Missouri man serving life for pot seeks clemency

A 61-year-old Missouri man serving a life sentence without parole for three marijuana felonies is asking Gov. Jay Nixon to grant him clemency.

Jeff Mizanskey has spent the last 20 years in prison after he was convicted and sentenced as a “prior and persistent drug offender” under the state’s three strikes law. Police say the Sedalia man conspired to sell six pounds of pot to a dealer connected to Mexican drug cartels.

KMOX-AM reports that an online petition in support of Mizanskey’s clemency request has drawn nearly 370,000 supporters.

Mizanksey’s son planned to deliver the petition to the governor in Jefferson City on Monday.

This story was originally published April 28, 2014 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Missouri man serving life for pot seeks clemency."