In a landmark decision by a Michigan judge, Ivory Thomas, a 77-year-old man who has spent nearly six decades behind bars, has been deemed eligible for immediate release. According to the Detroit Free Press, Thomas was resentenced to 60 years by Judge Chandra Baker-Robinson, accounting for his time already served.
Thomas's release follows a pivotal ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022, which dictated that 18-year-olds, like Thomas at the time of his crime, can't be given automatically a no-parole life term. The state's highest court's decision was later confirmed to apply retroactively, affecting over 250 individuals, as CBS Detroit reported.
The Wayne County prosecutor's office highlighted Thomas's personal growth during his time at Thumb Correctional Facility, noting his role as a mentor and the serious health challenges he currently faces. In 1965, Thomas was sentenced as an 18-year-old for the fatal stabbing of Michael Railsback in Detroit's Dueweke Park.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy expressed her support for Thomas's release, acknowledging his accountability and transformation over the years, as Metro Times detailed. "Mr. Thomas is 77 years old and has served 60 years in prison for taking the life of Michael Railsback since he was 18 years old," Worthy stated. “He is very ill and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. We have examined this case and believe in these facts, as well as Mr. Ivory’s transformation in prison, that the family of Mr. Railsback and I can fully support Mr. Ivory’s release.”
