UPDATE: Missouri Governor commutes sentence of man serving life for pot offenses
The people seeking the release of the only man serving life in a Missouri prison for marijuana offenses could have an answer from Governor Nixon in the next couple of months.
Jeff Mizanskey
Jeff Mizanskey of Sedalia has been in prison for 21 years. He was sentenced to life without parole for marijuana possession and distribution under laws from the 1990s that have since been changed, and is unique in his circumstances.
Governor Jay Nixon (D) has been petitioned more than once to release Mizanskey and this year, a bill was even filed in the legislature that sought his release.
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.”
128 lawmakers signed the latest petition asking for Mizanskey to be released.
Another related story:
Legislature asked to free Missouri man sentenced to life for pot
