Mission Green, an initiative of justice reform advocacy group the Weldon Project, announced on Thursday that it has filed a clemency petition for Parker Coleman, who is serving a 60-year sentence in federal prison for marijuana distribution. The filing continues Mission Green’s campaign to secure the release of men and women serving time for marijuana offenses and follows President Joseph Biden’s recent announcement that he would pardon all federal convictions for simple marijuana possession.

The clemency filing is part of the efforts of Mission Green, an initiative of the Weldon Project working to free cannabis inmates from prison. The Weldon Project is headed by Weldon Angelos, who spent 13 years of a 55-year sentence in federal prison for a nonviolent marijuana conviction after a diverse group of lawmakers, legal scholars, athletes, and entertainers campaigned for his freedom.

“Since my release from prison, I have dedicated my life to securing the release of other individuals locked away for non-violent drug offenses,” Angelos said in a statement. “Parker Coleman’s case is a perfect example. He shouldn’t spend another day in prison for conduct that isn’t even criminalized anymore in much of the country. Enough is enough.”

Mission Green is working with the Academy for Justice to submit clemency petitions urging Biden to deliver on the pledge he made while campaigning for office to release those convicted of nonviolent marijuana offenses. The submission for Coleman is part of a new campaign, the Cannabis Clemency Initiative, that seeks to help people in prison for marijuana convictions, starting with those incarcerated in federal prison. The new initiative fosters collaboration between criminal justice scholars and reform advocates to achieve its ambitious goals.

Legal Scholar Drafts Clemency Petition

Coleman’s clemency petition was drafted by Erik Luna, the Amelia D. Lewis Professor of Constitutional & Criminal Law and the Founder of the Academy for Justice, a criminal justice reform program within the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. In the petition, Luna wrote that commuting Coleman’s sentence would be a “powerful, tangible step in affirming the President’s commitment to ending federal incarceration for non-violent marijuana offenses.”

“Parker Coleman, a young African-American man, is currently serving a 60-year federal prison sentence for non-violent marijuana distribution—that is, de facto life imprisonment of a person of color for conduct now authorized under state laws across the nation and openly pursued as a business by the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry,” Luna wrote. “Mr. Coleman’s sentence is not only a troubling example of racial and class disparities in federal drug enforcement, it’s excessive compared to the terms imposed in related cases or that would be imposed in state court today.”

In 2014, Coleman was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on marijuana trafficking and money laundering charges plus an additional 30 consecutive years for a nonviolent firearms offense. The clemency petition argues that the sentence is excessive in an era of widespread cannabis policy reform, noting that Coleman has taken steps to rehabilitate himself and improve his life while behind bars.

“His effective life sentence is also inconsistent with recent reforms in law and policy, as well as a sea change in public opinion, all of which point away from incarcerating people like Mr. Coleman for non-violent drug offenses and toward a non-punitive approach to marijuana,” the petition reads. “Despite the injustice of his sentence, Mr. Coleman has worked hard on rehabilitation and self-improvement. His successful record while incarcerated, along with a strong support network of family and friends, make Mr. Coleman an ideal candidate for clemency relief from an excessive and unjust sentence.”

Luna applauded President Biden’s recent pardon of federal offenses for simple marijuana possession as “a historic event in criminal justice reform and an important first step toward correcting the lingering injustices of a national drug ban.” But he added that “additional work remains to be done, especially the release of those incarcerated for non-violent marijuana-related offenses at the federal level—including Parker Coleman.”

By granting clemency in this case, Luna said, “the President would further demonstrate his commitment to correcting injustices and his belief that America truly is the land of second chances.”

Clemency Petition Backed By Glass House Brands

The clemency petition is backed by California vertically integrated cannabis company Glass House Brands and the company’s chairman and CEO, Kyle Kazan, who has been working to secure Coleman’s release for more than a year. Kazan, who is also a former police officer and a Mission Green board member, is personally supporting Coleman’s clemency bid by guaranteeing mentorship, meaningful employment, and housing upon his release.

In a public statement, Kazan said that “while Glass House has had revenues well in excess of $100 million for cultivation, transportation and sales of marijuana while nobody in the company has served a day in jail for it, the juxtaposition between the legal business and prisoners like Parker Coleman is jarring.”

