Court rejects broad interpretation of compassionate release statute

The Supreme Court ruled that challenges to a defendant's conviction cannot serve as 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' for compassionate release, emphasizing that such challenges must be addressed through habeas corpus procedures. In two cases, Fernandez v. United States and Rutherford v. United States, the Court held that arguments questioning conviction validity or changes to sentencing laws do not qualify for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c).