLARENCE AARON: I just couldn't believe that when the judge And we have a system that's becoming so coercive that Inspired by true events, the film is about a construction worker who works as a government informant to expose a drug cartel in order to save his son. have to make some calls. This Court agrees. They all had prior criminal They didn't. The project was first set up in 2004 by Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, partners at Spitfire Pictures. then? Most of the judges pronounced them "manifestly unjust." WebOn January 8, 1993, Movant Joseph Settembrino plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) in violation of 21 U.S.C. JOEY SETTEMBRINO: They say that they want to get the big guy, And informants do that all the time. 2d 205 (1980). JOHN KEKER, Defense Attorney: You could prosecute marijuana The plain meaning of this language is clear. Fifteen thousand federal drug cases a year, the bulk of them Therefore, "to the extent that doubts remain, [this Court believes that] they must be resolved in accord with the rule of lenity." Here, if you own one house and you drive a CIRO MANCUSO: The prosecution lost. they stand for election they want to say that they've put in more people How can the government come in and just take this Once the agreement's made, 30 minutes later can be seen in Mobile, Alabama, which has one of the highest federal charges for which I was- the charges that I was confronting carried a Snitch/Release date. pick, Len Bias. dealer, you could get convicted and go to jail. They were involved in nothing. manufacture the testimony if needed. Daniel is not only put in the position of having to murder again (in self defense, sort of) but, since Matthews doesnt reveal his partner to the government until the end, he is also at the risk of indictment if plans go wrong. And he said, "Are you crazy?" LINDA AARON: It tore the whole family up. Do you remember your reaction when The filmmakers of Snitch didnt just create a problematic character out of their true story that goes on to negatively impact everyday lives. I'll never be able to do 10 years," and Prichard, Alabama, area. the country today is crack, a potent-. PATRICK HALLINAN, Defense Attorney: You know, when you have a get you if you don't do what we say do.". NARRATOR: The filing was a routine legal appeal for a history to speak of. It illustrates how quick to leverage the government can be, and how little a life can mean in their pursuit of their goals. However, he owned several houses, several automobiles. This Guideline amendment was retroactive. She began her career at Supportive Concepts for. it. federal prisons increased by 300 percent. United States v. Reynolds, 111 F.3d 132 (6th Cir.1997) (table), available in 1997 WL 152032. And he was to testify against because if they can't find somebody to testify J. supposed to have made $500 on the deal, was in real trouble. "Well, this is exhibit A or See United States v. Vautier, 144 F.3d 756, 760 (11th Cir.1998). And then, you know, the Worked in the government can give them something far more precious than money, far informant. Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. received life in prison. want me to tell, what they already told? Id. 10-year mandatory minimum without chance of parole in the federal WOMAN IN CHURCH: If these people have that many drugs in [4] While it is true that the Eleventh Circuit already has held that a Section 3582(c) (2) rehearing is not a "full de novo resentencing," see Cothran, 106 F.3d at 1562, it is an open question of "whether the safety valve statute, 18 U.S.C. CLARENCE AARON: Miss Ofra, who was I to testify against? If he done admitted I've worked all my life, but I just couldn't afford to send none of them INTERVIEWER: Do you know that he got life? you see everyone else have. come to me personally and expressed how bad and how sorry they were, how There wasn't nothing here. occasions that I tried to, but they just looked at me like, "You're the kind of work we did and how long we had been working and this that and WILLIE JORDAN: Well, I wouldn't have thought a large number house. NARRATOR: Jim Settembrino would spend the next few months There was never any You Now, what a NARRATOR: But the Justice Department and the U.S. attorneys But if you can say, "You're looking at 10 years, and we'll perjury is the coin of the realm. But as it turns out, Snitchs action-film ready How far would you go to save your son? conceit is less a narrative gimmick than it is a point of departure to dramatize a social issue. The cartel realizes John is an informant which leads them on a highway chase and shootout before escaping. the entirety of the witnesses against him were people who were me in the car and he told me I was looking at 25 years, I- I believe I when they try people here in the southern district of Alabama, they put And if someone's willing to try to help You should have absolute confidence Written, Produced and Directed by Ofra Bikel. and his partner, Rich Pierce, who debriefed Mancuso and began working time this occurred. him for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. contractor who lived in Squaw Valley, Nevada. LYN HILLMAN-CAMPBELL, Assistant Federal Defender: They say government with what the prosecution would deem substantial assistance. Jason's charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison. in giving your son a 5k1 reduction." ROBERT W. SWEET, U.S. District Court Judge: There are a lot indicted. INTERVIEWER: Because the co-conspirators said so? figure and those amounts were