While serving a 90-year prison sentence for selling marijuana, Richard DeLisi’s wife died, as did his 23-year-old son and both his parents. His adult daughter was in a horrific car accident and suffered a paralysing stroke as a result. He never met his two granddaughters – a lifetime of missed memories.
Yet, 71-year-old DeLisi walked out of a Florida, US prison grateful and unresentful as he hugged his tearful family. After serving 31 years, he said he’s just eager to restore the lost time. DeLisi was believed to be the longest-serving nonviolent cannabis prisoner, according to the The Last Prisoner Project which championed his release.
DeLisi also finally met his 11-year-old and 1-year-old granddaughters for the first time this week.
“I’m a blessed human being, a survivor,” DeLisi said in a phone interview with The Associated Press while he was in the parking lot of his favourite hamburger joint as he watched his granddaughters laugh and bounce a ball.
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DeLisi was sentenced to 90 years for marijuana trafficking in 1989 at the age of 40 even though the typical sentence was only 12 to 17 years. He believes he…
