“I Was sentenced to die by suffocating imprisonment for selling drugs.”
- Albert Reed Jr.
“I’ve long been a supporter of these reforms.”
- U.S. Senator John Cornyn (TX-R)
“this is a travesty. i want the world to know it.”
- Federal Judge James R. Spencer
what is america's 3 strikes drug law? 

America’s 3 Strikes Drug Law isn’t easy to explain or understand. We get it. Lawyers often speak in confusing lingo that alienates real people from how the law really works. Confusion fertilizes the soil of injustice. That confusion is why the 3 Strikes Drug Law has been so catastrophic. We created the Third Strike Campaign to change that.

Here’s how the 3 Strikes Drug Law works - in really simple terms: Too many people are in prison for too long. For decades, America’s 3 Strikes Drug law gave federal prosecutors – not a neutral judge or jury – the absolute power to decide whether a person will die in prison. It’s like playing a basketball game with no referee. That's not fair. In 3 Strikes cases, judges were powerless from the bench. Prosecutors required judges to impose life sentences against people who refused to snitch or who exercised their right to a trial. America is safer and fairer when prosecutors punish crime - not when prosecutors punish a person's refusal to snitch or plead guilty.

There was progress in 2018. That’s when Congress lowered the mandatory minimum from life without parole to 25 years in prison for a third drug conviction. The problem is Congress did not make that new law – called the First Step Act – retroactive. That means the law left behind  hundreds of men and women serving life today under yesterday's old 3 Strikes Drug Law. We believe the legitimacy of America’s laws depends on whether it moves forward and whether it looks back.

people BURIED UNDER THE 3 STRIKES DRUG LAW
ACIE COLE
ACIE COLE
ADRIAN COOPER
ADRIAN COOPER
AGUSTIN SANCHEZ
AGUSTIN SANCHEZ
ALBERT MERCADO-CRUZ
ALBERT MERCADO-CRUZ
ALBERT NELSON
ALBERT NELSON
ALEJANDRO ALANIZ
ALEJANDRO ALANIZ
ALEJANDRO ALANIZ
ALEJANDRO ALANIZ
ALFANCO BRITTON
ALFANCO BRITTON
ALFRED BRYANT
ALFRED BRYANT
ALFRED CHEESE
ALFRED CHEESE
ALFRED GARY
ALFRED GARY
ALFRED RIVERA
ALFRED RIVERA
ALPHONSO FOSTER
ALPHONSO FOSTER
ALTA KEMPER
ALTA KEMPER
ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
ANGEL VELAZQUEZ
ANGEL VELAZQUEZ
ANTHONY BRIDGEWATER
ANTHONY BRIDGEWATER
ANTHONY COLLINS
ANTHONY COLLINS
ANTHONY KINGSBERRY
ANTHONY KINGSBERRY
ANTHONY MOORE
ANTHONY MOORE
ANTOINE JACKSON
ANTOINE JACKSON
ANTWAN COPLEN
ANTWAN COPLEN
ARMANDO QUIROZ
ARMANDO QUIROZ
ARTURO CANTU-RIVERA
ARTURO CANTU-RIVERA
ARTURO DE HOYOS
ARTURO DE HOYOS
ATILANO DOMINGUEZ
ATILANO DOMINGUEZ
