Aug 17, 2007 11:12 pm US/Eastern
Man Suffering From Pain Might Be Granted Clemency
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
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Richad Paey has to be wheeled around in jail because of his pain.
CBS4 News
CBS4 News first introduced you to Richard Paey after interviewing him in prison, but now Governor Charlie Crist has taken a step that could free this chronic pain patient from prison and bring him home to his wife and children.
Two years into Paey's 25 year sentence you could see his feet twisted, his hands trembling and his body failing. An old car accident ruined his spine and his pain is unbearable.
Paey also has multiple sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair. He relies on a morphine pump provided by the state to dull his pain. The sad irony is that while Paey is allowed to self-medicate in prison, it was his self-medicating that got him there.
Paey is serving a twenty five year mandatory minimum sentence under Florida's draconian drug laws. He was convicted of drug trafficking in March of 2004 for possessing more than 100 pills. He said he needed them to treat his chronic pain. All sides conceded he never sold a single drug. Even the court of appeals for the 2nd District agreed that his sentence was unjust. So now Paey may be one step closer to freedom.
Last week governor Crist and the board of clemency granted Paey a waiver of the rules so his petition for clemency could be heard immediately.
Crystal Weaver is a local activist who speaks out against mandatory drug laws. We interviewed Weaver and her sister, Penny Spence, after she too faced a 25 year sentence for possessing 49 Percocet pills.
Penny, unlike Richard, took a plea.
Weaver says she hopes the governor helps Paey and takes one step further, changing the laws.
"If justice would be served they would not just commute his sentence, but a full pardon and waive financial in addition for basically being a person in pain," said Weaver.
Weaver has spoken to the governor on several occasions about Paey's case. The governor's clemency commission could hear his case as early as September 20th.
Paey has already spent three and a half years in prison. We will of course keep you posted.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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