to save you recollect herbert smith, for the past three years. >>reporter: the judge was fed up with herbert smith who he cut a break in 2012 saying he was a youthful offender sentencing him to two years in prison for burglary. >> clearly you were still out there leaving a thug life. >>reporter: driving on a suspended license and the car he was in had stolen jewelry and a box of bullets in it. but the sentence for probation violation was shocking. 60 years in prison. 47 years more than even the prosecutor asked for. he wouldn't get out years old. >> it didn't feel real. i didn't speak for like six nights. all i can do is cry. it just is unbelievable. 60 years for driving with a spended license. >>reporter: but then he got some unexcted support from more than 25,000 people on an on-line petition and a hearing was held for him to reconside the sentence in december. >> i'm hear to say that 60 years just does not seem fair and reasonable. >>reporter: pastor alan jackson who never met smith promised to help the inmate if he was given a break. >> good

bob: when he got out jankowski started mowing lawns in a business that has 30 employees like smith. >> herbert is like a sponge. you show him and tell him what to do once, he picks it right up. very smart man, and he was unlimited potential. >> bob: smith is embracing is chance but he also knows the incredible stakes. >> if you make a small mistake, your life is gone just like that. i think about that every day. every morninin i get up, 60 years on my h hd. >> does that help you stay on the straight and narrow? >> yes. it does. and god does, also. norman, local10 news. >> janine: and that 60 year's sentence will be looming or smsmh for the next 15 years when his probation is scheduled to end. >> eric: our betty davis chief meteorologist, undegrees. >> janine: almost 5:00 and almost the weekend. we like to call i friday even. >> eric: a lot going to this weekend with betty. how do things look? >> betty: we are stepping into the weekend on i a dent note. it's areat day to be outside if you can stand the heat. let's take you out to the miami-dade fair where things appear to be going strong. peopl

. >> judge matthew was fed up with herbert smith cut a break the youthful orbit fend are two years in prison for burglar and strong armed robbery. >> smith violated probation by driving on a suspended license in the car he was in had stolen jewelry and box of bullets. he sentenced for probation was shock. 60 year in prison. 47 y yrs more than t t prosecutor asked for. he would not get out until he was over 80 years old. i did not sleep for six nights stchlt i had my head down all i could do wascry and unbelievable. 60 years for driving with a suspended license. >> he got unexpected support for 25,000 people on a online petition the hearing was held to reconsider the sentence in december. >> never at&t if he was givenen a break. >> theymented find you a job, they want to keep you out of trouble. >> then another shocking announcement. >> have decided to suspend your sentence. >> he let him go. >> he was awesome. the best feel negligent world. >> he made it clear if smith violated the probation that 60 year sentence would be reinstated. >> top conditions was smith needed to get a job. >>

. >> judge matthew was fed up with herbert smith cut a break the youthful orbit fend are two years in prison for burglar and strong armed robbery. >> smith violated probation by driving on a suspended license in the car he was in had stolen jewelry and box of bullets. he sentenced for probation was shock. 60 year in prison. 47 years more than the prosecutor asked for. he would not get out until he was over 80 years old. >> it did not feel real. i did not sleep for six nights strachlt i had my head down all i could do was cry and unbelievable. 60 years for driving with a >> he got unexpected support for 25,000 people on an online petition the hearing was held to reconsider the sentence in december. >> never at&t if he was given a break. >> theymented find you a job, they w wt to keep you out of trouble. >> then another shocking announcement. >> i have deced to suspend your sentence. >> he let him go. >> he was awesome. the best feelegligent world. >> he made it clear if smith violated the probation that 60 year sentence would be reinstated. >> which path will you choose. >> top conditi

. - i'm evan smith, he's a pulitzer prize winning biographer, and former editor in chief of newsweek, - [evan] whose latest book, destiny and power, the american odyssey of george herbert walker bush, has just been published. he's jon meacham, this is overheard. - [evan] let's be honest, is this about the ability to learn or is this about the experience of not having been taught properly? how have you avoided what has befallen other nations in africa? you can say that he made his own bed but you caused him to sleep in it. you saw a problem and over time, took it on and-- let's start with the sizzle before we get to the steak. are you going to run for president? i think i just got an f from you actually. (crowd applauds)

. - i'm evan smith, he's a pulitzer prize winning biographer, and former editor in chief of newsweek, - [evan] whose latest book, destiny and power, the american odyssey of george herbert walker bush, has just been published. he's jon meacham, this is overheard. - [evan] let's be honest, is this about the ability to learn or is this about the experience of not having been taught properly? how have you avoided what has befallen other nations in africa? you can say that he made his own bed but you caused him to sleep in it. you saw a problem and over time, took it on and-- let's start with the sizzle before we get to the steak. are you going to run for president? i think i just got an f from you actually. (crowd applauds) - jon meacham welcome. - thank you sir. - nice to see you again. - delighted to be here. - and you have another winner on your hands? - well i hope so, i hope so. - who knows these days in the book business. - in the book business but it's been a long time, a long journey. - it has been. why him? - because he matters. he's a consequential president with an extraordinary life. it's an american saga. if we wrote this as a novel and submitted it, it would