Pubdate: Thu, 07 Oct 2010 Source: Tampa Tribune (FL) Section: Letter of the Day Copyright: 2010 Linda Paey Contact: http://www2.tbo.com/static/tools/contact-us/ Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446 Author: Linda Paey MORAL CHARACTER An innocent man was sent to prison in 2004 for 20 years, the mandatory sentence. Did he murder, rape, assault or rob? No, his crime was being unable to prove that the pain pills he took for his severe chronic pain were received from prescriptions properly written by his doctor. This unfortunate man, with multiple sclerosis, had been in a car accident and had operations, hospitalizations, treatments and therapy that left him in a wheelchair with a morphine pump to control his pain. He would still be in prison now if not for the courageous politicians who pardoned him - my husband Richard - in 2007. Gov. Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, now running for other offices, voted to release my husband. We are fully aware of the political risk they took by making this vote. This is what elections are all about, voting in good people who have a history of doing good deeds so they continue to do them for more people. They forever have our gratitude, our support and our vote. Linda Paey Hudson - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake