KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After spending more than 20 years behind bars for non-violent drug offenses, a Kansas City, Kansas man is now a free man.
Rasheed Jamal Olds’ life sentence was commuted in October by President Barack Obama. On Tuesday, the 48-year-old man arrived back in Kansas City after being released from the prison and North Carolina. It’s been a long time since Olds has seen his loved ones. Olds was sentenced to life in prison for selling drugs and money laundering.
He is among 98 people whose sentences were committed by President Obama. The president has been critical of harsh sentences handed down for non-violent drug offenders during the country’s war on drugs.
Tuesday night, Olds and his family are thankful the president granted his clemency so he can rebuild his life. As part of his release Olds will spend the next couple of months at a halfway house. When he’s released in February he plans to work in public service so that he can give back to the community.