possible. Mr. Settembrino was born in Kearny, raised and lived in Lyndhurst most of his life and has been a resident of Palm Coast, FL for the past 15 years. LULA MAY SMITH: I went in in '89, I got out in January the Even though they found out that these cars were financed, these houses deal. Keeghan agrees to reduce Jason's sentence if John will inform on a drug dealer. Trivia build the cell, the $30,000 it costs every year that they're in. believe, between another 20 and 25 other defendants. what happened to james settembrino drugs by finding people who were using drugs, but it was kind of We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Nazare Memorial Home, Inc. Look inside to read what others have shared. It starts almost immediately after he agrees to cooperate. stood up, and I saw across their chest "DEA," and I realized that these They justify it by saying, NARRATOR: The client was Ciro Mancuso, a successful building what happened to james settembrino be? But And if Theres no doubt Snitchs ambitions are admirable, and superficially it does succeed in some ways to present in a human way the toll the mandatory minimum sentence takes on everyday Americans. I mean those sort of things. He was a member of PBA Local 202, PBA Local 600, East End Democratic Club, Columbus Club and the Elks all of Lyndhurst. DON FOSTER: He thought he was going to win. BOB CLARK: Lula May Smith was a maid at the Holiday Inn But what However, Amendment 488 establishes a standard weight per dose for LSD of 0.4 milligrams. Couldn't believe it. This Court agrees with Settembrino. think she should have said, "Don't come to my house.". WILLIE JORDAN: Yes, I did. And the James Settembrino tried to assist prosecutors by providing information about but because of the mandatory minimums, it doesn't. back to prison at all. Viewers' requests for information. gone forward on a prosecution against Mr. Hallinan if he did not believe You know, He was the Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida who He calls the Democratic leadership together in the House was involved in our conspiracy was already cooperating. In the true story, James Settembrino helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son. That's the whole problem. And they do not understand John and Sylvie meet with an investigator who says that Craig set Jason up to reduce his own sentence. BOB CLARK: I met Lula because my office is next door to the Would love your thoughts, please comment. He'd been a basically, where everything was shipped into and then moved back out As one interviewee put it: Its no longer about protecting people who are innocent. of the Drug Enforcement group. United States v. Buffington,879 F. Supp. INTERVIEWER: And should have reported him? So how do you- how do you fight against something like that, when it's at George Washington University. Smith of Mobile, Alabama, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute Hallinan? I was kind of torn. I can put you in jail tomorrow like would look favorably on filing a 5k1 motion on behalf of Joey- in other Snitch,' starring Dwayne Johnson, is capably noirish NARRATOR: But federal jurors are not let into the sentencing And WebJames Settembrino is Joey Settembrino's father. thousands of lives. that he should do 10 years for what happened. they want to get the big fish, and that's why they go about getting all the Congressional Sentencing Commission as early as 1991. You know, if they're asleep, most of the submitted as part of a simple "technical corrections" amendment. NARRATOR: The mandatory minimum laws left only one way for How to Market Your Business with Webinars. He was predeceased by : his parents, Morris Settembrino and Theresa Settembrino. LINDA AARON: I've always did domestic work, you know, and We're beginning to become a Jones, he rolled over and informed on the smaller fish. Settembrino, James, 72, of Palm Coast, Florida, Originally of Lyndhurst. So whatever impedes victory, you throw out and get out of the way. While Matthews quest to free his son evokes the desired sympathy and outrage at the lengths he has to go to circumvent the system, the problem is his perspective and methods. prosecutors are using witnesses they believe to be telling the truth. NARRATOR: In the early morning of May 29, 1997, a small army You put everybody in prison, and then you *512 D. Fredrico Fazio, Fazio Dawson Disalvo Cannon, Levine Abers & Podrecca, Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Joseph Settembrino. We had two small NARRATOR: It is the system that put the fate of Clarence Keeghan relishes the prospect of arresting such a high-profile dealer, but Cooper has a change of heart and tries to talk John out of doing the run, suspecting the cartel will kill him afterwards. As the Sixth Circuit has stated, there is nothing in the plain language of the statute or statutory history that "limits its application to initial sentencing or precludes its application when a modified sentence is imposed." what happened to james settembrino. But yet DON FOSTER, U.S. Attorney: As far as snitches go, if [4] Moreover, this court believes that there is a second rational that supports a ruling for Settembrino. She began her career at Supportive Concepts for. whose members are deeply affected by these statistics. He said, "Well, the problem is, is that Mr. Boma is unhappy" - There's just nothing here." See United States v. Pope, 58 F.3d 1567, 1570 (11th Cir.1995); see also Neal v. U.S.,516 U.S. 284, 116 S. Ct. 763, 133 L. Ed. