In 2005, Ricky Thomas was arrested for burglary. He was given an automatic life sentence as an habitual offender because he had prior felony convictions. At the time of his sentencing, Mr. Thomas had no hope of release. Under today’s laws, this mandatory life without parole sentence would be illegal.
Despite his sentence, Mr. Thomas completed a wide array of programming in prison, worked hard as a groundskeeper, joined multiple ministries, completed vocational training courses in pest control, and became a Class A Trustee. In 2021 he became eligible for parole under a new law.
In 2021, the Louisiana Legislature passed a law recognizing that people serving life sentences for non-violent crimes should have the opportunity to prove their readiness for freedom. People who had served 15 years were eligible for a parole hearing. Innocence & Justice Louisiana represented him at his hearing in 2025. Mr. Thomas moved the parole board with his self-awareness, record of hard work, and his excellent references from prison officials. After more than 20 years in prison, Mr. Thomas was released on parole in 2025.
