BEVERLY HILLS—Reality TV star and makeup mogul Kim Kardashian West is fighting for criminal justice reform.
Kardashian West appeared in an interview on Jason Flom’s podcast “Wrongful Conviction.” Flom’s show aims to tell the stories of individual’s who have spent decades in prison for crimes they did not commit, and of those who face life in prison or have faced the death penalty for minor offenses.
Kardashian West’s interview was released on Wednesday, September 5 and she talked about her past efforts and current investment in helping Chris Young. “Yesterday, I had a call with a gentleman that’s in prison for a drug case—got life. It’s unfair, he’s 30-years-old and he’s been in for almost 10 years,” said Kardashian West.
Young had prior convictions for marijuana possession, and marijuana possession with less than half of a gram of cocaine. The charges against Young resulted in “three-strikes,” and a life sentence in prison.
Former U.S. District Judge Kevin H. Sharp, who sentenced Young, told The Tenessean in April 2017 why he stepped down from the bench and returned to private practice.
“If there was any way I could have not given him life in prison I would have done it. What he did was wrong, he deserved some time in prison, but not life,” said Sharp. He expressed his desire to help Young’s case, and shared his opposition to the mandatory minimum sentenced.
Kardashian West played a part in the release of Alice Marie Johnson earlier this year. Johnson was a first-time non-violent drug offender who served 21 years in prison. She was convicted in 1996 and charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine and attempted possession of cocaine. Kim met with President Donald Trump in person and was able to persuade him to grant the 63-year-old clemency in June 2018.
On Wednesday, Kim took to Twitter writing, “It started with Ms. Alice, but looking at her and seeing the faces and learning the stories of the men and women I’ve met inside prisons I knew I couldn’t stop at just one. It’s time for REAL systemic change.”
A White House Official confirmed to CNN that Kardashian West was at the White House on Wednesday morning discussing clemency issues and advocating for prison form, but she is not expected to meet with President Trump again.
