'Law enforcement taught me to sell drugs.' Rick Wershe says a 'broken system' hasn't broken his spirit

(WXYZ) — Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe Jr. spent more than 32 years in prison for a non-violent drug offense. He was released in July, and now, he's talking about his past, present, and future.

"I don't think anyone grows up wanting to be a criminal. I just think it happens. It's trying to survive," Wershe said in an exclusive interview with 7 Action News' Simon Shaykhet.

During the days of the interview, Wershe wanted to visit a home in Southfield. He said it was the last place things felt normal to him.

Related: Timeline shows the major events in White Boy Rick's life

“I walked out of this house Jan. 15, 1988 in the morning and never returned until now," he said. "I'm a little emotional, (it's) been a long time. Had a lot of good memories here, a lot of good memories. I considered this my home."

Nearly 33 years after leaving the home in Southfield, he returned and found some memories still feel like yesterday, nearly 33 years later.

It's his first on-camera TV interview since he was a teen. There's been a Hollywood movie, that Wershe said, brought more awareness to the truth of what happened.

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There has also been a book deal, and another documentary soon to come.

“I don’t think I should have done 5 or 6 years for the crime I committed, if that.

“I sold drugs. I’m not proud of it. But, I was pushed into that life by our law enforcement and our government," he added. "I didn’t learn to sell drugs and my family didn’t teach me. Law enforcement taught me to sell drugs.”

Wershe was an underage FBI informant living a fast life, trying to get ahead on the city's east side in areas you can still see blight today.

Some in the media back then portrayed Wershe as the head of a drug empire, someone he never was

"Where I come from Simon, it's usually poverty that drives you to those things," he said.

Now , a free man at 51 years old, Wershe has lived the effects of a mandatory life law for anyone caught with 650 grams of cocaine or more.

While the state law was found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 and called cruel and unusual punishment, Wershe remained in prison. He said false testimony by police led to countless denials of parole.

“There were letters that were written falsely saying I committed crimes I was never charged with. They were blatant lies to the parole board, and they committed crimes to keep me in prison," he said.

“The people that conspired to keep me in prison, nothing will ever happen to them, they look in the mirror every day and know what they did to me," he added. You also did it to my family. My mother, father, sister, children, they all lost me for 32 years. It’s not right.”

Related: “We were very overwhelmed.” Fiancée of White Boy Rick welcomes him home after 32 years

Attorney Ralph Musilli took Wershe's case back in the 1980s and has been with him all along. Musilli is a close friend to Wershe and remains part of his legal team.

Prior to his release, Musilli also obtained a sworn affidavit from a retired detective, proving lies were told by police and public officials to hurt Wershe at his parole hearings.

“What happened to him wasn’t criminal in the statutory sense, but it was highly immoral," Musilli said.

“I’ll never be able to thank Ralph. The respect and gratitude I have for what Ralph did for me, and sticking by me. I can never repay him. But, if he ever needs me I’m there," Wershe added.

Today, the same crime for which Rick was locked up at age 17 would only land someone three years at most. Yet, a broken system hasn't broken his spirit, and he's continued to publicly thank Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Dana Hathaway, who took a stand to push for his release.

“Rick has spent his 20th, 30th, 40th & 50th birthdays in prison and every year in between. He wasn’t going to weddings or birthdays. 2/3 of his life behind bars. It’s an absolute travesty," Hathaway said.

Eventually, a parole board ruling granted Rick's freedom in 2017. After completing time in Michigan and Florida on unrelated charges, Wershe once again hopes to focus on family as a father, grandfather, and fiance. He's also dedicating himself to helping others in the system who are struggling.

“I don’t want my legacy to be White Boy Rick, I want my legacy to be what I do after I was released from prison, the changes I can help make to the justice system. The changes I can help Team Wellness make in our community," he said.

This is the first of a 3-part story with Wershe. Coming up on 7 Action News at 6 p.m., Rick tells us what it was really like in jail and the violence he saw on Day 1.