Alexander Surry gets life for drug addiction. Louisiana Governor refuses to honor approved sentence
Surry had three children after marrying his high school sweetheart. He worked in construction.
Surry says he became addicted to crack and eventually sold it in order to support his own habit. Surry was arrested twice and while on probation for the second arrest, his probation officer searched him at his home, finding a small rock.
Although normally the maximum sentence would have been five years, he was sentenced to life without parole as a third time offender.
His wife says that Surry was always there for his children. She further says she thinks that drug rehabilitation should be the answer, not lifetime incarceration. She continues to advocate for his release.
Surry now has five grandchildren. He talks at least twice a week with his children, who were teenagers when he was incarcerated.
Surry's daughter Cashawna, told the ACLU that her father’s incarceration has been immensely difficult for her. “It’s like a hole is there in my heart, in my life,” she said. “I’ve cried many a night ... It was so hard not having my father around when I had relationship problems or just going through hard times in life. Just praying and talking to God and just crying, like, ‘God, I need my father.’”
She says that because her father could not walk her down the aisle when she got married, she chose to be married by a justice of the peace instead of in a church.
The Louisiana pardon board unanimously approved Surry to complete only one-third, or 25 years, of his sentence, but according to Surry, the pardon request has been sitting on the Governor’s desk since 2009.
Read full story at ACLU Special Report. A Living Death: Life Without Parole for Nonviolent Offenses.
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As voters, citizens, taxpayers and bystanders, we as a society have inhumanely punished thousands of nonviolent people. Currently Washington DC and 30 states have compensation statutes for wrongfully convicted inmates. Congress’ recommended amount is $63,000 for each year served. On the other hand, overly sentenced victims who in many cases have suffered equally or worse typically receive $20 and a bus ticket if they are fortunate enough to ever be released.
Select the link below to donate directly to Surry to help him with legal and other expenses. Most of these inhumanely sentenced inmates don't remember the last time they were able to buy personal items or snacks from the commissary. No donation is too small. JPAY is used for state inmates and Western Union for federal.
No Harsh Justice inmate has ever been convicted of a violent crime.
Donate to Surry's Legal Fund (Select Louisiana, Inmate ID=330104)
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