Allen Russell to continue serving life sentence for marijuana conviction "Situations like the one currently before us are a prime example of why many people have called for criminal justice reform with regard to sentencing" Loading the player... A Black man, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison due to a marijuana conviction in Mississippi, was denied when he appealed his conviction. On Tuesday, the Mississippi Court of Appeals denied Allen In 2019, the 38-year-old was found guilty of possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana. Russell was previously convicted on two separate home burglary charges in 2004 and possession of a firearm in 2015. He spent more than 10 years in jail, according to NewsOne.