Judge allows freedom for elderly man serving life sentence

DETROIT (AP) — A man in prison for nearly 60 years was eligible for immediate release Tuesday after a Detroit-area judge reduced his sentence, the result of a major change in how Michigan treats 18-year-olds convicted of murder.

Ivory Thomas began serving a life sentence in 1965 for killing a young man in a Detroit park. He was 18 at the time of the fatal stabbing, according to the Wayne County prosecutor’s office.

Thomas, now 77, was destined to die in prison as a result of that mandatory sentence. But the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022 said people who committed murder when they were 18 can’t automatically be given a no-parole term.

In January, the state appeals court said the decision could be applied retroactively to more than 250 people currently in prison.

Thomas was resentenced to 60 years in prison by Judge Chandra Baker-Robinson, effectively time already served.

“Records support Mr. Thomas’ positive transformation while in prison,” the prosecutor’s office said. “He has accepted responsibility for his actions and serves as a mentor to other inmates. He currently is experiencing serious health challenges that have a daily impact.”