When sentencing co-offenders in a joint criminal enterprise, the sentencing judge should begin with the proposition that each intended the crime and each set out to carry it into effect, but may give some limited weight to the different roles played, particularly where one offender stands out as a ring-leader, abuses inside knowledge, or actually inflicts violence. However, caution is needed in drawing fine distinctions between assigned roles, as each participant's contribution is necessary to achieve the criminal objective. The practice of comparing sentences in unrelated cases to demonstrate manifest excess is neither helpful nor justified by authority and should be firmly discouraged.
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