Bernard Noble of New Orleans was found guilty of drug possession when he was 12, and again when he was 24. When he got caught with two joints four years ago, Louisiana's habitual offender law kicked in and Noble, now 48, received a 13-year prison sentence. He applied for clemency but Gov. Bobby Jindal denied the appeal because Nobel had not yet served 10 years in prison, which he feels Nobel must serve for the crime of being caught with two joints.
From Tony Papa's piece in Alternet:
Bernard's sentence is a prime example of the draconian nature of the marijuana laws in many states across the country. In stark contrast to Louisiana, many states have decriminalized possession of marijuana for personal use, with the offense being punishable by a fine and with no threat of jail time.
