An African-American man faces life in prison, because of a habitual criminal law in the state of Vermont. 

Kwesi Wilson, 39, was charged with five separate charges stemming from a high-speed chase. He could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty of being a “habitual” offender under state law, according to Brattleboro Reformer.

In a court proceeding, Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady made the decision to retain Wilson to the custody of authorities after weighing evidence and his criminal history. Wilson has three prior convictions spread out across Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. 

At the hearing Wilson’s mother, Evaney Wilson, spoke on her son’s behalf. She tried to convince Judge McDonald-Cady to grant her son bail, claiming he is a drug addict that needs to be helped, not locked up. 

“As an African American living in Vermont, this is a very racial state,” said Wilson. “I’m not saying that people who break the law shouldn’t be accountable, but I’ve seen it too much.” 

In a statement to the court  Wilson suggested that “there seems to be a White law and a Black law here,” she said.

She added that her disappointment is when African Americans that suffer from drug addiction go unnoticed; especially after being released from custody without help. 

Statistics in the state of Vermont show the racial imbalance where Blacks are stopped more than Whites.

“Incarceration does nothing to rehabilitate addicted individuals… that’s not justice, its injustice,” Wilson said. “You see it nationally where Donald Trump is convicted of 34 felonies and still running for President of the United States.”

Attempting to find some help for her son. Wilson pleaded with the judge for the younger Wilson’s freedom asking he be released under specific conditions, released to her custody with a 24/7 curfew while awaiting trial.

The Judge denied her request for bail because her son was facing a life sentence.  Wilson turned to his mother, and mouthed the words, “I love you.” 

After years of frustration with her son’s addiction, including the lack of services for substance abuse. Wilson declares as a mother, “I just want to give him a chance to get better.”