“It is a moral imperative for me to dedicate my time and resources to redress the absurd incongruities existing today at the twilight of marijuana prohibition,” he added.

Glass House President Graham Farrar says that “Parker is a cannabis POW.”

“It is crazy that he is locked in a cage for a 60-year sentence for a non-violent cannabis charge,” Farrar wrote in an email to High Times.

“The work that Weldon Angelos and Erik Luna are doing is amazing. I’m proud that Glass House and Kyle are a part of it,” he added. “As a former police officer, Kyle’s voice is a vital one in the fight for cannabis clemency for Parker as well as the 2,700 other federal non-violent Cannabis POWs currently in prison over a plant. It is time to end the war on cannabis and let our fellow Americans go free.”

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Today Glass House Brands announced a $25,000 donation to continue its support of The Weldon Project’s ongoing mission to assist individuals incarcerated for nonviolent, cannabis-related offenses. The company also announced that Glass House Brands Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Kyle Kazan has joined the Board of Directors of The Weldon Project.

The Weldon Project is a nonprofit organization co-founded by former cannabis prisoner Weldon Angelos—dedicated to both ending federal prohibition of cannabis and achieving criminal justice reform for people who are convicted of nonviolent cannabis-related offenses. The Weldon Project is an effort very near and dear to Kazan. 

“From my first meeting with him, I sensed Weldon Angelos is a very special person, driven by an intense personal commitment to right the wrongs of the War on Drugs,” Kazan told High Times. “His own experience as a federal prisoner of the drug war is the flip-side of the same destructive, misguided policy I actively enforced as a police officer in the ’90s. We share a mission to heal the unjust, unequal wounds our country has inflicted on its own citizens for decades, and we also share a view on how to accomplish that.” 

Kazan shares ethical values with the former prisoner—that no one belongs in prison for cannabis-related offenses. He recognizes the path forward can only be achieved in steps, beginning with clemency efforts and policy change.

“The very first step is to make certain that no one, absolutely no one, is incarcerated for possessing a plant,” Kazan said. “And once we have accomplished that, we face the much more challenging task of welcoming and reintegrating these people into society with expungement and wraparound support services for housing and jobs. We are building a regulated cannabis industry in this country, and no one deserves to be a part of it more than those who suffered along the path to its creation. I am proud to have the privilege of working with Weldon, and I am convinced that The Weldon Project will be a powerful force for good in unlocking thousands of jail cells and restoring these peoples lives.”

In the announcement, Angelos explained how a cannabis conviction can ruin the lives of Americans—essentially reducing them to second-class citizens. With Kazan’s appointment to the Board of Directors will help move this agenda forward.

“I’m excited to welcome Kyle to our Board of Directors as his commitment to our cause along with his experience in being a Director for nonprofits will make him a valuable new member for the Weldon Project. Kyle and his team at Glass House have been valuable partners in our ongoing fight to end cannabis incarceration around the country,” Angelos stated. “Individuals convicted of cannabis offenses essentially live as second-class citizens in modern society and are stripped of their abilities to access loans, housing and professional opportunities even after they have served their sentences. We will continue to work with Glass House and our other partners to ensure that the detrimental effects of cannabis prohibition are relics of the past.”

Glass House Brands and The Weldon Project collaborated to push for policy change and clemency programs. Glass House will help to raise funds for The Weldon Project and petition the Biden administration to free all federal nonviolent cannabis prisoners. 

To do this, they will highlight the case of Parker Coleman, who is serving a 60-year federal sentence on a nonviolent cannabis conspiracy conviction. In January, Glass House also issued an open letter to former President Donald J. Trump, urging him to pardon Coleman. The case has gained support from Russ, Tory Lanez, NBA veteran Al Harrington and San Diego Padres pitcher Keone Kela.

The Weldon Project

The project sprung from dire consequences. Salt Lake City, Utah native Weldon Angelos received a mandatory minimum 55-year federal sentence for a nonviolent cannabis-related offense. His case was ignored by the United States Supreme Court, despite ongoing pleas from advocates. His sentence was finally commuted by former President Barack Obama in 2016 after serving 13 years in prison. In 2020, former President Trump granted him full pardon. His conviction’s reversal only happened due to the incessant lobbying from advocates including Snoop Dogg, political analyst Van Jones, Utah Senator Mike Lee and Koch Industries. 