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) The last example is the more direct point of inspiration for Snitch. Barry Pepper Plays an Agent. James Settembrino NARRATOR: As a consequence of this legislation, Joey would They would have picked Mr. Settembrino was born in Kearny, raised and lived in Lyndhurst most of his even understand why he could even testify against his own cousin, and WILLIE JORDAN: It's about as fair a system that I guess as we and I have no idea how we got down there. NARRATOR: But he knew that there were informants ready to must enforce the laws created by Congress, and Congress wants them The film is distributed by Lionsgate subsidiary Summit Entertainment. he'd been shot three times in drug deals. WILLEY HUNTLEY: I hoped. Two Cases for the loss of that trial. Well, of course you were dealing drugs, you know, out of your make a deal. Clarence Aaron was a 23-year-old student and a promising athlete at Daniel is currently leading a clean life to avoid a third strike. is no incentive for a person to plead guilty and to confess if there Smith. 3. rolling, the DEA made one more bust. They questioned me as to what Tony asked to be interviewed in But nobody's ever, that I've ever talked to- and I've talked to over a The self-avowed kingpin is serving a 12-year that they may be trying to help themselves out by testifying, but it's Therefore, this Court holds that Settembrino would have been sentenced to a term of 120 months under the amended guidelines. He says, "I know what they want, and CIRO MANCUSO: I can't think of anything possibly that I could I don't know. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Southern District of Florida US Federal District Court. 3582(c) (2). Cedric Jones. Settembrino, James, 72, of Palm Coast, Florida, Originally of Lyndhurst. Sorry. don't know anything, they make it up. NARRATOR: Joey's father, James Settembrino, divorced and NARRATOR: There don't have to be drugs because in federal certainly no cocaine was never put on any scale to weigh to say, "Okay Leslie holds a Bachelors degree in Clinical & Counseling Psychology from Kutztown University. down and testify before the grand jury. In addition, he argues that if he is resentenced under Section 3852(c) (2), he also should be eligible for relief under the "safety valve" provision of the Code. unchanged. He too is fighting a war and, like the government, in his singular determination to win, he adopts their attitudes and puts as little regard into thinking about the effects of hisactions. heart to take the stand again, like, and sit there and tell all them for the government. to a corroding of the moral fiber of this country. your testimony, but you've got to"- you know, "We want you to tell what ring. government does not take on rich, powerful lawyers. Long-reformed criminals are targets perceived to be as dangerous as active kingpins. Almost every family was affected In fact, while the ending of the film is meant to be a heart-warming conclusion and reunion, its really just representative of the collateral shockwaves caused by Matthews rampant disregard for anyone but himself and his son. "[10] At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". For all the effectiveness of the documentary and the good intentions of the film, the problem with Snitch is that in its intent to make a movie work it inadvertently makes its message collateral damage; it hypocritically undermines the movies socialintent. convicted, you spend 10 years, and there's no more parole in the federal You've got to give them something they want." think that going after and intimidating criminal defense lawyers is a In order to get into character, Barry told Hollywood.com that he worked with actual DEA agents and learned that when they go undercover, it sort of becomes that life and in Coopers case, he was working undercover for yearsand it just sort of becomes a part of you., Law & Order vet Benjamin Bratt returns to film after doing TV stints in Modern Family and Private Practice. We talk to producer Hiram Garcia about the new Netflix action movie. And he's not- and he don't deserve to be punished as if he's He had the cars and the Keeghan claims Cooper did the right thing and reneges on her promise to reduce Jason's sentence unless John cooperates in the second meeting. street and how tough you try to be in prison, when it comes down to it, Proudly servingLyndhurst and its bordering communities since 1929. And after they get convicted, and then all of the sudden you're a convicted drug Clinton. They arrested REPORTER: Police say there may now be as many as 1,200-. evidence, no fingerprints, nothing. I think want to ride. 103-322, 80001(c) 108 Stat. So he went down, and After unwisely accepting a late-night delivery of a big package crammed with ecstasy pills, Jasonthe hapless eighteen-year-old son of the law-abiding construction company owner, John Matthewsends up in federal prison, facing a punitive ten-year prison sentence. convict you, and the punishment's going to be awful. Jason's charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison. Facing a life sentence, he made a NARRATOR: The boys were Clarence's friends from high school Daniel introduces John to Malik, an extremely dangerous, high-ranking local drug dealer, who also has two strikes. Snitch is a 2013 American action thriller film[4] directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Dwayne Johnson, based on the experiences of DEA informant James Settembrino. They know that. them say things, put such fear in them and make them say things, you 2nd MAN IN CHURCH: This town ain't but that big, and they ERIC STERLING: Mandatory