Mississippi man to remain imprisoned for life for having 1.05 oz of cannabis

A man from Mississippi will be serving a full life sentence for the possession of 1.05 ounces (30 grams) of cannabis, according to US media reports.

Allen Russell’s sentence was upheld by the state’s court of appeals after he was categorised as a ‘habitual offender’. The life sentence was given to the 38-year-old in 2019 in Forrest County, according to Associated Press.

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Russell, an African American man, argued in the court of appeals that the sentence given to him was “unusual” and “grossly disproportionate”.

In response to this argument, the judges present during the verdict announcement justified their decision saying that the original sentence was passed after accounting for all the crimes the convict has been a part of.

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According to Mississippi legislature, the punishment associated with the possession of 30-250 grams of cannabis is capped at three years prison time, $3,000 fine or both in some cases, reported Associated Press.

In 2017, two bags were seized from Russell, both weighing around 44 grams. The contents of the bag were later confirmed as cannabis.