Richard Paey is serving a 25 year sentence in Florida for possessing 100 Percocet pills which he used to dull the chronic pain with which he lives.

Two years into Paey's 25 year sentence you could see his feet twisted, his hands trembling and his body failing. An old car accident ruined his spine and his pain is unbearable.

Paey also has multiple sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair. He relies on a morphine pump provided by the state to dull his pain. The sad irony is that while Paey is allowed to self-medicate in prison, it was his self-medicating that got him there.

Paey is serving a twenty five year mandatory minimum sentence under Florida's draconian drug laws. He was convicted of drug trafficking in March of 2004 for possessing more than 100 pills. He said he needed them to treat his chronic pain. All sides conceded he never sold a single drug. Even the court of appeals for the 2nd District agreed that his sentence was unjust. So now Paey may be one step closer to freedom.

A couple of notes:

First, Jeb Bush should've pardoned this guy the second he was convicted -- if not before. Gov. Charlie Crist looks like he may issue a pardon -- he too should've done it yesterday.

Second, this case is being used to knock Florida's mandatory sentencing laws which required this unjust sentence be imposed. Judges, unfortunately, have only themselves to blame. If it wasn't for some fools on the bench who gave child molesters, murderers and other serious felons slaps on the wrist, legislatures wouldn't impose these sorts of requirements. This is what you occasionally end up with when you have judges lacking in common sense.