“‘Reader-Friendly’ Version of Amendments on Crack Cocaine and Retroactivity Effective May 1, 2008”

The 5-page document is available here, through the United States Sentencing Commission website. The website also provides this:

On April 16, 2008, the Commission voted to amend the commentary to §2D1.1 (Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, or Trafficking (Including Possession with Intent to Commit These Offenses); Attempt or Conspiracy) to revise the manner in which combined offense levels are determined in cases involving cocaine base (“crack cocaine”) and one or more other controlled substance. The Commission also voted to amend §1B1.10 [Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range (Policy Statement)] to provide retroactive effect to the amendment to §2D1.1. Official text of the amendments will be posted on the Commission’s website at www.ussc.gov and incorporated into a forthcoming supplement to the Guidelines Manual.

These amendments take effect May 1, 2008. Until that date, the court should apply §2D1.1 as set forth in the 2007 Guidelines Manual, and §1B1.10 as set forth in the Supplement to the 2007 Guidelines Manual effective March 3, 2008