Below is a request from a NORML member and recently retired prison employee from Illinois seeking a presidential pardon for a man sentenced ten years ago as a teenager to thirty years for a first time marijuana offense.
One of the reasons the walls of Cannabis Prohibition are coming down faster and faster these days is because of citizens like George from Oakford, who can no longer stand idly by and be witness to the waste and cruelty of incarcerating citizens for so-called marijuana-related ‘crimes’.
George’s signature is first, mine is second…will you please join us in asking President Obama to pardon Jason Spyres after he has served 10 years for a ‘crime’, that some day soon will no longer be a crime.
Thanks in advance for caring and sharing,
-Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
NORML
Washington, D.C.
—— Forwarded Message
From: George A.
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:50:05 -0500
Subject: Need Help?
Hi: I am a NORML member and wanted to ask you to circulate a White House Petition that only needs 150 signatures(online) to become searchable (under marijuana or cannabis). It is:
I would appreciate your response or suggestions. It is in regard to an Illinois inmate who got locked up for 30 years, of which he has served about 10 years, for a first time marijuana offense. He was first locked up as a teenager. I worked as a Correctional Officer around this inmate and know that he does not deserve to be locked up for so long. I retired in 09 and can now help this young man fight for his deserved freedom. Please help if you can.
George A.
Oakford, IL
Also, I’m the Texas Finance Director for Gary Johnson for President 2012. He was asked on national TV is he would pardon all non-violent drug offenders. His answer, “YES, that has to be part of the solution.” This was on Stossel asked by an audience member. A staunch advocate for legalization he needs your support. We are trying to make sure your voice is heard. The bigger the numbers the more people pay attention. Let’s get Gov. Johnson’s numbers up by midnight so we can finish the fiscal quarter with a bang.
You can feel free to e-mail me any questions about the issues and Gov. Johnson’s stance on them. If I did not agree with him 100%, I wouldn’t have taken the job.
Thank you,
Charles Lupton
Texas Finance Director
Gary Johnson for President 2012
E-mail listed here: http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/state-contacts/texas-contacts
“We the people…” must take a stand and support liberty before it’s gone.
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It is sad to hear stories like yours Kim (post 41), my heart goes out to you. I am sorry and embarrassed as a member of the society of people who did not do a better job to protect you. Who are we, when we allow people to victimize others (or especially continue to victimize) people, but we throw away/lock away innocent people who have not victimized anyone? Please if you are out there, on the fence about these issues, stand up for better balance. Marijuana use is one of the lowest possible concerns for a “Great & Compassionate Nation”. Even on a more selfish level, I/We should not have to pay to have someone locked up who has not stolen from or assaulted someone else. This person could be helping better our society by paying their fair share of taxes. Instead we are furthering the burden on society, probably taking better care of this individual than the elderly, homeless, and children. From a spiritual sense based on compassion & fairness we are currently failing miserably. For Jason, I am also very sorry that our society has severely punished you for something that is not destructive on society.
For the people talking presidents, vote Ron Paul and he will end the drug war and such cruel and unusual punishments. This is like when they imprisoned people back in the Soviet Union.
Remove Marijuana from the Schedule 1 list of drugs in the Controlled Substances Act
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule 1 drug in the Controlled Substances Act, a category reserved for drugs which have “no currently accepted medical use”. Marijuana has known medical uses and therefore should not be classified as a Schedule 1 substance. The federal government should “accept” marijuana’s known medical uses and remove it from the Schedule 1 list of drugs.
http://wh.gov/4sn
lots to take in on this issue. I could go do what he did and make alot of cash. I dont want to go to jail. Instead I go to work every day. However I also dont think what he did should be a crime and it sickens me to spend billions of dollars on prisons and trashing peoples lives. I have to say bottom line dont do the crime if you cant do the time. We all break the law by toking and if I get caught is norml going to start a potition for me?
The petition is due to the nature of the unfair sentence. If you got 30 years and had already served a good portion of that, NORML wouldn’t have too. I would. I’ve stood before parole boards and contacting other groups on behalf of what I believed to be unfair sentences before.
Someone needs to free this guy and focus on the rapist, child molesters, murders, and serial killers. Shit, they are the ones that got need to be punished.
30 years for pot , that is asinine!!!!
He still needs a lot more signatures. Would it help if you reached across the aisle to MPP and Drug Policy Alliance to see if they would put the plea on their sites. I myself almost overlooked it here, and who knows how long it will be front and center here? Hopefully, till he gets enough signatures.
Seriously? I dont envy the Karma that will be visited upon those who put him there.
Thank goodness I have an opportunity to voice my sadness for this innocent man. This is injustice that no one can deny. Pardon him President Obama. Quickly please.
I had not heard of this case but free the man as there are so many!
Where were the Churches and citizens, Where Are the Churches and Citizens Now and HIS CONGRESSIONAL REP and SENATOR?
Come on people, those who ruin the World Economy do so legally while a guy has Pot and I don’t care how much Pot he had or what he was doing with it this is WRONG.
I agree with Jay that the governor of Illinois is the person to deluge with petitions. If he had a federal sentence it would be different.
Vote for Dr. Ron Paul and this injusticer will BE STOPPED DEAD in it’s tracks.
As Ive said for years,the medical avenue for legalizing marijuana is the absolute wrong avenue to go down,however Normls use of this avenue has put them way too far down a one way street..As marijuana advocates are finally realizing,”Compassionate Use Laws”hold no water with those prohibitionists who have no compassion for anyone but themselves and their own selfish interests…It is way past time for Norml and other orginizations like them to use their resources to wholeheartedly pursue total legalization for this benign plant,so that everyone including those with medical issues can enjoy the benefits of its responsible use…
I am Jason’s mom. I just found this site. Thanks for all the comments. We did not want to keep any info from anyone but there is limited room sometimes. Yeah to the ones that looked it up. He was 19 when he was arrested. Unfortunately he was very good at what he did. He was selling large amounts. He did not have weapons. Another person at the house had something they called a pipe bomb. I am for it being Legal. I believe it would solve many of our issues. I was a pot smoker for 29 years. I raised Jason to think smoking pot was fine. The problem is as long as it is illegal it is not fine. Our kids, like Jason is paying huge prices for my mistakes. Today I am in recovery and believe that 9 years is long enough to pay for this mistake. It is time for my son to come home. P.S. I know president does not grant the clemency. I have other sites asking Illinois Gov but thanks to George for starting this and raising awareness. We will shoot this over to Il Gov along with another petition on Change.org. Thanks everyone for your comments and support.
Once we get marijuana legalized, it should be a matter of course that ALL 600,000 persons convicted of marijuana “crimes” be granted pardons by the President and all Governors.
Ron Paul seems to be the only Presidential candidate in favor of legalization. Let’s stir the “pot”.
Broke 5000 signatures yesterday. Huzzah!