Only man in Missouri serving life without parole for marijuana offenses

I am very happy to report that it was announced today that Jeff Mizanskey has been granted parole, and will finally be released from prison to return to his family.

Mizanskey was granted a parole hearing last week. Typically, an offender who gets paroled must spend the remainder of his sentence under the watch of the authorities, but in Mizanskey’s case, that would mean forever. His release could come sooner. Chris Mizanskey’s online petition accumulated almost 400,000 signatures, and 126 Missouri legislators signed a letter to Nixon calling for clemency.

Until last May, being paroled was little more than a pipe dream for Mizanskey, thanks to the outdated three strikes sentencing mandate.

Viets also served on the Missouri Bar Committee which revised the Missouri Criminal Code and recommended to the Missouri General Assembly that the “prior and persistent drug offender” law be repealed.

[RELATED; Cop Shoots Teen Driver, Seizes 10 Grams of Pot]. He admitted selling an ounce of pot in 1984 and to having more in his home, and acknowledged possessing 2-3 ounces at home after a 1991 search. The third gave him life without parole.

Parole doesn’t mean absolute freedom for the 62-year-old Mizanskey, whom his son says has received a flood of speaking requests from pro-legalization groups and hopes to open a wood shop and mentor at-risk youth.

Jeff Mizanskey, to be freed, after spending 20 years for repeated marijuana offenses.

“As far as smoking a joint, I’d love to”, he said.

His son expects authorities to keep an eye on Mizanskey to ensure he doesn’t.

Viets said Mizanskey was driving his friend to Sedalia to buy marijuana in 1993, and cameras caught Mizanskey holding a brick of marijuana.