A Missouri newspaper tells us of a man named Jeff Mizanskey who was convicted of an intent to distribute about five pounds of marijuana charge in 1993.

Today, Mizanskey seeks support to gain clemency from the resulting life sentence.

Although this was his third marijuana offense, Riverfront Times tells us that Mizanskey has never been convicted of a violent crime. He says that he has been working a steady job in prison and being a model prisoner while violent offenders are being granted with parole chances not allowed to him.

Mizanskey was caught in a deal arranged by police and civilian cooperatives. Police were targeting another dealer, who was arrested and given a 10-year sentence, and also picked up Mizanskey who merely handled a brick of marijuana briefly during the deal.

That was 20 years ago; the now 60-year-old inmate knows that close to half of the United States allows the use of medical marijuana now, and how the overall climate of marijuana use is changing. This gives Mizanksey hope of clemency from the ancient Prior and Persistent Drug Offender statute found only in Missouri that allows a judge to order a ten-year to life sentence for anyone with any type of prior drug offenses.

So, what do you think? Do you think that Mizanskey deserves to serve a life sentence for a marijuana offense? If you want to help Mizanskey, you can email the governor of Missouri to join the others who feel that Jeff Mizanskey should be set free.

[image: vimeo]