Timothy L. Tyler

Timothy Leonard Tyler (born 1968) is an American who was sentenced to life in prison for possession and distribution of LSD (or "acid") under the federal three-strikes law.

After graduation, he toured the country attending Grateful Dead concerts, where he sold fried dough, fruit smoothies, beer, and soda. He also consumed and sold marijuana and LSD. He was first arrested in Panama City, Florida for LSD possession and released on his own recognizance. A second arrest occurred that resulted in three years of probation. Tyler resumed touring with the Grateful Dead and sent LSD to a friend who was arrested for marijuana possession who turned into a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). During a two-month period, this informant, working with the DEA, asked Tyler to mail him LSD five times, which Tyler did. Tyler sent the package to his father's address, implicating him in the crime. Because of prison prohibitions against music, Tyler went 20 years from the time of his initial arrest without listening to any Grateful Dead music, except what his sister could play for him in the limited phone time he was allocated. In 2012, inmates were permitted to purchase digital music players.

More than 400,000 people signed a petition on Change.org calling on President Barack Obama to grant Tyler clemency. In August 2016, he was granted clemency, and subsequently released on August 30, 2018.