Democracy Now! January 8, 1999

(6 Minutes) Chief Justice William Rehnquist and His Gold Stripes A look at the gold braids on Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist's tobe. He started to wear them 5 years ago after seeing a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe". A look at the themes in the play that are relevant to the situation on Capital Hill. GUEST: Steve Goodman, performer in the Young Victorian Theater in Baltimore, MD whose performance Rehnquist goes to see. (44 Minutes) Snitches and Mandatory Sentencing Since the passing of strict federal anti-drug legislation, snitches have become key players in the war on drugs. A look at the disturbing use of informants by federal prosecutors in drug prosecutions, and the effect it has on individuals' rights and the US judicial system. GUEST: Ofra Bickell, producer of the Frontline special "Snitch". GUEST: Eric Sterling, Former Counsel of the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime. He wrote the Mandatory Minimum Sentencing legislation. GUEST: Kathleen Krietie, mother of Joey Settembino, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison under mandatory drug sentence. GUEST: Willy Huntley, who prosecuted Lulu May Smith. She was a Mobile, AL woman in her late fifties whose son was a suspected crack dealer. Smith was arrested as a co-conspirator and used to try to pressure her son to turn himself in. When he didn't, she was tried and sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs. Willy Huntley was featured in the documentary "Snitch"because despite being Smith's prosecutor, he did not want her to be found guilty. He says that the mandatory sentencing laws are flawed and should be revised by Congress. GUEST: Sally McGee, resident of Uniontown, AL a town where about 75 counts of drug dealing were handed down against residents after her nephew, a drug dealer, cooperated with the prosecutors and named almost 40 co-conspirators. Almost all of the defendants were convicted-two were white and the rest were black. Among them were 9 members of Sally McGee's family.