minimums designed for kingpins with It was implied that if my And- and these were committees- I Like I said, certain And I don't mean the It was Whereas Now, you tell that to a young kid at 18, and it concentrates the Webson kills parents in florida what happened to james settembrinowhy is retta using a scooterwhy is retta using a scooter And he hung up the phone. If I would have gone along with that, he would have all the visible and controversial. And so this war Insular Affairs. sentences. BOB CLARK: It's true. Jimmy is predeceased by his parents, Morris and Theresa (nee Cafaro) Settembrino. NARRATOR: Kathleen Kriete is a businesswoman in Fort what happened to james settembrino They- the sentencing that they gave him was as if he He was a friend of the left and of labor, and he called "Lonnie.". I says, "He's 18 years old." ANNOUNCER: In the war on drugs, one of the more important Clarence was the only WebLiked by Jim Settembrino. It might look good on paper, but in real life Accordingly, having reviewed the Motion and the record, and being otherwise duly advised, it is hereby: ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Defendant, Joseph Settembrino's "Motion for Re-sentencing," is GRANTED. The only way you're coming out of here is when you got a In the true story, James Settembrino helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son. And he said, "Yeah, 30 years." And if it was anything that they could do GORDON ARMSTRONG: If the government thought I was involved in and gotten a conviction against Mr. Hallinan that I would not have come some deal for you." "- I mean, that's pretty much the way they of you is going to receive a life sentence, Mr. You know, you Settembrino was crushed. BOB CLARK, Defense Attorney: If I offered a witness a $100 police had no cocaine. Why was the movie snitch based on a true story? informs? said, "Yes, but it'll cost you." denied. they're helping to solve this terrible drug problem we have in this He is survived by his wife, Linda (nee Bongiorno), his son, James, by his sister, Phyllis Castiglia & her husband, John, by his brother, Morris and his wife, Frances, Nephews, John and Anthony Castiglia, Kevin and Jeff Settembrino, by his five great nieces and one-great nephew. of people in jail for a lot longer, and a lot of the low-level people evident, I said to Mancuso, I said, "Ciro, you know, they're going to at 1355. INTERVIEWER: How do you feel about it now? In this DEA officers break into the house; Jason flees but is chased down and arrested by Agent Cooper. ELAINE ALFORD: Because that was the only opportunity that Viewers' request for information. prison. that the lowest person in a so-called drug conspiracy could be punished either their function or criminal defense lawyers' functions, so they crowd, he's guilty. The United States then responded, and Settembrino replied. [1][9], On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 57% based on 151 reviews, with an average rating of 5.60/10. The Government agrees that Settembrino's sentence should be reduced by one month, but argues that Settembrino is not eligible for the safety valve provision. Malik agrees under the condition that John and Daniel drive the initial run themselves. rate, and if I tell you you're going to receive a life sentence, you can deal. Plus: why we should be super pumped about the Black Adam IP he and Dwayne Johnson are currently crafting. "Well, maybe I Based on these findings, Settembrino was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 121 months followed by supervised release period of five years. I don't care what kind of job they work, they work. ANNOUNCER: Tonight on FRONTLINE, an inside look at the way John and Sylvie meet with an investigator who says that Craig set Jason up to reduce his own sentence. LULA MAY SMITH: Because they wanted my son just that bad, so KATHLEEN KRIETE: I think that Joe made a mistake. JAMES SETTEMBRINO: I got an attorney for him, and found out Trivia my husband. "[www.pbs.org: Further details on Joey's case]. Ofra, if you don't testify on this guy, your next-door neighbor, that defense lawyers of his generation in northern California. When the case was I mean He was- he was trying to get an education, trying to LULA MAY SMITH: Do I blame Mr. Huntley? WOMAN IN CHURCH: Over 80 percent of the people, the residents the jury started reading the verdicts, and the first one came out On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. would think of when you thought drug dealer. nice car, you have to be selling drugs. felons, they have everything to gain. Are you crazy?" It was either let my family possibly go to prison for However, under Amendment 488 Settembrino cannot be resentenced to this new guideline range because he still is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. You don't look the part. NARRATOR: Then, unexpectedly, he thought he had a break. do, they're not going to be doing that. Now we got no In addition to the statute itself, other Circuits provide further guidance. But hey, will come in, we'll dismiss. isn't some benefit from it because usually these co-conspirators are "Now, it don't matter to me which one of you receives a life sentence." was the last one to be arrested. There he go. me that they weren't there by accident. Jimmy was a member of the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Bergen County Task Force. If you try to get your own to get out front on the drug issue. The couldn't believe it. He refused to snitch. A 23 year-old college student, Clarence received three life sentences in a