BARRINGTON CHRISTIE
BARRINGTON CHRISTIE
BENITO MARTINEZ
BENITO MARTINEZ
BERVICK MCCLENDON
BERVICK MCCLENDON
BIENVENITO RUIZ
BIENVENITO RUIZ
BOBBY INGRAM
BOBBY INGRAM
BRANNON SPENCER
BRANNON SPENCER
BRIAN BRIM
BRIAN BRIM
BRIAN JOHNSON
BRIAN JOHNSON
BRIAN JONES
BRIAN JONES
BRIAN THOMPSON
BRIAN THOMPSON
BUDDY GUNN
BUDDY GUNN
CALVIN SOLOMON
CALVIN SOLOMON
CARLOS SHAW
CARLOS SHAW
CARLYLE ST PREUX
CARLYLE ST PREUX
CARMEN TATE
CARMEN TATE
CEDRIC JONES
CEDRIC JONES
CESAR CASTRO-GOMEZ
CESAR CASTRO-GOMEZ
CHARLES RIDDICK
CHARLES RIDDICK
CHRIS YOUNG
CHRIS YOUNG
CHRISTOPHER CISNEROS
CHRISTOPHER CISNEROS
CHRISTOPHER FRANK
CHRISTOPHER FRANK
CHRISTOPHER HOLYFIELD
CHRISTOPHER HOLYFIELD
CHRISTOPHER MCGEE
CHRISTOPHER MCGEE
CLIFFORD BAPTISTE
CLIFFORD BAPTISTE
CLOVIS LIGGINS
CLOVIS LIGGINS
CLYDE JONES
CLYDE JONES
COREY DAVIS
COREY DAVIS
CORNELL SANDERS
CORNELL SANDERS
CORRY THOMPSON
CORRY THOMPSON
CORVAIN COOPER
CORVAIN COOPER
DANNY VARELA
DANNY VARELA
DANTE WALKER
DANTE WALKER
DARRELL FRAZIER
DARRELL FRAZIER
DARRELL JACKSON
DARRELL JACKSON
DARRYL RUSSELL
DARRYL RUSSELL
DARWIN HUGGANS
DARWIN HUGGANS
DAVID GONZALEZ
DAVID GONZALEZ
DAVID JOHNSON
DAVID JOHNSON
DAVID LEE
DAVID LEE
DAVID ROSTAN
DAVID ROSTAN
DAVID SARRAULTE
DAVID SARRAULTE
DEBORAH JACKSON
DEBORAH JACKSON
DEMETRICK SMITH
DEMETRICK SMITH
DEMETRIUS DUNCAN
DEMETRIUS DUNCAN
DENNIS FORBES
DENNIS FORBES
DENNIS SMITH JR
DENNIS SMITH JR
DIEP HO
DIEP HO
DIEP VU HO
DIEP VU HO
DION WALKER
DION WALKER
DONAVAN SLAGG
DONAVAN SLAGG
DOUGLAS MEEKS
DOUGLAS MEEKS
DULCIDIO QUIRINDONGO
DULCIDIO QUIRINDONGO
DURRELL JACKSON
DURRELL JACKSON
Deborah Jackson
Deborah Jackson
EARL LIPPERT
EARL LIPPERT
EDDIE DOUGLAS
EDDIE DOUGLAS
EDUARDO PINEDA
EDUARDO PINEDA
EDWARD BASLEY
EDWARD BASLEY
EDWARD COPELAND
EDWARD COPELAND
EDWARD SAUNDERS
EDWARD SAUNDERS
EFRAIN BENITEZ
EFRAIN BENITEZ
EFRAIN CASADO
EFRAIN CASADO
ELADIO BOUZA
ELADIO BOUZA
ELIJAH CHISOLM
ELIJAH CHISOLM
ERIC HUNTER
ERIC HUNTER
ERIC SMITH
ERIC SMITH
ERICK PARKER
ERICK PARKER
ERIE ADAMS
ERIE ADAMS
EUGENE ATKINS
EUGENE ATKINS
EUGENIO VILLA
EUGENIO VILLA
EVERETTE TAYLOR
EVERETTE TAYLOR
EVERTON BARTLEY
EVERTON BARTLEY
FERRELL SCOTT
FERRELL SCOTT
FRANCILLON DEBREUS
FRANCILLON DEBREUS
FRED THOMPSON
FRED THOMPSON
FREDDIE MCQUEEN
FREDDIE MCQUEEN
GARY RHINES
GARY RHINES
GEORGE WHITEHEAD
GEORGE WHITEHEAD
GERARDO GARCIA
GERARDO GARCIA
GERMAN RODRIGUEZ-RODRIGUEZ
GERMAN RODRIGUEZ-RODRIGUEZ
GILBERT LOPEZ
GILBERT LOPEZ
GUILLERMO IBARRA-MARTINEZ
GUILLERMO IBARRA-MARTINEZ
HARVEY HOLLAND
HARVEY HOLLAND
HECTOR AVILA-LUNA
HECTOR AVILA-LUNA
HENRY GREEN
HENRY GREEN
HENRY JONES
HENRY JONES
HERBERT PHIPPS
HERBERT PHIPPS
HERMAN TATE
HERMAN TATE
HERSCHELL WALKER
HERSCHELL WALKER
