President Joe Biden has commuted the life sentence of a Michigan woman who has become a symbol of harsh sentences tied to America’s War on Drugs.
In 1994, Michelle West was sentenced to two life terms plus 50 years for her involvement with drug crimes in southeast Michigan, including aiding and abetting a drug related murder.
She had no criminal history prior to her federal case.
Amanda Bashi, a federal public defender, said West was not an instigator and only tangentially connected to people who were involved in violent drug crimes in Detroit. Crimes that West was convicted of participating in.
“Michelle’s case absolutely is a warning about the perils and problems of a mandatory sentencing scheme,” said Bashi.
In his commutation message, President Biden said West has “demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation and personal transformation.”
“America is a country built on the promise of second chances,” said Biden in a written statement.
Michelle West’s sentence was mandatory in the 1990s. But federal sentencing guidelines changed in 2005. However, the change was not made retroactive.
Michelle West’s commutation case has been championed by a wide range of civil rights and women’s rights groups, including the National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, the Battered Women's Justice Project, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, and U.S Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
“Michelle West’s story is illustrative of the harsh injustice of mandatory sentences,” said Daniel Landsman, Vice President of Policy for FAMM, in a written statement, “We are thrilled that Biden has recognized the absurdity of her sentence and her stellar record of rehabilitation. We are grateful for his justice and mercy.”
Michelle West’s sentence will officially end next month. Her federal public defender says the specific date West will be released has yet to be determined. But Amanda Bashi expects it will be sometime in the next 30 days.
Bashi said West plans to live with her daughter after her release.
