Katrease Stafford

Detroit Free Press

One time Detroit drug dealer Richard Wershe Jr. — infamously known as White Boy Rick — has been dealt another blow in his fight for freedom after the Michigan Supreme Court denied his request Wednesday that sought to get him out of prison for crimes he committed when he was a teenager.

Update: White Boy Rick's lawyer upset at appeal ruling, 'it's ridiculous'

In a brief order, the court said "we are not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this court."

Wershe, who is serving life with the possibility of parole, has spent 27 years behind bars for possession with intent to deliver more than 650 grams of cocaine. He was originally sentenced to life in prison without parole but he is now serving life with the possibility of parole because of changes in the drug law. Wershe was most recently denied parole in 2012 and his next chance for parole is in 2017.

His lawyers have argued he should be re-sentenced because juvenile sentencing laws have changed since he was convicted in 1988 when he was 17.

But the Michigan Court of Appeals disagreed and ruled against Wershe last September, stating his sentence was not unconstitutional.

The state appeals court ruling reversed an earlier decision from Wayne County Circuit Judge Dana Hathaway, who had ruled Wershe's life sentence was unconstitutional and that he should be re-sentenced. ​Hathaway, who said her Sept. 4 decision was based on case law related to juveniles and the evolution of penalties for drug crimes, said Wershe was "entitled to be re-sentenced" for his 1988 conviction.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office appealed Hathaway's ruling and said Wershe's sentence was valid under the law. Separate from his 1988 case, Wershe was also accused of helping to run a multimillion-dollar stolen car scheme while behind bars in Florida and pleaded guilty to two felonies, including racketeering, in 2006 and was sentenced to five years in prison. Officials have said if Wershe is ever released from prison in Manistee, he'll likely still have to serve time in Florida before he's free.

"... Even while in prison (he) was convicted in connection with an auto theft ring," Worthy said. "I see no compelling reason to justify why his sentence should be changed."

Contact Katrease Stafford: kstafford@freepress.com or 313-223-4759.

Reporters Tresa Baldas and Elisha Anderson contributed to this report.