Michigan man, 68, who has served 24 years of a 60-year prison sentence for selling marijuana to an informant pleads for early release
- Michael Thompson, 68, on Wednesday asked for clemency a second time in the hopes of an earlier release from a Michigan prison
- Thompson, known as ‘Meeko’, is being held at the Muskegon Correctional Facility on a 1996 conviction for selling pot and gun possession
- However, he did not have any firearms on his possession at the time of his arrest. Authorities would later recover guns during a warrant search of his home
- A website claims he ‘never committed a violent act’, but was charged with a violent crime just so he could serve ‘the longest sentence possible’
- He was previously denied clemency by former Gov. Rick Snyder. His fate now rests with the state’s current governor, Gretchen Whitmer
A prison inmate, who already served 24 years out of a 60-year prison sentence for selling marijuana in Michigan, is making his second bid for clemency.
Michael A. Thompson, 68, was convicted after selling pot to an informant in Genesee County in 1996, and previously denied early release by former Gov. Rick Snyder.
Supporters, however, say the state’s current governor, Gretchen Whitmer, should consider the inmate’s new bid for an early release, because he has not demonstrated he is a violent offender and has served enough time behind bars.
Michael Thompson, 68, has asked for clemency a second time in the hopes of an earlier release from a Michigan prison on a conviction for selling marijuana and possession of firearms. His fate will this time be decided by the state’s current governor, Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant in Hamtramck, Michigan on Monday. She is to decide Thompson’s second request for clemency
Thompson has served 24 years of a 60-year-prison sentence on marijuana and gun possession convictions
Social activist Shawn King, host of the Breakdown podcast, tweeted on Monday that Thompson’s current sentence was ‘inhumane’, and that it was all for ‘nothing more than selling weed’.
A spokesperson for the current governor was not immediately available when DailyMail.com reached out to ask about Thompson’s latest bid for freedom.
Thompson had been convicted on three counts of selling marijuana and two counts of illegal possession of a firearm as a felony offender, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
But he was not found to be in the possession of firearms at the time of his arrest, reports ABC News.
Authorities would later recover guns during a warrant search of his home, ABC reports.
A website set up to support his new bid for an early release argues that Thompson has ‘never committed a violent act’.
Social activist Shawn King, host of the Breakdown podcast, tweeted on Monday that Thompson’s current sentence was ‘inhumane’
‘He was charged with a violent crime just so he could serve the longest sentence possible’, the site, ‘freemichaelthompson.com’ says.
‘Michael was labeled violent because police found guns at his house, even though in Michigan people can legally and openly carry guns,’ the site explains.
During his last parole board hearing in 2018, Thompson was denied release, and his first request to have his sentence commuted by then Gov. Snyder was rejected, ABC reports.
Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder speaks at a 2018 press conference in Detroit, the same year he rejected Thompson’s first request to have his sentence commuted
Thompson’s image from an online prison inmate locator. A website set up to support his new bid for an early release argues that Thompson has ‘never committed a violent act’
Michigan voted to legalize recreational use of pot the same year.
A online petition on the site set up by his supporters urges Whitmer, the current governor, to grant his latest request for clemency.
The site claims more than 21000 people have signed the petition, exceeding a goal of 20000.
‘His mother, his father and his only son died while he was in prison,’ the site says.
‘And recreational marijuana has been legalized in Michigan. Now we’re going to fight to get Michael free. We can do it. We must’.