Please sign Michelle’s Change.org petition
Name: Michelle West 17809-039
Children: One daughter – Miquelle West
Race: Human
Grew up: Detroit, Michigan
Tried: Detroit,
Michigan
Will Live: Los Angeles, CA
Charges: Count (2) Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, (3) Aiding & Abetting; Drug Related Murder (5) False Statements to Institution with Deposits Insured by the FDIC (6) Laundering of Monetary Instruments
Exceptional Point: Murderer was given full immunity – never served a day in a plea bargain for testimony.
Sentence: 2 Life Sentences plus 50 years Started Sentence: 5/3/93
Time Served: 25 years
Sentenced: 6-15-94
Started Sentence: 5/3/93
Priors: First Time Offender
Incidents: Staff characterization “role model” inmate.
Clemency status: Denied
Supporters: CAN-DO Foundation, The LOHM, Topeka Sam, Beauty After the Bars, Tiawana Brown, NCIFWG, Families for Justice as Healing, FedFam4Life
African American Mayors Association letter supporting Michelle West’s clemency
Support letter from Candace Christian – daughter of the victim’s letter to President Trump
Support letter from Eric Powell_June, 2018 Major in United States Air Force Support letter from Sister Megan Rice
Support letter by Minister Nicholas Gentile
Support letter from Pat McSweeney
Prison Address: Michelle West 17809-039, FCI Dublin, 5701 8th St, Dublin, CA 94568
In the News: Journal Staff writer Tim Doran ended his article with, “…agents who raided the homes and offices never found drugs, paraphernalia or large amounts of money.”
Post sentence Letter from Judge Newblatt stating, “I have always hated the sentencing part of this position which forces me to deprive people of what is so important to me – – freedom.”
Media: The Young Turks featured Michelle West and Miquelle West in their Injustice series released June 20, 2018 – please watch and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOjPkHS1_80 Watch this 16 minute documentary by Revolt TV about Miquelle West’s quest to free her mother, Michelle West.
- Pre-Incarceration/Entrepreneur; Post-Incarceration/Marist College Certificate in Business Management with Legal Application; Naugatuck Community College (Starting Your Own Home Based Business or Small Business), Career Resource Tech Apprenticeship from U.S. Department of Labor; Advanced Computer Training; Spanish Level 1; Post-conviction rehabilitation includes numerous ACE certificates.
- Philanthropic Efforts: Obtained Warden approval to organize fundraiser(s) for FAMM at F.C.I. Danbury; Facilitated the distribution of toys for the Sylent Heart Foundation 2014 Toy Drive for children with incarcerated parents; Provided weekly mentoring sessions for young adult inmates at F.C.I. Danbury.
- In 2005, inmate West received a letter of commendation from an Associate Warden at FCI Danbury. It states that she assisted the Correctional Services Department during their Program Review and also during their American Correctional Association accreditation. “She performed at a high level and is a competent worker.”
- Other BOP Staff members have written favorable statements about Michelle’s character:
According to Michelle: The War on Drugs is not simply a war on drugs, it’s a war on everyday citizens. As a result of this war the federal prison system has rose from 24,000 inmates in 1980 to 210,000 inmates, today. On May 3, 1993, I became a prisoner of this war on drugs and I haven’t seen the light of day since. President Obama brought Bowe Bergdahl home. I am respectfully asking that President Trump have mercy on me by using his executive clemency power. I am remorseful for involving myself with the wrong man, who entered my life at a time when my husband had cheated on me for the last time. I’d lost all respect for my then-husband when I met Ollie, who is my co-defendant in this case. I can’t change the past, it’s useless to dwell on what could have been, but I do recognize I made the worst mistake of my life when I started dating Olee, who unbeknownst to me put a hit out on someone who stole money from him. Still, I am a first time offender with no prior arrests or convictions. The government offered me a plea of 20 years if I would cooperate. I am a mother and had no choice (in my mind) but to go to trial for the sake of my daughter – plus I would have put her life in danger. This I could not do. She is the only thing that keeps my heart beating as I struggle to reunite with her.

I exercised my 6th Amendment right and went to trial. As a result, I was sentenced to 2 life sentences (5 years supervised release) plus 50 years because I would not become a government informant. After November 1, 1987, anyone sentenced in federal court no longer qualified for parole. So in reality, I was given a death sentence. February 23, 1998, the jury selection process for the Eastern District of Michigan where I was indicted, tried, and convicted was ruled unconstitutional by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Count Two: Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. There were no drugs that could be attributed to me. The prosecutor used hearsay testimony from two informants to convince the judge that I should be sentenced to at least 500 kilo’s of cocaine. In 2000, Supreme Court decision Apprendi vs New Jersey held that any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Apprendi is not applicable retroactively to cases on collateral review, so I could not appeal and my life sentence stands. Count Three: Aiding and Abetting A Drug-Related Murder. I have never understood how I was charged with aiding & abetting when the actual murderer Edward Osborne was never charged with the killing of my god daughter’s father. He was given full immunity for testifying at my trial. I was implicated by him saying, I allegedly gave him $250.00 at the request of my codefendant which he used to rent a limousine to ride around the city looking for the victim. He was not in a limousine when the actual murder took place. The Court failed to respond to the jury’s specific request for an explanation of the meaning of a “drug” related murder. Count Five and Six: I was charged with “Laundering of a Monetary Instrument” alleging the down payment $1,600 were drug proceeds. In reality, I had a letter for my defense from the car sales person stating that the down payment was from a “rebate”. My county jail cell was raided for 3 hours by government agents. I thought I was cleared of that count, only to learn four days before my trial that the indictment was amended to state that I was being charged for “car payments” in the amount of $2,514.40 based on the assumption the money was from drug proceeds. The car sales person testified to signing my name on the loan application that was taken over the phone from someone else. I was convicted of making False Statements to an Institution Insured by the FDIC. Both counts where the bank suffered no loss add up to 50 years.

Detroit Country Day School Circa 1993
