Jay-Z fights for release of fan jailed over weed
American rapper Jay Z has moved to court to fight for the release of one of his fans who is serving a 20-year jail sentence after he was found in possession of marijuana.
The said fan Valon Vailes, now 55, was found guilty for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than one tone of marijuana in 2007.
He was sentenced to prison for 20 years and an additional 10-year supervised release.
But Jay Z, born Shown Corey Carter, through his legal team head Alex Spiro, has filed court documents pleading with the judge for a ‘compassionate release’ of Valon.
This is the second time the Lost One hitmaker is making the plea after the first request was rejected, according to Page Six Magazine.
The rapper and his lawyer want Valon who’s served 14 years of his jail term, released on a sentence of the time served.
Vailes case came to the attention of Jay Z and his legal team after the inmate penned an emotional letter to the rapper who runs a marijuana company namely Monogram.
In the letter, the inmate pleaded with Jay Z to campaign for his clemency.
“13 and half years is a long time to be still incarcerated over a substance that has become the ultimate green rush.” Vailes wrote.
Over the years, marijuana has become legal in many parts of the US.
And in Kenya, the debate to legalize the drug, famously referred to as bhang or weed continues to elicit mixed reactions with rapper Octoppizzo the latest to publicly supporting the idea.
Former Kibra lawmaker Ken Okoth died championing for legalization of the ‘pot’.
In 2018 Okoth gave a notice of the introduction of marijuana control Bill 2018 to the parliament to decriminalize the use of marijuana and draw up regulations for its growth and use.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has also been vocally championing the legalization of the drug.
And in May 2021, a section of Rastafarians moved to court to seek legalization of weed. The matter is yet to be ruled on.
A number of African countries have already decriminalized the use of weed including Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.