Anthony Papa

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Anthony Papa, co-author (with Jennifer Wynn) of 15 to Life, is an advocate against the war on drugs and co-founder of the Mothers of the New York Disappeared.

15 to Life, published in 2004, is an autobiographical account of Papa's experience with the New York criminal justice system and anti-narcotics laws under which he was sentenced to fifteen years to life imprisonment for a first time drug offense. New York's strict drug laws, enacted during the term of former governor Nelson Rockefeller, and now known as the Rockefeller drug laws are among the toughest in the United States. The possession of four ounces or more of such drugs as heroin and cocaine — or the sale of two ounces or more of the same substances — carries the same penalties as those imposed for second-degree murder.

As reported by Juan Gonzalez of the New York Daily News, Papa had enjoyed a middle-class life as an owner of an auto-repair and radio business prior to his arrest. According to this account, he was a family man and had never been in trouble with the law. But when a member of Papa's bowling team offered Papa "some easy money" for delivering an envelope of cocaine to the town of Mount Vernon, New York, "Papa foolishly agreed". As it happened, the courier who gave him the envelope was an undercover police informant and when Papa delivered the 4.5 ounces of coke he was promptly arrested.

Following his conviction for sales and possession, Papa was sentenced to one 15-to-life sentence. Papa served 12 years in Sing Sing before Governor George Pataki granted him clemency in 1996. During his imprisonment, Papa earned two bachelor's degrees and a master's from the New York Theological Seminary. He also developed an artistic talent, and some of his paintings were exhibited at the Whitney Museum.

After his release, Papa founded The Mothers of the New York Disappeared in 1997 (along with Randy Credico), and "Mothers" became an activist entity against the "war on drugs".

His advocacy for drug law reform has been covered by magazines such as Newsweek and Time.

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