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President Biden Grants Cannabis Clemency to LPP Constituents Thomas Anderson, Rory Meeks, Danny Harmon, Matthew Nicka, and Flavio Tamez

Stephen Post • December 12, 2024

Last Prisoner Project provided direct legal representation, financial assistance, and advocacy to support the clemency of these five individuals.


President Biden today granted the most federal clemency grants in one day comprising nearly 1,500 commutations for individuals serving their sentences under home confinement and 39 individuals pardoned for nonviolent drug offenses. Included in that list were Last Prisoner Project constituents Thomas Anderson, Rory Meeks, Danny Harmon, Matthew Nicka, and Flavio Tamez.


Matthew Nicka was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for a non-violent cannabis offense. On March 21, 2023, Matthew was one of the carefully selected individuals that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) transferred to home confinement pursuant to the CARES Act. He was reunited with his devoted mother at her home in Florida and has maintained consistent full-time employment ever since. He has been on home confinement for over 20 months, and this clemency grant will allow him to be fully free. 


At 38 years old, Thomas Anderson served nine years of his 15-year cannabis sentence. He was found guilty after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. On

March 20, 2023, Tommy was transferred to home confinement pursuant to the CARES Act and was released to live with his parents in St. Louis, who have supported him unconditionally and he is currently employed full-time. 


Danny Harmon, now 69 years old, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ten years of supervised release for a non-violent cannabis offense. He has now served over 12 years of his sentence and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. He is a devoted family man who has spent his life caring for loved ones, including his late father, his aging uncle, and his grandchildren. Despite the challenges of home confinement, Danny remains steadfast in maintaining strong relationships with his family and this unwavering commitment illustrates how deserving he is of this clemency grant. 


At 59 Years old, Flavio Tamez, has undergone an exceptional transformation during his nearly 12 years of incarceration. Anchored by a close-knit family, including his ex-wife, sister, sons, and grandson he has worked diligently to better himself, earning his GED, completing over 40 educational certificates, and undergoing extensive drug rehabilitation. Despite significant progress, his current home-confinement restrictions limit his ability to fully participate in the community, underscoring the impact this clemency will have.


Similarly, Rory Meeks, now 67 years old, received a 20-year sentence for his non-violent cannabis offense. After being transferred home under the CARES Act, Rory has been in home confinement for over 22 months. He was reunited with his loving family and has been living in rural Iowa with his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, who are five and one years old. 


We are grateful for President Biden granting clemency to these constituents and look forward to continuing to support Rory, Tommy, Danny, Flavio, and Matthew in this new step on their reentry journeys. 


In its official statement, the White House also noted that: "The President’s categorical approach to clemency has also inspired leaders across the country to take similar action. Over ten states and localities, including Maryland and Massachusetts, have issued categorical clemency for marijuana convictions, impacting hundreds of thousands of people and allowing individuals to move past their convictions and move on with their daily lives."


Biden alluded to the work LPP did earlier this year with Maryland Governor Moore to craft and sign the largest single-day pardon proclamation in US history with the pen to right history. Through our advocacy, we have sent over 10,000 letters to governors across the US to take similar action.


The statement also made clear that more clemency was to come in the waning days of the Biden administration, and the President "will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver criminal justice reform in a manner that advances equity and justice, promotes public safety, supports rehabilitation and reentry, and provides meaningful second chances."


LPP Executive Director, Sarah Gersten said: "We are heartened to see the President using his clemency power more robustly and are thrilled to see five of our clients receive commutations. We remain eager to see more grants before Biden leaves office for our clients who remain incarcerated. It's clear from the White House's statement that the administration sees nonviolent drug offenders, and particularly those impacted by unjust cannabis offenses, as a critical category of clemency recipients deserving relief."


In addition to these cases, LPP has submitted several clemency petitions for those still in prison for unjust cannabis offenses who are currently serving their sentence in federal prison. We have continued to advocate for these cases over the lame-duck period by joining over 50 House members to send a letter calling on President Biden to grant clemency and in supporting a Senate letter calling for reduced sentences.


With less than 40 days in his term, we look forward to seeing more clemency grants from President Biden.

VA Governor Youngkin Vetoes Cannabis Resentencing Bill That Would Have Freed Thousands, But Approves Cannabis Record Relief

