My mistake. Guess judge really cut him some slack.
A year and a day is a minimum incarceration sentence for felonies in many jurisdictions, and is one of the main features distinguishing felonies from misdemeanors. For some crimes, this is the minimum penalty, as traditionally in English-speaking, common law countries, misdemeanors may not entail a sentence of more than a year (hence, "eleven months and twenty-nine days") whereas felonies are traditionally punished by incarceration of over one year, hence "a year and a day." Furthermore, in many jurisdictions, prisoners are eligible for parole only if their sentences are longer than a year; by imposing a sentence of a year and a day, judges can offer defendants a chance at parole.[citation needed] In the United States federal system, only sentences of more than one year allow prisoners to obtain early release for good time while incarcerated. [7] As a result, a sentence of a year and a day can lead to less time served than a sentence of a year.
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