Transcripts For WJLA Nightline 20160702 : comparemela.com

WJLA Nightline July 2, 2016

Dish issues . Cascade platinum powers through your toughest stuckon food. Let your dishwasher be the dish washer. This turned out great. Cascade. Need fast heartburn relief . Cool mint zantac releases a cooling sensation in your mouth and throat. Nexium can take 24 hours. Try cool mint zantac. No pill relieves heartburn faster. Number one in just 60 seconds. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. 30 years ago america intensified its war on drugs. Congress passing mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws. But a generation later, critics point to an overburdened prison system and thousands of broken families. Tonight in we go facetoface with one of the casualties of the nations drug war who ended up being one of the lucky ones. Treasured old photos spread across the kitchen table. A family taking me on a trip down memory lane. Thats like one of those leave to it beaver photos. Reporter in the angelos house, pain and anger haunt the laughter. What are some of those things boys do with dads that you wish you could have done with your father . Reporter when we first met them, they hadnt seen their father in seven years. He was serving time in a frl prison two states away. Bitter because of that . Sad, angry . Some of all the above . Mostly sad. Then anger after. Sad. Because theres nothing i could do about it. Anger they shouldnt have done that to him. Sorry. Its okay. Reporter their father is serving a 55year sentence. His crime . Carrying a gun. And selling 24 ounces of pot. What do you think of the law that sent your brother away for 55 years . Its like a pennys worth of marijuana. How could somebody be doing life for that . Reporter since congress created mandatory minimum sentences for drugrelated crimes the federal prison population has quadrupled in size. From 58,000 prisoners to almost 200,000. Men like eldon receiving decades or more for nonviolent crime. He was a 22yearold aspiring music producer and father of two tad letters. Angelos also got involved with selling marijuana. The Police Caught wind, set up three stings, buying about 1,000 worth of marijuana from angelos. During the deals police say angelos had a gun in his possession, the critical detail that made this case so angelos was convicted. Mindless is a good word. Reporter under the law, judge paul cosell was forced to hand down a sentence that burdened him for years. Do you think about him . Yeah, i do think about angelos. I sometimes drive by the prison where hes held. I think, that wasnt the right thing to do. The system forced me to do it. Reporter under federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws angelos was facing 55 years for the gun and marijuana charges combined. He was a firsttime offender. Mandatory minimum is a sentence that says the judge has to impose a particular minimum number of years. It was designed during the reagan administrations war on drugs to send a message to drug dealers, this wont be tolerated. Right. So mandatory minimums can be used to send a message. But at some point the message gets lost. If he had been an aircraft hijacker he would have gotten 24 years in prison. If hed been a terrorist he would have gotten 20 years in prison. Would have gotten 11 years in prison. Im supposed to give him a 55year sentence . Thats just not right. Reporter their fathers absence hilt his sons hard. Beneath teenage swagger rediscovered two wounded souls. To see what they have gone through by losing their father its just emotionally destroyed me. Reporter lisa, a tireless advocate writing petitions, filing appeals, even testifying before congress. Her hope, a commutation for her brother from president obama. Its hard. I just keep telling myself, im going to keep fighting, we wont stop at anything. Reporter since we first told the angelos story last year, lisas dream has seemed closer than ever. Political support for changing federal sentencing laws has skyrocketed, angelos one of its poster boys. He received a minimum mandatory sentence of 55 years in prison. I person, male or female, democrat or republican, old or young, who thinks that sentence was correct. Reporter his case even panned by tv commentators. So wait, if my math is right here, this lowlevel pot dealer received the exact same sentence as would an airplane hijacking, childraping, terrorist, a person so evil i legitimately dont know if one has ever existed. Reporter the angelos family watched as president obama commuted the sentences of hundreds of other nonviolent drug offenders calling their sentences unfair to them and the american people. This is costing taxpayers across america 80 billion a year. Reporter and praying that each time a commutation round was announced his name would be on the list. This is it. Every time. Every time. And every time that he was on the list the same thing. I would get really sad, depressed for a while. Reporter that president ial miracle never happened. But a few weeks even more unexpected did. Watch this. Weldon is surprising his boys as a free man. What up, yall . Oh my god. What up . Oh oh my god i love you guys. Reporter the emotional reunion, a broken family made whole again, thanks to a highly unusual act of mercy. My