METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ‘Member of Council December 7, 2017 ‘To The Honorable Judge Steve Dozier: Recently, the undersigned and | have been made aware of an upcoming hearing regarding Mr. Calvin Eugene Bryant, Jr, who was handed down a later-adjusted sentence of 15 years for the sale of drugs in 2008. Mr. Bryant is a resident of the Edgehill Apartments and therefore is @ resident of Metro Counci Distict 17, which 's why | head this letter. However, all the Lndersigned share the same concern and support for Mr. Bryant, who isin a unique situation regarding his case, in particular, and Tennessee's “drug-ree school zone" laws, more broadly. Mr. Bryant was convicted of felonies related to seling ecstasy pills to an informant for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. As you well know, Mr. Bryant's sentence was dramatically enhanced because he was within 1,000 feet of a school triggering @ punishment that was more severe than the sentence he would have received for committing a violent crime Such as rape or second-degree murder. Mr. Bryant has since spent the last nine years in all as. 2 firsttime offender for a nonviolent cme. While Mr. Bryant did commit a nonviolent crime, his punishment was unduly increased due to a since-reformed sentencing enhancement and the time and place he committed his offense. In 2014, Davidson County's Grand Jury found that this sentencing enhancement had been applied ‘arbitrarily and capriciously: ‘Since Mr. Bryant's conviction, several states and jurisdictons, incuding Davidson County through its District Attomey, have begun to reform ‘drugtree school zone laws, which isproportionately impact poor and minority communities. Our hope is that the Tennessee State Legistature wl follow suit. In the meantime, Mr, Bryant has once again appealed for relief. He has gained the support of dozens of Nashwile residents, business owners and elected officials, as well as one of his former prosecutors. We, too, support Mr. Bryant's appeal. We, the undersigned, ask that Mr. Bryant be granted rele, so that he might be an example for good in his community, and so that We all might work for more equitable justice in ours. Sincerely, foe Colby Stedge CCouncimember, District 17 ‘One Public Square, Suite 204 Nashville, Tennessee 37219 Office: 615/862-6780 Fax: 615/862-6784a finds —— — ee ee ae q Gh. eal? aerbe lamle ae oe ee re oe ee dad. x Ae fom ne pecan ener a ae on CCouncimember, District 6 Buty mer Burkey Allen ‘Councimember, District 18 Sin od deren Eos oe ce Pees files ‘Karen Johnson CCouncimember, District 28 Sorola Verche ‘Tanaka Vercher Councimember, District 28