A man from New Orleans has been released from prison after being sentenced to 13 years for possession of just 2.8 grams of cannabis.

The story has gained nationwide media attention, just like it did back in 2010 when Bernard Noble was initially arrested.

After months of exhausting negotiations with New Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro’s office during December 2016, the 51-year-old’s sentence was slashed to eight years.

In February of this year, he was granted parole. As of Thursday, April 12, 2018, Bernard Noble walks free.

Nonprofit journalism organization, The Marshall Project, followed Noble’s case. The organization announced the news soon after his release from a northwest Louisiana prison.

Bernard Noble’s slow journey to freedom

This is a remarkable story with a happy ending.

Noble had previous cocaine and cannabis convictions on his criminal record when he was arrested with 0.11 ounces of cannabis in 2010.

As a habitual offender, Louisiana police saw Noble’s case as an opportunity to put him behind bars.

In 2015, new sentencing laws meant that Noble’s sentence could be slashed.

The following year, he was permitted parole and was given a reduced sentence by a district attorney. His family was happy with this decision, which meant that he would probably be out of jail by 2018.

This turned out to be the case, thanks in large part to Noble’s lawyer from the Orleans Parish Public Defender’s Office, who fought aggressively with the district attorney for a revised sentence.

Bernard Noble’s story demonstrates the excesses of the war on drugs

When Noble was caught with less than three grams of cannabis on his person back in 2010, little did he know that those two joints’ worth of bud would land him a hefty prison sentence.

Due to his previous convictions, Noble was sentenced under Louisiana’s mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws.

Reflective of the ruthless war on drugs, Many believe Noble’s arrest was racially motivated.

The nation was angered to learn of his arrest, which shone a light on the shame and corruption associated with America’s war on drugs.

For such a minor offense, it seemed highly unjustified to imprison someone for 13 years.

Members of the public were infuriated to hear about Noble’s sentence, which is indicative of the significantly bigger problem of racially prompted mass incarceration and how it has led to the dehumanization of American citizens.

Mass incarceration among African Americans is an ongoing problem

The unfair treatment experienced by Bernard Noble is nothing new, unfortunately.

According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), African Americans are incarcerated more than five times the rate of white people.

Furthermore, the rate of imprisonment among African Americans with drug charges is as many as six times that of whites.

Hopefully, this astonishing story will be a catalyst for lessening mass incarceration among African Americans.