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Show IPLACES CURB ON FEDERAUUDGES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INTENDS IN-TENDS TO STOP PRACTICE OF SUSPENDING SENTENCES. Attorney General Asserts Custom Has Been Cause of Much Complaint and That It Will Not Be Tolerated Tol-erated in Future. Washington. Attorney General Gregory has notified all United States district attorneys that in the future the department of justice does not intend in-tend to sit idly by and permit federal judges to suspend indefinitely either the imposition or execution of sentence sen-tence on a convicted criminal. In a circular letter to his assistants Mr. Gregory, pointing out that the practice of indefinite suspension of sentence has long prevailed in many districts, says: "No court has such a power. It is in effect a pardon or commutation. Nor may a court exercise it Indirectly, by a continuance of the case from term to term for sentence or by other similar device. "This custom has been the cause of much complaint, and has tended somewhat some-what to discredit the administration of the criminal law in the federal courts. "In future you will protest against and object to any motions or requests for such suspension order, and report the making of the order to this department, de-partment, that it may take the necessary neces-sary steps to compel the issuance ol commitment upon any such sentence. "Because this involves an attack upon a practice heretofore tolerated, proper courtesy, to the judicial officer requires that he be advised in advance ad-vance that the department finds It necessary in future to oppose these orders. You' will kindly convey this information to each judge of your district dis-trict and at the same time offer, should any judge doubt this limitation of his judicial power, to furnish ref erence to decisions relating thereto which reference the department al your request will furnish." |