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HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KAKE) – A Kansas man is home after serving two and a half years of a nearly eight-year prison sentence. Thanks to his mother’s advocacy, The Last Prisoner Project, his attorneys and Governor Laura Kelly, he gets the chance to start over fresh.
Friday, Deshaun Durham was reunited with his family and advocates after more than 2 years apart. He says the lessons he learned in prison were difficult, and he hopes no other nonviolent, first-time offenders have to serve as much time as he did.
Growing up Deshaun was a helpful, happy kid, who loved to make others laugh.
His mother never expected to be fighting for her son’s freedom.
“I was floored. I couldn’t believe that- I expected a year or two honestly, because it is illegal in Kansas. But I never imagined that he would get 8 years, I thought he was joking,” said Brandi Wishard, Deshaun’s mother.
When he was just 21 years old, Durham was convicted and sentenced to 92 months in prison for possessing 2.4 pounds of marijuana with the intention to distribute. After serving two and a half years, a 24-year-old Durham walked out of Hutchinson Correctional Facility for the last time.
“It’s a surreal moment, kinda feels like an out-of-body experience, you know it kinda feels like a dream. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real,” said Deshaun Durham.
Durham was excited to be surrounded by family and advocates – one of those advocates is Donte West, a previously exonerated prisoner, now working for The Last Prisoner Project, who was sentenced to eight years for having a pound of marijuana by the same judge in the same county as Durham.
“Anyone can read that if clemency exists, it exists for someone like Deshaun, we’re talking about a non-violent, first offender… Extended incarceration of Deshaun wasn’t going to protect the state of Kansas,” said Donte West, exoneree and Last Prisoner Project advocate.
West says, “The best gift you can give someone is freedom”, and former US attorney, who served as Dunham’s attorney, Barry Grissom agrees.
“It’s unfortunate that here in Kansas we have a legislature that refuses to acknowledge that all of our sister jurisdictions have legalized cannabis in some form or some fashion, they’ve taxed it, they’ve regulated it. And for some reason we haven’t been able to make that move which I believe is good public policy,” said Barry Grissom, attorney.
Grissom calls Durham’s original sentence a miscarriage of justice, something Governor Laura Kelly agrees with.
Durham was one of seven Kansans granted clemency from Governor Kelly, allowing him to reclaim his 20s and turn his life around.
“When I got the news that I got it, it was hard not to tear up a little bit because it’s just something that’s so rare,” said Durham.
The Last Prisoner Project says it costs about $30,000 to house one prisoner for a year; money that could be better spent in law enforcement taking down violent crimes or criminals.
“I don’t think anyone should be incarcerated for marijuana, not when you can go four states around us and absolutely get it legally,” said Wishard.
It was an emotional day, but ultimately it’s a day that will lead to more advocacy in the future. Durham wants to advocate for others stuck behind bars for nonviolent offenses.
“This has kinda taught me that prison isn’t a place that I belong, and it’s not a place that anyone who gets caught with you know marijuana, something that’s legal in the majority of the United States deserves to be at,” said Durham.
Deshaun walking out of prison for the last time. (Last Prisoner Project)
Last Prisoner Project
With his new freedom, Durham is excited for time with family, the chance to meet his baby niece for the first time, and a good meal.
“I’ll probably try to eat some good food somewhere. Cause I’ve been eating prison food for the last 2 and a half years so definitely it’ll be nice to eat something nice, reconnect with family, you know I just can’t wait to do all that stuff I was missing out on,” said Durham.
He hopes to see his favorite football team, the Chiefs, play in person very soon.
Durham’s attorney believes that what would be best for public policy is if marijuana was treated like alcohol- not given to minors, regulated, requiring a license to sell, and heavily taxed.
”}]] Friday, Deshaun Durham was reunited with his family and advocates after more than 2 years apart. He says the lessons he learned in prison were difficult, and he hopes no Read More
