Jason Norman entered prison in 2004 for charges related to a DIY meth lab. He served more time than the average sentence for a violent felony or sex crime.
It was December 21, 2020, and things were finally looking up for Jason Norman. The 45-year-old inmate was settling in at his new home in the Algoa Correctional Center, a minimum-security state prison on the outskirts of the capital in Jefferson City. His recent move from the state prison in Boonville meant more than a change in scenery: He d been selected to join the prestigious inmate trustees who worked in the governor s official residence, an opulent Victorian mansion overlooking the Missouri River, just a few minutes drive from the prison. Being a trustee involved a rigorous selection process, and if chosen, Norman would earn $2 an hour.