By Stephen Post • March 25, 2025
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Governor Youngkin has once again vetoed a critical cannabis justice bill. Despite overwhelming support from Virginia’s General Assembly, the governor has chosen to deny relief to thousands of individuals who remain incarcerated or under state supervision for cannabis-related offenses—convictions tied to laws that have since changed. Last year, Youngkin vetoed a similar bill designed by Last Prisoner Project (LPP), denying potential freedom to more than 1,844 people. This year, the legislature advanced two key bills aimed at providing relief. HB 2555 would have created a sentence modification process for individuals still impacted by outdated cannabis laws. Instead of signing this measure into law, Youngkin has once again chosen to uphold the injustices of the past. Luckily, the other bill, SB 1466, which will streamline state-initiated expungements for cannabis offenses, sealing ancillary records such as probation violations and failures to appear related to past cannabis charges, was approved by Gov. Youngkin, but will be sent back to the legislature with amendments. The Commonwealth should be concerned that the Governor admits cannabis is both the cause of and contribution to thousands of individual's criminal sentences but it is unwilling to adopt a solution to prioritize relief while preserving a commitment to public safety by vesting oversight throughout the process. The governor's office ultimately approved record relief for certain cannabis convictions, but for those behind bars, this administration has once again failed to deliver lasting change. LPP has been at the forefront of the fight for justice in Virginia. Our Director of Policy, Adrian Rocha, provided testimony in support of these bills, underscoring the urgent need to right the wrongs of cannabis prohibition. Additionally, LPP's Director of Advocacy, Stephanie Shepard, who herself served time for a cannabis offense, penned a powerful op-ed in Virginia emphasizing the necessity of these reforms and the human toll of continued incarceration. Virginia ended cannabis prohibition in 2021, yet many remain incarcerated for offenses that are no longer crimes. The Virginia Department of Corrections reports an average annual cost of $33,994 per incarcerated individual, while Virginia has generated over $8 million in tax revenue from medical marijuana as of 2023. HB 2555 was a crucial step toward justice—one the Governor has now denied. The governor’s decision ignores the will of the people and the reality that cannabis reform is not only necessary but overwhelmingly popular. Polling shows that 84% of registered voters support releasing individuals incarcerated for offenses that are no longer illegal. With each veto, Youngkin chooses to leave families separated and lives needlessly disrupted, all while Virginia’s legal cannabis industry continues to grow and generate revenue. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the advocates and organizations who have fought tirelessly for justice, including Marijuana Justice Virginia, Nolef Turns, the Virginia NAACP, NORML, the Virginia Student Power Network, The New Majority Virginia, and Rise for Youth. While this veto is a setback, it is not the end. The fight for cannabis justice continues, and LPP remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind. We will not stop until every cannabis prisoner is free.

LPP Welcomes Norm Reimer to our Board of Directors

By Stephen Post • March 20, 2025
As we reflect on our first five years of impact at the Last Prisoner Project, we are thrilled to share an exciting new development: Norman L. Reimer has joined our Board of Directors! Norm is a transformational leader in the fight for justice and he will play a key role in shaping our vision for reuniting families, rebuilding lives, and reimagining drug policy. Norm Reimer has devoted his career to the defense of the accused and reform of the justice system. As a criminal defense attorney, he has represented accused individuals at the trial and appellate level and in state and federal courts for four decades. As a reformer, he leads efforts to reform misguided policies and practices that fuel mass incarceration, overcriminalization, and disparate impact. Norman’s noteworthy achievements include co-founding the John Adams Project in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union to provide attorneys trained in capital defense to represent the accused in the military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, and leading a collaboration among several groups during the Obama administration to establish Clemency Project 2014, a cadre of volunteer lawyers, which secured the commutation of long federal prison sentences for 894 individuals, including more than 300 who were serving life sentences. Norm is currently Of Counsel at Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, P.C. , where he continues his criminal defense work. His previous positions include serving as Executive Director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, CEO of Fair Trials, and President of the New York County Lawyers’ Association. He also served as an Adjunct Law Professor at New York Law School, where he taught trial practice. Norman earned his B.A. and J.D. from New York University.

LPP Calls on USSC to Enact Further Drug Sentencing Reform and Supervised Release Changes

By Stephen Post • March 11, 2025
The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) has submitted a formal comment to the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC), advocating for critical changes to federal drug sentencing guidelines and supervised release policies. LPP’s recommendations aim to reduce overly punitive sentencing practices, promote rehabilitation, and improve public safety. Reforming Supervised Release LPP supports proposed amendments granting courts greater discretion in imposing and modifying supervised release. Overly rigid supervision can create unnecessary barriers to successful reintegration, increasing the likelihood of recidivism. Key recommendations include: Individualized assessments : Courts should tailor supervised release terms to the specific needs of each individual. Elimination of unnecessary supervision : LPP urges the removal of mandatory supervised release requirements when not explicitly required by statute. Early termination of supervision : Encouraging courts to assess whether continued supervision is necessary after one year, reducing unnecessary burdens on individuals and the justice system. Reducing Drug Sentences LPP also calls for major reforms to the Drug Quantity Table, advocating for reductions in base offense levels across all substances, with additional reductions for cannabis and psychedelics due to their increasing medical recognition and evolving legal status. Lowering the highest base offense level to 30 (or lower) : Research consistently shows long prison sentences do not improve public safety and can actually increase recidivism. Proportional reductions across all drug types : Harsh sentencing has not been an effective deterrent, and a more balanced approach is needed. Additional reductions for cannabis and psychedelics : Given their lower risk profiles and medical potential, sentences for these substances should be significantly reduced. Addressing Low-Level Drug Offenses LPP supports a six-level sentence reduction for individuals convicted of low-level trafficking roles. Many involved in minor drug-related offenses are individuals with limited economic opportunities, and excessive sentences do little to address the root causes of their involvement. Retroactive Application of Sentencing Reforms Currently, approximately 63,000 people are serving federal sentences for drug-related offenses, many under outdated guidelines. LPP urges the Commission to apply any sentencing reductions retroactively, allowing individuals already incarcerated to benefit from these long-overdue reforms. LPP commends the USSC for considering these reforms and urges them to take bold action. By implementing these changes, the Commission can help reduce mass incarceration, promote fairness, and allocate resources toward more effective public safety strategies.
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