by
Richard Wershe Jr.
Here we ago again.
The Michigan State Supreme Court had an opportunity to right a wrong involving convicted drug dealer, Richard Wershe Jr., and bring some justice to an unjust situation that was created by the state Parole Board, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and the state Court of Appeals.
It decided to pass.
The state's top court Thursday rejected Wershe's appeal to be resentenced, a resentence that would have likely been for time served, considering he was a teenager when he was convicted of cocaine trafficking. He's been behind bars for 27 years. He turns 47 on July 18.
The state Supreme Court's written order says: "We are not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this Court."
Last September, Wayne County Circuit Judge Dana Hathaway agreed to re-sentence Wershe, who became known as "White Boy Rick." That judge gets it.
But Prosecutor Worthy, who has ridiculously portrayed Wershe as a Pablo Escobar-like figure, thinks he's a danger to society. Her office appealed Hathaway's ruling and the Court of Appeals sided with her. So Wershe appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Unlike some drug traffickers who have gotten paroled, Wershe has never been publicly named as a suspect in a murder. It'd be hard to find a convicted felon in Detroit who has cooperated more with the FBI and Detroit Police, helped put away crooked cops and violent drug dealers, and gotten no time shaved from his sentence.
That's no time at all. It's unheard of.
He's still serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole, which in reality, is a farce. The Parole Board continues to treat him like he's a lifer, denying him parole at every turn. He's next up for parole in 2017, and there's no indication anything will change.
As a reporter, I've gotten to know Wershe over the years via many phone calls from prison. He's a smart guy who really wants to get out and start anew.
He hasn't totally run out of options. He could still get some reprieve through a federal judge. But for the time being, it's just more injustice, more disappointing news.
Perhaps the saddest part is that so many people in key positions in our justice system care so little about justice.
It all goes beyond Richard Wershe.