attorney called me. And he told me my prosecutor had a change of heart. Youre smiling when you say that. I mean, its an amazing feeling. To know that. That someone who is usually an adversary agrees that i should no longer be in prison. Reporter the exact details of angelos release are still under court seal. But it was the prosecutor who sent him away who filed a motion that shortened his sent meaning an immediate release. What was it like when he walked on the door, sitting on the couch . Very shocking. We just ran to him. Reporter and the timing was perfect. For the one event weldon prayed for years to be able to attend. Anthony angelos. Reporter his oldest Boys High School graduation. Looking at your sons now, they are young men now. They were little boys when you went away. I regret missing all that important moments. I got to make the graduation. That was huge for me. That was a blessing. Reporter his two sons, now 17 and 19, both taller than him. Today weldon finally gets the chance to play hoops with his boys. How cool was it to play with your boys . Awesome. Theyre not the same boys we met a year and a half ago. They seemed heavy, burdened, old souls back then. The last time i can feel their heavy hearts, you couldnt feel that smile that i know they have. And ever since hes been home, thats all i felt. We were in the kitchen. They walked past, they touch him. On the basketball court, they touch him. To be able to touch him is just amazing for them. Reporter many familiar with the case credit lisas dogged campaigning for her brothers release. With a fulltime job, a husband, a toddler of her own, no easy task. Amazing. Without her i wouldnt have survived this, this past 13 years. When i make a promise, i keep it. I promised him the day he got locked up that i would never stop till he came home. And i promised our father that i would never give up no matter what. Reporter in all the happiness, the pain of a conspicuous absence. Weldons father, joe. My father passed away. In february 2015. I had to kind of shelf those emotions. You cant mourn properly in prison. Thats one thing he wanted more than anything, to see me free before he passed. Reporter despite the legislative changes made in the past two yrs there are thousands of prisoners in america tonight who are serving very hard time for nonviolent drug crimes. Weldon angelos, a lucky one. Is this justice delayed, you think . The laws that cause me to have to impose a 55year sentence on mr. Angelos, theyre still on the books today. Reporter we met again with reformer judge paul cosell, whos continued his Remarkable Campaign to speak out about the problem with mandatory minimums. Why be so certainly invested . Somebody needed to speak up for mr. Angelos and speak up for other people suffering from these same kinds of sentences. Reporter today Weldon Angelos gets to thank the judge, his unlikely ally, facetoface. Its great to meet you. Thank you again so much. I probably wouldnt be here were it not for you. A lot of people who go to prison, they quickly go back. Because they return to old habits. Any concern for you in that regard . None. That place for. We had this song when he first got rocked up, mariah carey through the rain. I can make it through the rain id play it for him over the phone all the time. And so when he got out i told him, i said, you made it through the rain. He goes, we sure did. He had a hell of an umbrella. Reporter one familys bond wounded by a flawed system. But never broken. Next, the unlikely band of models, actresses, musicians and writers who are packing a punch on the basketball court, attracting a new cult following. Ultra soft so we dont have to wad to get clean. Mmm, cushiony. And we can use less. Charmin ultra soft gets you clean without the wasteful wadding. And more absorbent, and you can use up to 4 times less. Remember, thats charmin in there. No wasteful wadding we all go. Why not enjoy the go with charmin. Is happening now at red lobster. Summerfest and if you love lobster and shrimp,. Check out all these new entrees. Like new coastal lobster and shrimp. With summer ale barbeque sauce,. And new lobster and shrimp overboard. Overboard . Nah,. Its just right. So hurry in. Im free to do what i want and have a good time. The ford freedom sales event is on and zero for 72 is back on 2016 ford focus, fusion and escape. 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Reporter the pistol shrimps, a band of models, actresses, musicians and writers with a bizarrely big following for an amateur rec tea t chicago bulls. My names colin hanks reporter colin, son of tom, calls the game. Dont take steps in basketball without bouncing the ball, thats my understanding. Reporter among the lucille wallers, the kareem abdul babes, the pistol shrimps level of attention i dont understand. Why am i doing a story on this . Why are you selling tshirts around the world . Why is this a thing . Theres a couple reasons. Aubrey platts is on the team. Shes a hollywood sweetheart. Reporter she plays April Ludgate on parks and rec. April ludgate, professional drinker. Reporter shes injured tonight, the rest of the team is missing her. Models paisley and melissa, singer songwriter jesse, actors and comedy writers like maria, stephanie, molly, and an gel