HOWARD BROOMFIELD
HOWARD BROOMFIELD
IAN PERSAUD
IAN PERSAUD
INOCENTE CAPOTE
INOCENTE CAPOTE
IRA SPEARMAN
IRA SPEARMAN
ISAAC PERRY
ISAAC PERRY
ISMAEL GONZALEZ-ARENAS
ISMAEL GONZALEZ-ARENAS
ISMAEL ROSA
ISMAEL ROSA
JABARI VEALS
JABARI VEALS
JACQUES TELCY
JACQUES TELCY
JAMES CURRY
JAMES CURRY
JAMES EADS
JAMES EADS
JAMES FENNIE
JAMES FENNIE
JAMES GILYARD
JAMES GILYARD
JAMES MARTIN
JAMES MARTIN
JAMES RICE
JAMES RICE
JAMES ROMERO MCTAGUE
JAMES ROMERO MCTAGUE
JAMES WILLIAMS
JAMES WILLIAMS
JAVIER HART
JAVIER HART
JAWAD MUSA
JAWAD MUSA
JEAN SANTIAGUE
JEAN SANTIAGUE
JEFFREY HOLLAND
JEFFREY HOLLAND
JERMAINE MITCHELL
JERMAINE MITCHELL
JEROME GARDNER
JEROME GARDNER
JESSE ADAMS
JESSE ADAMS
JESUS ARREOLA-CASTILLO
JESUS ARREOLA-CASTILLO
JESUS DELGADO
JESUS DELGADO
JIMMY GILLIMS
JIMMY GILLIMS
JOEL FRANCISCO
JOEL FRANCISCO
JOHN BOWMAN
JOHN BOWMAN
JOHNNY LEONARD
JOHNNY LEONARD
JONATHAN JONES
JONATHAN JONES
JONATHAN WRIGHT
JONATHAN WRIGHT
JOSE AGUIRRE-GANCEDA
JOSE AGUIRRE-GANCEDA
JOSE DURAN
JOSE DURAN
JOSE GUERRERO
JOSE GUERRERO
JOSE JORGE
JOSE JORGE
JOSE MARQUEZ
JOSE MARQUEZ
JOSE NARANJO
JOSE NARANJO
JOSE NARANJO
JOSE NARANJO
JOSE RUVALCABA
JOSE RUVALCABA
JOSE VERDUGO-MUNOZ
JOSE VERDUGO-MUNOZ
JOSE WONG
JOSE WONG
JUAN AGUILAR-CORTEZ
JUAN AGUILAR-CORTEZ
JUAN ALOMIA-TORRES
JUAN ALOMIA-TORRES
JUAN CISNEROS
JUAN CISNEROS
JUAN CORTEZ
JUAN CORTEZ
JUAN LEDEZMA-RODRIGUEZ
JUAN LEDEZMA-RODRIGUEZ
JUAN MATA-SOTO
JUAN MATA-SOTO
JUAN PEREZ-URENA
JUAN PEREZ-URENA
JUAN STEVENS
JUAN STEVENS
JULIO CARDENAS
JULIO CARDENAS
JULIO ROLON
JULIO ROLON
KARL BELL
KARL BELL
KEITH ANDERSON
KEITH ANDERSON
KELVIN BADGER
KELVIN BADGER
KEMMYE PARSON
KEMMYE PARSON
KENNETH FRAGOSO
KENNETH FRAGOSO
KENNETH JOHNSON
KENNETH JOHNSON
KENNETH RIDDICK
KENNETH RIDDICK
KEVIN FENNER
KEVIN FENNER
KURT HARRINGTON
KURT HARRINGTON
LAFAYETTE BOYLE
LAFAYETTE BOYLE
LAMONT WILLIAMS
LAMONT WILLIAMS
LARRY CAFFIE
LARRY CAFFIE
LAWRENCE STEVENS
LAWRENCE STEVENS
LEONCIO PEREZ
LEONCIO PEREZ
LOIS ORTA
LOIS ORTA
LOUIS YOUNGER
LOUIS YOUNGER
LOXLEY FRANCIS
LOXLEY FRANCIS
LOY STEVENS
LOY STEVENS
LUIS GONZALEZ
LUIS GONZALEZ
MACK JONES
MACK JONES
MACKIE SHIVERS
MACKIE SHIVERS
MAHDI HAKIM
MAHDI HAKIM
MANUEL MAGANA-SAGRERO
MANUEL MAGANA-SAGRERO
MANUEL PARRADO
MANUEL PARRADO
MARC JACQUES
MARC JACQUES
MARCO DUNCAN
MARCO DUNCAN
MARK KIRKSEY
MARK KIRKSEY
MARLON PETTAWAY
MARLON PETTAWAY
MARVIN MOBLEY
MARVIN MOBLEY
MAURICE BARR
MAURICE BARR
MAURICE JOHNSON
MAURICE JOHNSON
MERRELL NEAL
MERRELL NEAL
MICHAEL BROWN
MICHAEL BROWN
MICHAEL COBB
MICHAEL COBB
MICHAEL CUMMINGS
MICHAEL CUMMINGS
MICHAEL HARPER
MICHAEL HARPER
MICHAEL HOLMES
MICHAEL HOLMES
MICHAEL MONTALVO
MICHAEL MONTALVO
MICHAEL NORWOOD
MICHAEL NORWOOD
MICHAEL RANKINS
