Some Good News for Richard Paey

Jacob Sullum | June 15, 2007

Here's some good news for Richard Paey, the Florida man who is serving a 25-year mandatory minimum sentence for "drug trafficking" based on narcotics he obtained to treat his chronic pain: The Florida Parole Commission has recommended that Gov. Charlie Crist consider Paey's clemency petition even though he has not yet served a third of his sentence, as usually required. The rule can be waived when an application "demonstrates extraordinary merit." In appealing to Crist, Paey is taking the course recommended by the Florida appeals court that last year said only the governor could correct this injustice. 

Here is a PDF of Paey's clemency petition. The Pain Relief Network has contact information for Crist (scroll down). "Keep those cards and letters coming in support of Richard's clemency petition," says Paey's lawyer, John P. Flannery. "They are being read and carefully considered by the Office of Executive Clemency."