Other names George Martorano | Name George Martorano | |
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Occupation 1 of the longest serving non-violent 1st time drug offenders in history Children Raymond Martorano Jr., Francesca Martorano Parent(s) Raymond Martorano Sr., Evelyn Martorano | ||
Solitary confinement part one george martorano
George Martorano (born 1950) was the longest-serving first-time non-violent offender in the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time of his release. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1988 on drugs charges. Martonaro was released in October 2015 after serving 27 years.
Contents
- Solitary confinement part one george martorano
- Solitary confinement part three george martorano
- Controversy
- Life in prison
- Appeals
- Release
- References
In 1984, on the advice of his attorney Robert Simone, Martorano pleaded guilty to 19 counts of drug possession and distribution. Martorano was subsequently advised by both the prosecution and the judge, John Berne Hannum, that this plea could result in a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. The prosecution, however, had only recommended a sentence of from 40 to 54 months. On September 20, 1984, Martorano was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the longest prison term ever imposed on a first-time non-violent offender in American history.
Solitary confinement part three george martorano
Controversy
Prior to Martorano's sentencing, Simone was indicted on tax evasion charges. Again, before sentence was imposed in the Martorano case, Judge Hannum testified as a character witness for Simone. An article appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News criticizing the judge and called his testimony "highly unusual". Martorano stated in subsequent appeals that Judge Hannum should have recused himself from his case prior to imposing sentence.
Life in prison
Martorano distinguished himself during his time in federal prison. In addition to being a "model" prisoner, Martorano:
Appeals
Martorano appealed his original sentence in 1987 and appeared again before Judge Hannum, receiving the same sentence. Subsequently, Martorano has filed over 35 appeals. All the presiding judges upheld the original sentence.
Release
Martorano was released from United States Penitentiary, Coleman, Florida, on October 5, 2015. His release was part of thousands of prisoners released by the Department of Justice to "reduce overcrowding and provide relief to drug offenders who received harsh sentences".