MICHAEL RANKINS
MICKEY PUBIEN
MICKEY PUBIEN
MIGUEL GONZALEZ
MIGUEL GONZALEZ
MIGUEL ZAMUDIO
MIGUEL ZAMUDIO
MIGUEL ZAMUDIO-OROZCO
MIGUEL ZAMUDIO-OROZCO
MITCHELL WALL
MITCHELL WALL
MONTREZS LEWIS
MONTREZS LEWIS
NAQUAN REYES
NAQUAN REYES
NASIR ABDUL-ALI
NASIR ABDUL-ALI
NATHAN HOLT
NATHAN HOLT
NATHANIEL DEAN
NATHANIEL DEAN
NATHANIEL SWINT
NATHANIEL SWINT
NELSON HERNANDEZ
NELSON HERNANDEZ
NOLGIE RODRIGUEZ-ZAMO
NOLGIE RODRIGUEZ-ZAMO
OCARIO RUIZ
OCARIO RUIZ
ODIS JACKSON
ODIS JACKSON
OLLIE REAVES
OLLIE REAVES
OSCAR BROWN
OSCAR BROWN
OSCAR MCGRAW
OSCAR MCGRAW
PATRICK PORTER
PATRICK PORTER
PATRICK SMITH
PATRICK SMITH
PAUL KRATSAS
PAUL KRATSAS
PAULETTE MARTIN
PAULETTE MARTIN
PEDRO PAJES-LASTRA
PEDRO PAJES-LASTRA
PERCIVAL JOHNSON
PERCIVAL JOHNSON
PERRY MALONE
PERRY MALONE
PHILLIP MORRISON
PHILLIP MORRISON
RALPH O'NEAL
RALPH O'NEAL
RAMON GARZA
RAMON GARZA
RAMON MARTINEZ-IZQUIERDO
RAMON MARTINEZ-IZQUIERDO
RANDY BLACK
RANDY BLACK
RASHEED SHAKUR
RASHEED SHAKUR
REYNALDO AVILES
REYNALDO AVILES
RICARDO DINNALL
RICARDO DINNALL
RICARDO GUERRERO
RICARDO GUERRERO
ROBERT GRAY
ROBERT GRAY
ROBERT SMITH
ROBERT SMITH
ROBERTO BARRIO
ROBERTO BARRIO
ROBERTO CHAVEZ
ROBERTO CHAVEZ
ROBERTO GARZA
ROBERTO GARZA
RODERICK HADLEY
RODERICK HADLEY
RODRIGO RODRIGUEZ-MENDEZ
RODRIGO RODRIGUEZ-MENDEZ
ROLAND FULLER
ROLAND FULLER
ROLLIE MITCHELL
ROLLIE MITCHELL
RONALD FISHER
RONALD FISHER
RONALD GREEN
RONALD GREEN
RONALD TITLBACH
RONALD TITLBACH
RONNIE LAUDERDALE
RONNIE LAUDERDALE
RONNIE WEST
RONNIE WEST
ROY GRACE
ROY GRACE
ROY MATA
ROY MATA
RUFUS WILSON
RUFUS WILSON
RUFUS WRIGHT
RUFUS WRIGHT
RUSSELL MARKS
RUSSELL MARKS
RUSSELL WIMBLEY
RUSSELL WIMBLEY
SERGIO SANTAMARIA
SERGIO SANTAMARIA
SHAWNTAY SWANN
SHAWNTAY SWANN
STANLEY CALLAWAY
STANLEY CALLAWAY
STANLEY COLLINS
STANLEY COLLINS
STEPHEN HENDERSON
STEPHEN HENDERSON
TAJ SMITH
TAJ SMITH
TAMIR ABDULLAH
TAMIR ABDULLAH
TARAS WYNNE
TARAS WYNNE
TAUBARI LATSON
TAUBARI LATSON
TERENCE BYRD
TERENCE BYRD
TERRANCE GLASPIE
TERRANCE GLASPIE
TERRY SMITH
TERRY SMITH
THOMAS CIPRANO
THOMAS CIPRANO
THOMAS DELANA
THOMAS DELANA
THOMAS FARRUGIA
THOMAS FARRUGIA
TIFFANY ARNOLD
TIFFANY ARNOLD
TIMMIE COLE
TIMMIE COLE
TIMOTHY GRIMSLEY
TIMOTHY GRIMSLEY
TIMOTHY LEE
TIMOTHY LEE
TIMOTHY VAUGHN
TIMOTHY VAUGHN
TOMAS PULGARON
TOMAS PULGARON
TONY RIVERA
TONY RIVERA
TROY CANNON
TROY CANNON
TUVAL MCKOY
TUVAL MCKOY
TYRONE BRYANT
TYRONE BRYANT
UIESE MAUSALI
UIESE MAUSALI
VICENTE CORONA
VICENTE CORONA
WILFREDO VASQUEZ
WILFREDO VASQUEZ
WILLIE CARTER
WILLIE CARTER
WILLIE MEANS
WILLIE MEANS
WILLIE PARSON
WILLIE PARSON
WINFRED HUNT
WINFRED HUNT
XANG SACKSITH
XANG SACKSITH
ZECHARIAH BENJAMIN
ZECHARIAH BENJAMIN
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