While sitting in a Nevada prison in his early 20s, Noel Vest, now a doctoral student and psychology instructor at WSU, decided he did not want the story of his life to read that he died as an addict.
“I want the story of Noel Vest to read like a fairy tale, or at least read way better. I don’t want to die a drug addict and alcoholic, constantly in and out of prison,” he said.
Vest spoke at WSU as part of the WSU common reading program lecture series.
Vest had been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison, with a maximum of 60, on multiple charges in Nevada. Because of an illegal search and seizure in his case, his conviction was overturned after three years in prison.
He was retried and sentenced to a minimum of five years. He was released three days short of seven years, he said.
Looking back at how his life changed 20 years ago and again 10 years ago is hard to fathom, he said.
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