swaggy shrimp before . Do you have a history in this game . I played for my Church League in delaware. Shoutout to delaware. To st. Annes. Reporter shes now a legit celeb, exploits that on the court. One time this girl who i was defending, she asked if id take a picture with her after the game and i said, if you give me the ball right now. She just handed it to me and i made a layup. That was the only time it worked. Reporter and talking up the shrimps on talk shows and stuff. Were really serious basketball team. No, youre not. Yeah, we are. We will dunk on your ass so hard talk shows are weird. I never know what to say so i just talked about my basketball team. Then i guess it went viral. As they say. Reporter Morgan Spurlock produced a documentary. The game garnered a growing following. Theyre called the pistol shrimps reporter last time they met, the bulls won. That was like a wall, standing there with faces painted. Reporter and the fans. Are you a sports fan . Not at all, i cant stand sports. I like this though. Reporter old ladies glued to the game. What did you think, grandma . I thought it was exciting. Are you a basketball person . Not really. Reporter and a halftime dance show led by pistol shrimp angela trimburr like nothing ive ever seen. I was dreaming when i wrote this reporter a prince tribute. But at heart this is a story about a mediocre Womens Basketball team as i understand it your record is not necessarily stellar. This season were starting off a little rough. Reporter a mediocre team that has somehow revived a previously obscure and demidefunct league. I came to the first game because i thought it was a joke. I just thought it was a weird improv show in im still wondering if thats what it is. Its real, absolutely real. We care about about this. Reporter hip hollywood types sans makeup, sans hype, just sweating on a tuesday evening. We have inspired a whole group of women around los angeles that were lacking something, now have an outlet for, i dont know fun, sports, things that arent involved in the industry. Its just to be told, its okay not to be good at basketball, its okay to just come out and have fun. I dont know steph curry but i know these women, and i care about them. I care if they win. I care missed one. Reporter and what does pistol shrimps mean . Its a real sea creature. Reporter as seen in this nat geo video. It makes the loudest sound in the ocean. It has this little claw. Then when it snaps it shoots a bubble so fast, faster than a speeding bullet, it could shatter glass. We wanted to be rrr, but a little bit of hhh, you know . Reporter i dont, but that doesnt matter. Tonight the shrimps prevail. I thought you were going to blow it. I know you, did i saw you watching, i saw your eyes. Thats how we like to do it, bet against. Yeah. Everyone thinks its a joke, like oh my god, some girl in the Entertainment Industry playing basketball. Then they get here and they realize, its very competitive. Were for real. Reporter theres a serious dampener. Since my injury in december, you know, ive had a lot of time to think about my basketball career. Reporter dark rumors surround their injured talisman. Ive decided to test free agency. Why are you doing this . I talked to my family and i really figured out whats right for me in my basketball career going forward. Speechless. Thanks. Okay. Reporter what next for the pistol shrimps . Im nick watt for nightline in the valley. The pistol shrimps documentary is currently streaming on siso. Next how one familys trip to the Nations Capital turned this florida wife and mom into an International Viral sensation. By the dawns early night viagra single packs. So guys with ed can. Take viagra when they need it. Ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain or adempas® for pulmonary hypertension. Your Blood Pressure could drop to an unsafe level. 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That would be weird the 4th of july sale is happening now. Havertys. Finally, she was an unknown assistant principal from florida until just this week when starr swain turned into a starspangled superstar thanks to this viral video from the lincoln memorial. O say can you see being in the Nations Capital when singing that song gives you a bigger sense of nationalism. Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave as the old saint were say, that girl sang that song. It was low you buscaglia who said, your talent is gods gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to god. Tune into g morning america tomorrow. As always were online on our Facebook Page and abcnews. Com. Good night, america. Have a great fourth. Hey, is this a good movie . [spanish accent] no no, senor, no. This is a girlie flick. Too much talking. Not enough shooting. Are you hungry, senor navel . Si all right, here you go, buddy. Mmm, good. Ray, im this close to crackin you across the chops. Hey. Is this a bad time . Oh, no. Come on. Look, roberts here. Lets shut the movie off. No, no, i dont want to interrupt. Thats ok. Rays just talking to his bellybutton. Senor navel . You know him . I named him. Youre lookin pretty spiffy there. You got a hot date . Uh, nah. I was over at the holiday inn. They have swing dancin on thursdays

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