The US Supreme Court said “and” doesn’t mean “and” in the First Step Act, making fewer criminal defendants eligible to take advantage of relief intended to undo harsh prison sentences in drug cases.
In a 6-3 opinion written by Justice Elena Kagan that cut across ideological lines, the court on Friday sided with the Biden administration in the dispute over so-called “safety valve” relief in the 2018 Trump-era law.
The provision allows judges to ignore mandatory minimum sentences based on the defendant’s criminal history.
But the administration argued “and” in the text should be read more like “or” and disqualify ...