Nick Gillespie, Leonard Pickard and Lyn Ulbricht on Cruel Sentencing

Moderated by journalist Nick Gillespie, this conversation brings together Leonard Pickard—once sentenced to two life terms for a nonviolent LSD case—and Lyn Ulbricht, whose son Ross received double life sentences for running the Silk Road marketplace. They share what it means to be told you will die in prison, the inner work required to hold onto hope, and the invisible sentences carried by families and children on the outside. Pickard describes surviving 20 years in maximum-security prisons through meditation, legal persistence, and faith, then rebuilding a life as a biotech advisor and Harvard law affiliate after his sentence was commuted. Ulbricht recounts her 11½-year fight to free her son and her decision to found Mothers Against Cruel Sentencing to challenge extreme, often drug-related punishments that she sees as unconstitutional and inhumane. Together, they argue that most incarcerated people could safely return to society under supervised conditions, and they challenge us to treat our own freedom like a second life—to use our talents and power to build a more just justice system. 📍 Recorded Live at PopTech 2025: Enigma in Washington DC Connect with PopTech: Subscribe to the newsletter: https://secure.everyaction.com/NrEjNd... Become a member: https://secure.everyaction.com/5pq8tk... Explore timeless content on the PopTech YouTube Channel:    / poptech