Reality starlet Kim Kardashian West may be known for her social media game, but now she is stepping up her game in a different arena: politics and justice reform.
Kardashian West only recently began making political endeavors but has already made great strides. Now she is campaigning for the release of Chris Young, a nonviolent drug felon who was sentenced to life in prison Page Six reports . In her effort to have Young released, Kardashian West went on popular podcast “Wrongful Convictions,” which features the stories of men and women who have spent decades or more in prison for crimes they did not commit.
She spoke with host Jason Flom on Tuesday about her recent passion for justice reform, especially after her success in freeing Alice Johnson. And on Wednesday, Kardashian West took to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump to speak to him personally about releasing Young as well.
Her first success was freeing Alice Johnson, a nonviolent drug felon and grandmother. Johnson had fallen on hard times so she took a minor role in a drug ring but was busted. She received a life sentence for a first-time nonviolent drug offense, of which she served 21 years. When Kardashian West heard of Johnson’s plight, she made freeing Johnson her mission. She ended up raising awareness about some of the injustices of the criminal justice system and Johnson’s case. Finally, Kardashian West was granted an audience with President Trump, who after speaking to her, ended up pardoning Johnson.
It seems that Kardashian West is hoping to repeat that same process once more, this time to free Chris Young. She told Today that her “mission” to free Johnson “fulfilled my heart. Since I feel so fulfilled, why would I stop that?”
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Describing her work with Young, she called him “… a gentleman that’s in prison for a drug case — [and] got life. It’s so unfair. He’s 30 years old. He’s been in for almost 10 years.”
Young was picked up for possession of marijuana and half a gram of cocaine, but who yet was still sentenced to life without parole. His sentence was a result of mandatory-sentencing regulations. As Young already had two convictions, his third conviction triggered the federal “three strikes” law requiring a mandatory life term if found guilty.
Even the judge, Kevin Sharp, on Young’s case thought the sentencing was unfair. He ended up resigning because of it and is now fighting alongside Kardashian West to fight against unjust sentences like those handed down to Young.
