35 Years Of Hard Labor For $20 Worth Of Weed: Unraveling The Kevin Allen Case In Louisiana

In the realm of American justice, there are cases that evoke despair and cases that evoke disbelief. Kevin Allen's story, unfortunately, manages to invoke both sentiments. Despite Louisiana's progression towards leniency in non-violent cannabis offenses, Kevin's pursuit of justice has hit another roadblock, revealing glaring inconsistencies in the state's judicial system.

Kevin Allen, a man whose only offense was selling $20 worth of cannabis to an undercover agent, has once again been let down by the judicial system he trusted to serve justice. On May 31st, his hopes were dashed when he was resentenced to 35 years of hard labor.

A non-violent offender, Kevin was initially sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in 2014. However, the state invoked habitual offender laws due to his previous non-violent drug charges, leading to his resentencing to life in prison without any possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

In a state that has eradicated jail time for minor marijuana possession offenses and is reaping substantial tax revenue from a flourishing medical marijuana industry, the severity of Kevin's punishment seems disproportionate. Despite this, Kevin remains incarcerated, denied the freedom he arguably deserves.

The power to rectify this injustice lies with District Attorney J. Schuyler Marvin. Regrettably, Marvin's office has remained uncooperative, insisting on court proceedings that led to this disheartening resentencing.

This development follows the Louisiana Supreme Court's decision to annul Kevin's life sentence on November 1, 2022. The court reversed the previous denial of his application for post-conviction relief, ordering a re-sentencing that "is not unconstitutionally excessive." Yet, the outcome of his resentencing underlines persistent flaws in the legal system, particularly with respect to non-violent cannabis offenses.

This stark contrast between Kevin's punishment and the state's expanding cannabis industry —projected to yield between $90 million to $110 million in medical sales by year's end— is impossible to ignore. Legal protections for state workers using cannabis have been enacted, and local politicians are even vying for licenses.

Through the #FreeKevinAllen campaign, the Last Prisoner Project continues to emphasize the dire need for sweeping reform. We express our gratitude to Kevin’s legal team and advocates who have helped illuminate his story. We remain steadfast in advocating for justice for Kevin, promising updates on how you can contribute to this cause.

Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash