Father-of-two, 25, sentenced to life for stealing a POWER TOOL: Thousands of inmates are being kept behind bars due to 'over-sentencing'
- Patrick W. Matthews was jailed in 2009 at the age of 22, for stealing a $750 welding machine in Lousiana
- He was convicted under Habitual Offender Law - because he robbed a fruit stand as a teenager with a drug problem
- 3,278 people are incarcerated in the U.S. for minor offenses and 65% of inmates are black, according to ACLU
The family of a young father have revealed their heartache as he serves a life sentence - for stealing a power tool.
Patrick W. Matthews was jailed in
2009 at the age of 22, for stealing a $750 welding machine, some
tools and a generator, according to court documents. Matthews, who has a history of drug abuse, was sentenced to life in a Louisiana prison for his crimes.
His case has come to light after a report was released this week by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which shows the shocking number of non-violent offenders who are facing the rest of their lives in jail for relatively small-time offenses.
Patrick Matthews with his family, pictured with his young children Blayton and Hayley, was jailed for life in 2009 in Louisiana for stealing a power-tool. Matthews, now 25, is serving a life term for his crime
Matthews, who had been using meth and heroin since he was a teenager, was sentenced under Louisiana's Habitual Offender law.
The harsh sentence came because the young man had prior convictions - one for stealing from a pawn shop and another from a fruit stand while he was a teenager and high on meth.
Matthews had never spent a day in jail before he was sentenced to a life term.
The father, who has a son Blayton, eight, and six-year-old daughter Hayley, told the ACLU: 'I never in the world would've
thought that could happen.
'Made one mistake and was treated like a murderer.'
His mother Catherine Matthews said that her son's jail time was tantamount to a death sentence.
She also told the ACLU: 'To see your child get life without parole at 22 years old has to be the most gut-wrenching feeling that you could ever feel.
'Because it's like giving him a death sentence. Because there's no life - no life for a man, with his children or his parents, or anybody else once they're in there.'
His appeal against the harsh sentence at the Louisiana State court was rejected in 2010.
Matthews, pictured with his mother Catherine and his son, had never spent a day in prison before he was jailed for life
His defense said the crimes were property thefts committed by a drug addict.
But the judge did not agree, saying that the defendant's crimes had left the victims 'distraught' and that 'downward departures' from mandatory minimums should rarely be made.
The ACLU investigation reveals 3,278 people are incarcerated in the U.S. for minor offenses and 65 per cent of the inmates are black.
Among other offenses that have led to life terms are stealing a $159 jacket, carrying drugs for an abusive boyfriend and having someone hide illegal substances in your home.
The cost of keeping these inmates behind bars runs into millions for the taxpayer.
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