Detroit criminal legend "White Boy" Rick Wersche is the subject of an excellent case profile by Alan Lengel on DeadlineDetroit. Lengel makes a compelling case for Wersche's release, particularly in light of last year's Supreme Court ruling against life sentences for teenagers.

Sentenced to life as teenager for trafficking cocaine he was a sensation in the sensational coke-soaked Detroit 80's. His "White Boy" Rick moniker, youth and race made him a media poster boy that thrust him into the headlines and into Detroit legend while other similar criminals went relatively unmentioned.

Snips that caught my eye:

Gregg Schwarz, a retired FBI agent who worked Detroit drug cases in the 1980s and has been pushing for years for Wershe’s release, echoes similar sentiments: “This is a kid who tried to become a big deal but he never made it. He didn’t have anyone working for him.

"Now the parole board says he might still be a danger to society. Based on what? Was he ever arrested with a gun? No. Did he ever kill anybody? No. Did he ever assist the FBI and other local agencies? Yes.”
Interestingly, the U.S. Supreme Court has started to show more compassion for teens accused of murder. Last year, the court ruled that judges could no longer automatically sentence a teen to life without parole without considering youth and upbringing. In 2010, the court ruled that it was unconstitutional to sentence a juvenile to life without parole for crimes other than murder.


Those rulings don’t apply to Wershe since he wasn’t ever accused of murder, let alone convicted, and he’s now eligible for parole. But the findings of court go right to the heart of the matter in the Wershe case: The court is saying you can’t throw away the key for lifers convicted as teens without at least considering mitigating circumstances like youth and a messed-up upbringing -- particularly when murder is not involved.Wershe fits that bill.
Father's Influence


At 14, Wershe’s dad, Richard Wershe Sr., a law enforcement informant, introduced him to the FBI and Detroit police. Wershe started working as informant in the Detroit drug world, but the FBI used his father’s informant number when writing reports out of concern it would look bad that they were using a juvenile, according to Mucelli, Wershe’s attorney.