Pack your bags, Jeff—you are finally headed home.
Jeff Mizanskey was sentenced to
life in prison after he was charged with possession of 35 grams of marijuana in 1994. It was his third charge and even though he'd never been in prison, he was given an outrageous sentence of life in prison. Jeff's family has never stopped fighting to get him out of prison and calls for his release began to grow louder, even as Governor Jay Nixon refused to budge and offer him clemency.
Looks like Jeff Mizanskey will be reunited with his now adult son after all. He was granted parole this week:
According to Mizanskey's attorney, Dan Viets, the 62-year-old is set to be freed within the next ten to 25 days -- or possibly sooner.
"It depends on the whim of the Department of Corrections," says Viets, adding that it may happen sooner rather than later, because authorities may want to avoid a crowd gathering to greet him.
How many more Jeff Mizanskeys are we holding in prison for relatively minor charges? It's time to return these folks to their families and let them move on with their lives. If you are interested in Jeff's story, this
Riverfront Times article is well worth the read—and the credit for bringing national attention to the case.