TIS, you raise good points as others have. It is so frustrating to hear about the disparities in sentencing and time served. But, as I instruct my sudents, the frustration may be due to a failure to recognize that we have a federallevel system and a state level system each with its own laws, due process, prsecutors, and judges. In Texas alone we have 254 counties each with a district attorney and at least one felony judge. They operate under the same laws and procedures, but thd human element is unpredictable. Also,we are usually unaware of the evidence presented at trial which can make a fundamental difference. Also, keep in mind that about 90% of all prosecutions are plea bargained. It's can be quite a challenge to get a jury to convict someone.