When it comes to the ridiculousness and harm that goes along with marijuana prohibition, one of the first things that I think about is the story of Jeff Mizanskey. Mr. Mizanskey has been serving a life sentence in Missouri for non-violent, marijuana only offenses. That’s right, a life sentence. Mr. Mizanskey has already served over two decades of his sentence. Jail cells should be reserved for rapists and murderers, not marijuana consumers. Yet, there Jeff Mizanskey sits day after day.
There has been a very strong effort in Missouri to get Jeff Mizanskey freed. There have been petitions, and even a bill introduced into Missouri’s Legislature that sought his release. Activists have been pushing Missouri Jay Nixon to step up and do what’s right by commuting Jeff Mizanskey’s sentence. Jay Nixon has been very quiet on the issue until this week. Per Missouri Net:
Asked when he might have a definitive answer regarding Mizanskey, Nixon told reporters Friday he’s in the process of considering several possible commutations.
“That matter is in that next group that is being reviewed,” said Nixon.
He said consideration of such requests has had to wait during the legislative session.
“It’s been a busy last five or six weeks, and while there may have been meetings like that on my schedule, some of those have been bumped recently,” said Nixon. “That’s something that I’d like to get to relatively early this summer.”
Freeing Jeff Mizanskey is a no brainer. Everyday that goes by that Jeff Mizanskey sits in prison is a day that tax payer dollars are wasted. Jeff Mizanskey is not a threat to society. Free Jeff Mizanskey, and do it sooner than later. He has already served way, way too much time in prison for a substance that is safer than alcohol. That is unacceptable, and it’s time he gets returned to his family.