But The Weldon Project’s goal is to extend those freedoms to other prisoners serving hard time for similar nonviolent offenses.

The Weldon Project sent a letter on September 14 to President Joe Biden requesting a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all persons subject to federal criminal or civil enforcement based on nonviolent cannabis offenses. Glass House joined over 150 signatories that supported the letter to the president.

Glass House also produced a live panel discussion on the topic, hosted by cannabis reporter Mona Zhang and featuring Killer Mike, Angelos and Kazan, as well as rapper Ralo, who joined the conversation remotely from Clayton County Detention Center in Ashland, Alabama. Ralo is currently serving time for a nonviolent cannabis offense. 

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A recent letter from the advocacy group The Weldon Project was also signed by more than 150 artists, athletes, producers, lawmakers, policy experts, reform advocates and leaders in business, law enforcement and academia. The letter urges the president to use his authority “to grant  a  full, complete, and unconditional  pardon to all  persons  subject  to federal  criminal  or civil  enforcement  on the basis  of non-violent  marijuana  offenses.”

The Weldon Project is named after its president and co-founder, Weldon Angelos, who was building a promising music career when he was sentenced to 55 years in federal prison in 2003 for selling less than $1,000 worth of marijuana. Angelos was eventually released in 2016 after spending 13 years behind bars, going on to found the Weldon Project to advocate for change and provide support and financial aid to those serving prison sentences for cannabis-related offenses. 

In a press release about the letter, Angelos called on the president to fulfill campaign promises to support cannabis reform efforts.

“Candidate Biden promised to take action and use the pardon power of the presidency to release those serving prison time for marijuana and pardon their felony convictions,” said Angelos. “At a time when dispensaries are as prevalent as liquor stores in some states, it is time for President Biden to now make good on that promise.”

Angelos was joined by celebrities including Drake, Killer Mike, Deion Sanders, Al Harrington and Kevin Garnett, who signed the letter calling for an end to the harm caused by federal cannabis prohibition.

“The harms of incarceration are obvious, but the pains of federal marijuana convictions transcend prison walls, making it more difficult for someone to get a job, access affordable housing and receive an education,” the letter reads. “A conviction can forever limit an individual’s constitutional rights and can put the American dream further out of reach for an entire family. Enough is enough. No one should be locked up in federal prison for marijuana. No one should continue to bear the scarlet letter of a federal conviction for marijuana offenses.”

Cannabis Industry Supports Clemency

The letter went on to note that three-quarters of American states have replaced cannabis prohibition with safe, regulated access to legal marijuana for either medical or recreational use, or both. Kyle Kazan, the CEO of California vertically integrated cannabis producer Glass House Brands, said that his company “fully supports The Weldon Project’s efforts to redress the harm done by the misguided War on Drugs” and urged others in the industry to do the same.

“Legal companies can no longer stand idly by and profit off of cannabis while individuals like Weldon Angelos suffer from the financial and social repercussions of a prison sentence for selling or using the same substance,” Kazan said.

Angelos’ letter urges Biden to exercise his authority under the U.S. Constitution to grant clemency for federal criminal convictions. The letter also notes that a full pardon for those convicted of nonviolent marijuana offenses is consistent with the actions of previous presidents from both political parties.

“In 1974, President Ford established a program of conditional clemency for Selective Service Act violators. In 1977, President Carter issued a categorical pardon to all Selective Service Act violators, closing the book on a costly and painful war,” the letter reads. 

“President Biden has the power to do the same for the federal war on marijuana. Through his act of constitutional grace, a general clemency will send a clear and powerful message that our country is truly taking a new course on criminal justice policy and practice.”

Hip-Hop Artists Join the Cause

Among those signing the letter were music industry leaders including Drake, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Killer Mike and dozens of hip-hop artists who joined the effort in support of rapper and friend Ralo, who is currently facing up to eight years in prison for a nonviolent cannabis offense. In a statement, Ralo highlighted the inconsistency in enforcement of federal cannabis prohibition and echoed the letter’s call for clemency.

“I appreciate my friends and peers in the hip-hop community, especially Drake, supporting my clemency because it’s just not right that corporations are allowed to violate federal law and become millionaires while people like myself go to prison for years,” Ralo said. “This is hypocrisy. I hope that Joe Biden honors his campaign promise and grants us clemency without delay, so I can return to my family and community.”

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