Federal inmates at an Oklahoma prison said Wednesday they are hoping a documentary featuring President Barack Obama’s July visit to the facility and in-depth interviews with six of the prisoners will influence policymakers to re-examine harsh sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.
About 50 inmates gathered inside the chapel of the Federal Correctional Institute at El Reno to watch the premiere of “Fixing the System,” a Vice on HBO special report. Nonviolent drug offenders who talked to Obama during his visit said the one-hour documentary, which begins airing Sunday on HBO, will make people more aware of the impact that lengthy sentences have on inmates’ families and communities.
“It takes people away from their families for years and the crime doesn’t fit,” said Tyrone Ramsey, 39, a first-time offender who has served five years of a 15-year sentence for conspiracy with intent to distribute heroin.
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source: BlackAmericaWeb.com
