Summary: The prisoner who Kim Kardashian West advocated for has thanked President Donald Trump for her early release.
After Kim Kardashian West advocated for the release of a female prisoner convicted on a first-time drug charge, President Donald Trump granted the senior citizen an early release. On Thursday, the thankful 63-year-old appeared on Good Morning America to thank the president for his mercy, ABC reported.
“I’d like to tell President Trump that I am so grateful for everything that you’ve done for me and my family,” Alice Johnson said Good Morning America. “This moment right now is happening because President Trump had mercy on me.”
Johnson had already served 22 years in jail for a nonviolent offense. She was convicted for being involved with a cocaine distribution ring, and her sentence was life in prison.
Johnson came under the radar of Kardashian West after the mega star saw a video of her story on social media. Kardashian West reached out to the prisoner and said that she would try to advocate on her behalf to get her an early release.
“From the very first, when Kim heard about my story and we connected, we truly had a heart connection with this,” Johnson said. “She told me that she knew that this was meant to be.”
Last month, Kardashian met with Trump at the White House to plea Johnson’s case, and Trump issued an early release for Johnson.
On Wednesday, Johnson’s family greeted her outside of the prison in Aliceville, Alabama, where they had a tearful reunion.
“It was the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever had,” said Johnson. “I wanted to jump into their arms.”
Alice said that she had “overpaid” her debt to society and that she would devote the rest of her life to advocate for changes in the prison system.
“I plan on continue to work hard to use my case as an example for prison reform and sentencing reform to make a difference,” Johnson said. “When you see my face, you see so many other faces that I represent.”
Johnson’s heartbreaking story reached Kardashian West in 2017 through a story written on Mic.com.
In 1993, Johnson was arrested for relaying messages in a drug operation. She said that she got involved with the syndicate after she lost her job and was unable to pay her bills. She never sold or touched cocaine directly, but she said she allowed drug dealers to use her telephone to conduct deals.
Kardashian West visited the White House on May 30 and days later, the president commuted Johnson’s sentence.
“Ms. Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behavior and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades. Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison, and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates,” the White House said earlier this month.
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